Storytelling and Mindfulness for Graduate Student Wellbeing
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Mindfulness Practice, Storytelling Workshop.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Depression, Anxiety, Burnout, Student. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Determining the Effect of Mindfulness and Storytelling on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) Graduate Student Wellbeing
Overview
The purpose of this study is to evaluate an intervention for improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) graduate student wellbeing. Participants will be recruited from the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student body. Data will be collected from participants for up to 2 years, and the investigators anticipate that the study will last for 4 years.
Detailed description
The objective of this research is to evaluate the utility of storytelling and mindfulness practice in improving wellbeing in STEM graduate students. The main questions it aims to answer are:
1. Does engaging in mindfulness practice and storytelling increase measures of wellbeing in this population? 2. Does engaging in mindfulness practice and storytelling increase measures of academic success?
Participants will be randomized to 1 or 4 conditions (each will complete study questionnaires):
* a survey-only Control Group to complete a survey evaluating wellbeing and academic success * Intervention Group 1 which will take a virtual Science Story workshop * Intervention Group 2 which will engage in a mindfulness practice using the Healthy Minds Program (HMP) app for 2 weeks * Intervention Group 3 which will both take a virtual Science Story workshop and use the HMP app for 2 weeks
Researchers will compare survey results from participants in the control group (no intervention, survey only) to those from participants in the intervention groups to see if the measures of wellbeing and academic success differ between groups.
Interventions
- Behavioral Mindfulness Practice
Participants follow guided meditations in the Healthy Minds Program (HMP) mobile phone app for at least 15 min per day, for a total of 14 days. - Behavioral Storytelling Workshop
Participants attend 1 (120 min) workshops, teaching them creative writing tools and giving them opportunities to apply those tools.
Primary outcome measures
- Change from Baseline in Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in Perceived stress scale at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in WHO-5 Well-being Index at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in PROMIS Depression Questionnaire at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in PROMIS Anxiety Questionnaire at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in PROMIS Sleep Disturbance Questionnaire at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in PROMIS Global Health Questionnaire at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in Vanderweele Flourishing Measure at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in Academic Working Alliance Inventory at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
- Change from Baseline in Academic Persistence Inventory at 4 weeks [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- 18 or older
- Current graduate student in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
- No significant experience with mindfulness practice
Exclusion criteria
- Under 18
- Significant experience with mindfulness practice
- Not a current graduate student in a STEM field at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery — Madison
Identifiers
NCT: NCT05826860 · 2022-1560 · MSN269425 · 2026-05-05 · CALS/PLANT PATHOLOGY