Damon House

This pilot study of 16 patients will demonstrate a specific psychologically focused intervention to affect a spiritual aspect of psychological health and will measure (1) its effects on general distress, depression, anxiety and well-being; (2) healing and psychological impact beyond that accounted by usual personality factors; (3) its effect in correlation to measures of spirituality; (4) with neuroimaging, possible biological changes associated with this intervention.
A. Objectives
Pilot a psychological intervention that impacts a "spiritual" level.
Measure efficacy improving well-being beyond explanation by usual personality factors.
Identify biological changes with neuroimaging.
B. Hypotheses / Research Question(s) Studies demonstrate a healing effect beyond usual psychological and medical health to include a "spiritual" aspect with added experience of wholeness and well-being. Benefits are beyond just symptom relief but methods to achieve this are not well-defined. This study will provide a specific intervention and measure psychological and neuroimaging effects of the intervention.
Hypotheses of Specific Results (see Study Instruments below)
DASS-21-shows significant decrease in depression, anxiety and overall stress.
PCL-5 - shows decrease 5-10 points (5 points=response, 10 points=clinically meaningful).
NIH-HEALS - shows significant increase overall and in all 3 factors.
WEMWBS - shows increase of greater than 3 points, considered "meaningful change."
Contingencies of Self-Worth Scale-shows significant global increase, positively correlated with increase in Mysticism Scale scores with post-intervention total above standardized mean.
A relevant portion of outcome improvement on DASS-21, NIH-HEALS, and ASPIRES will NOT be accountable by personality factors measured by NEO-FFI-3.
ASPIRES-shows significant increase in transcendence, no change in religious sentiments.
Neuroimaging-shows reduced activity in SPL, TPJ, MPFC, and IPL (see Research Significance).