The Role of Anchoring and Distraction in the Effectiveness of Mindfulness on Reducing Emotional Reactivity

Launched by THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG · Mar 9, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how an 8-week program called Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) can help people manage their emotions. The researchers want to understand how two techniques, called anchoring and distraction, play a role in this process. Anchoring helps individuals focus on something stable to ground themselves, while distraction takes their mind off distressing feelings. They believe that practicing mindfulness may also change how the brain works, which they will check using a special imaging technique called fMRI.

To participate in this study, individuals need to be right-handed and currently enrolled in a postgraduate program for professional counseling. However, there are some important criteria to consider. For instance, people with certain brain-related health issues, those who have had severe injuries to the head, or those with specific medical devices or conditions like diabetes or asthma are not eligible. Participants will undergo mindfulness training and may experience changes in their emotional responses, which could provide valuable insights into how these techniques work for emotional adjustment.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Right-handed
• • Currently registered in post-graduated program with professional counselling training
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • History of neurological or other disorders affecting the brain (such as encephalitis, epilepsy, birth defects, or polio)
• • Have experienced a concussion, head or brain trauma, seizures, loss of consciousness
• • Have been injured in the eye by a metallic foreign body.
• • Have been injured by metallic foreign body (e.g. bullet, shrapnel)
• • History of sickle cell anemia/kidney disease/diabetes, asthma, or allergies
• • Long-term use of medication is required
• • Currently pregnant or breast feeding.
• * Had the following conditions or implants in their body:
• • Surgical clips
• • Cardiac pacemaker
• • Neurostimulator/internal electrodes
• • Insulin pump
• • Internal shunt
• • Metal screen / suture
• • Cochlear implants
• • Hearing aid
• • Eye implants/eyelid springs
• • Orthopaedic devices (e.g. pins, nails, screws)
• • Prosthetic heart valve
• • Breast tissue expander
• • Tattoo or permanent eye-lining
• • Body ring
• • Patch/Blood Glucose Monitor
• • Dentures
• • Intrauterine contraceptive device
• • Metal blockage in the blood vessel/metal foreign body in the body