The Lucida Project

The Lucida Project

The purpose of this clinical trial is to learn about the impact of the Healthy Minds Program (HMP) on measurements of well-being. The main question it aims to answer is:

• Does use of HMP reduce symptoms of depression?

Participants will complete a 4-week well-being program.

Inclusion Criteria - all participants:

• Age 18 to 84
• Elevated depressive symptoms: PHQ-9 ≥ 10; Healthy controls: PHQ-9 <5

Inclusion Criteria - randomized participants:

• Proficient in English to try to unsure understanding of study requirement, consent forms and questionnaires that can often us medical terms not routinely used in general conversation.
• Able to provide informed consent
• Have access to a smartphone that can download apps from Google Play or the Apple App Store
• Ability to receive text messages
• Indicate interest in participation after being informed of restrictions to payment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Regular daily meditation practice for past 6 months or regular weekly meditation practice for past 12 months
• Attended a meditation retreat or a yoga/body practice retreat with a significant meditation component
• Previous use of Healthy Minds Program app
• Current suicidal intent and/or high self-injury risk (determined by PHQ-9 item 9 and BDI item 9)
• Self-reported history of psychosis
• Self-reported history of mania
• Living or traveling outside the US during the whole study participation period (trips outside US after the interview phase is not an exclusion)
• Hearing impairments
• Prior participation
• Self report pregnancy