Growth, Empowerment, and Mindfulness (GEM): Pilot Trial of a Mindfulness-based Intervention to Address Mental Health in Young Adults With Early Life Adversities

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial (single-arm feasibility study) is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a mindfulness-based, app-delivered intervention to address mental health and emotion regulation challenges in young adults with early life adversities (ELAs). The main questions it aims to answer is: \- Will young adults find the Growth, Empowerment, and Mindfulness (GEM) intervention to be both feasible and acceptable, as demonstrated by participants' engagement and quantitative/qualitative feedback? Additionally, it aims to answer: * Will GEM intervention demonstrate preliminary efficacy in improving outcome measures including depression, anxiety? * Are improvements in mindfulness and sleep, as well as reductions in rumination, mechanisms of action underlying the improvements in psychological and behavioral outcomes of the intervention? Participants will be asked to: * participate in GEM, which integrates app-based intervention content, formal and informal mindfulness practices, weekly Zoom group sessions, and ecological momentary intervention (EMI) delivery * complete baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up assessments * complete weekly assessments and daily ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) during the intervention delivery * wear Fitbit for researchers to collect sleep-related data

Eligibility

Age range

18–24 years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

No

Interventions

• Behavioral
  Growth, Empowerment, and Mindfulness (GEM)

  The Growth, Empowerment, and Mindfulness (GEM) intervention is a structured, mindfulness-based intervention designed to offer support for young adults with early life adversities and their negative behavioral health consequences through the development of awareness, emotion regulation, and adaptive coping skills. Through psychoeducation content, group practice Zoom sessions, and formal and informal mindfulness practices, GEM is aimed at helping participants build foundational mindfulness and self-compassion skills, increase interoceptive awareness, reduce experiential avoidance and de-centering, improve emotion regulation and decrease rumination, and integrate mindfulness skills into daily life. The content of the GEM intervention was developed with community feedback from relevant Community Advisory Board members.

Location