StressNCT05622604
The Effect of Religious Practices on Mental and Spiritual Health
A study testing pray.com app (autonomous use) and pray.com app (meditative prayer condition) in people with Stress, run by Biola University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effects of using a religious mobile app (i.e., Pray.com) in participants who have high levels of stress. The main question it aims to answer is: •What are the effects of using Pray.com on stress in individuals who report high levels of stress? Participants will complete… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Stress
- What is being tested?
- pray.com app (autonomous use) and pray.com app (meditative prayer condition)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 312 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 30 Nov 2022to 10 Mar 2023
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- over the age of 18
- own a smart phone and be willing to download a mobile app
- willing to engage in a Christian practice on a mobile app
- score of 14 or greater on the Perceived Stress Scale (indicating at least a moderate level of stress)
Who cannot join
- n/a
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effects of using a religious mobile app (i.e., Pray.com) in participants who have high levels of stress. The main question it aims to answer is:
•What are the effects of using Pray.com on stress in individuals who report high levels of stress?
Participants will complete measures at baseline (i.e., Time 1), four-weeks (i.e., Time 2), and eight weeks (i.e., Time 3). Participants will be randomly assigned one of three conditions: (1) autonomous use (directed to use the app daily), (2) meditative prayer condition (directed to use this feature of the app daily), or (3) wait-list control condition.
Read the detailed description
Participants (N = 300) will be adults recruited through social media and faith-based organizations. Participants will first complete a brief screener to determine eligibility for the study.
Eligible participants will be invited to participate in the study. Participants will read an informed consent document that will give information about the study and their rights as participants. Participants will be given the opportunity to contact the research team and ask questions. If they agree to participate, participants will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Condition 1 is the control condition (i.e., no intervention condition). In Condition 2, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week (i.e., autonomous use condition). In Condition 3, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week (i.e., meditative prayer condition). Participants will receive periodic reminders on their phone if they have not used the app.
All participants will fill out a series of online questionnaires monthly for a two-month time-period (i.e., Baseline / Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3). Participants will receive a link from the research team when it is time for them to fill out their questionnaire via a secure online data collection portal. After finishing the study, participants will be debriefed and given the opportunity to ask questions about their participation.
- Conditions
- Stress
- Being tested
- pray.com app (autonomous use), pray.com app (meditative prayer condition)
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
pray.com app (autonomous use)Behavioural
Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week.
pray.com app (meditative prayer condition)Behavioural
Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| no intervention condition | No intervention | no intervention |
| autonomous use condition | Experimental | Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week. Receives: Behavioral: pray.com app (autonomous use) |
| meditative prayer condition | Experimental | Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week. Receives: Behavioral: pray.com app (meditative prayer condition) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Perceived Stress Scale
minimum value: 0, maximum value: 4, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of stress (i.e., worse outcome)
Measured: 2 months
Secondary outcomes (8)
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
minimum value: 0, maximum value: 3, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of anxiety/depression (i.e., worse outcome)
Measured: 2 months
Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
minimum value: 1, maximum value: 6, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of mindfulness (i.e., better outcome)
Measured: 2 months
Copenhagen Burnout Inventory--personal Subscale
minimum value: 0, maximum value: 4, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of burnout (i.e., worse outcome)
Measured: 2 months
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory
Each component score of the scale ranges from 0 to 3, with 3 indicating the greatest dysfunction or disturbance. The seven component scores are then summed to obtain a total score, which ranges from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality, with a score greater than 5 suggesting significant sleep difficulties
Measured: 2 months
Religious Commitment Inventory
minimum value: 1, maximum value: 5, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of religious commitment (i.e., better outcome)
Measured: 2 months
Spiritual Well-Being Scale
minimum value: 1, maximum value: 6, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of spiritual well-being (i.e., better outcome)
Measured: 2 months
Satisfaction With Life Scale
minimum value: 1, maximum value: 7, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of satisfaction with life (i.e., better outcome)
Measured: 2 months
Productivity
Participants' level of productivity was measured by three items (Vogel et al., 2022): Participants were asked to rate their responses on a scale from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. Participants' mean responses were calculated, with higher scores indicating higher perceived efficiency and productivity
Measured: 2 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Nov 2022
- Study start30 Nov 2022
- Primary completion10 Mar 2023
- Study completion10 Mar 2023
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for StressStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Condition 1 is the control condition (i.e., no intervention condition). In Condition 2, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week (i.e., autonomous use condition). In Condition 3, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week (i.e., meditative prayer condition).
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 312 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Biola University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Todd Hall, Biola University
- Investigators
- Todd Hall, PhD, Principal investigator, Biola University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05622604
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- F22-011
- Status last verified
- Sep 2025
- First submitted
- 8 Nov 2022
- Last updated
- 10 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Oct 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Religious Practices on Mental and Spiritual Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05622604
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- F22-011
- Conditions
- Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 312 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Biola UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 Nov 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Mar 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 10 Mar 2023 (actual)
- First posted
- 18 Nov 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 10 Oct 2025
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effects of using a religious mobile app (i.e., Pray.com) in participants who have high levels of stress. The main question it aims to answer is:
•What are the effects of using Pray.com on stress in individuals who report high levels of stress?
Participants will complete measures at baseline (i.e., Time 1), four-weeks (i.e., Time 2), and eight weeks (i.e., Time 3). Participants will be randomly assigned one of three conditions: (1) autonomous use (directed to use the app daily), (2) meditative prayer condition (directed to use this feature of the app daily), or (3) wait-list control condition.
Detailed description
Participants (N = 300) will be adults recruited through social media and faith-based organizations. Participants will first complete a brief screener to determine eligibility for the study.
Eligible participants will be invited to participate in the study. Participants will read an informed consent document that will give information about the study and their rights as participants. Participants will be given the opportunity to contact the research team and ask questions. If they agree to participate, participants will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Condition 1 is the control condition (i.e., no intervention condition). In Condition 2, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week (i.e., autonomous use condition). In Condition 3, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week (i.e., meditative prayer condition). Participants will receive periodic reminders on their phone if they have not used the app.
All participants will fill out a series of online questionnaires monthly for a two-month time-period (i.e., Baseline / Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3). Participants will receive a link from the research team when it is time for them to fill out their questionnaire via a secure online data collection portal. After finishing the study, participants will be debriefed and given the opportunity to ask questions about their participation.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Condition 1 is the control condition (i.e., no intervention condition). In Condition 2, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week (i.e., autonomous use condition). In Condition 3, participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week (i.e., meditative prayer condition).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| no intervention condition | No intervention | –no intervention |
| autonomous use condition | Experimental | Behavioral: pray.com app (autonomous use)Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week. |
| meditative prayer condition | Experimental | Behavioral: pray.com app (meditative prayer condition)Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- over the age of 18
- own a smart phone and be willing to download a mobile app
- willing to engage in a Christian practice on a mobile app
- score of 14 or greater on the Perceived Stress Scale (indicating at least a moderate level of stress)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- n/a
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| pray.com app (autonomous use)Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to use the app five days per week. | Behavioural | autonomous use condition |
| pray.com app (meditative prayer condition)Participants will be given a free subscription to the Pray.com app and will be directed to listen to a meditation prayer five days per week. | Behavioural | meditative prayer condition |
Primary outcome
Perceived Stress Scale
Time frame: 2 months
minimum value: 0, maximum value: 4, higher average item scores indicate higher levels of stress (i.e., worse outcome)
8 secondary outcomes
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
Time frame: 2 months
Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
Time frame: 2 months
Copenhagen Burnout Inventory--personal Subscale
Time frame: 2 months
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory
Time frame: 2 months
Religious Commitment Inventory
Time frame: 2 months
Spiritual Well-Being Scale
Time frame: 2 months
Satisfaction With Life Scale
Time frame: 2 months
Productivity
Time frame: 2 months
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 10 Oct 2025.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Todd Hall, PhD principal investigator
Biola University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing pray.com app (autonomous use) and pray.com app (meditative prayer condition) in people with Stress, run by Biola University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 10 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 10 Oct 2025). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Perceived Stress Scale (time frame: 2 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 10 Oct 2025.