Perceived StressNCT06044714
Effects of Acupuncture on Perceived Stress and Health in Military Service Members
A study testing Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in people with Perceived Stress, run by United States Naval Medical Center, San Diego at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this is to investigate the effect of a Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) protocol as an adjunct treatment to a short-term mindfulness therapy for perceived stress and general health in service members (i.e., active duty military personnel and veterans). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Perceived Stress
- What is being tested?
- Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 86 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2024to 31 Oct 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Active duty and veteran service members,
- 18 to 65 years of age, self-report of perceived stress symptoms for at least one month,
- a score of 16 or above on the PSS,
- stable on psychiatric and other medications including blood pressure agents for at least three months,
- agrees to participate in group psychotherapy (i.e., MBSR), and
- able to provide informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Recent surgery within one month,
- alcohol abuse or dependence diagnosis within one month,
- active substance use/abuse/dependency treatment within one month,
- pregnant women (acupuncture can result in an induction of labor and spontaneous abortion on rare occasions), and
- has had acupuncture treatment, dry needling, and MBSR provided by a provider in the past month.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Naval Medical Center, San Diego
San Diego, California, 92134
About this study
Official title: Effects of Acupuncture on Perceived Stress and Health in Military Service Members and Veterans
The goal of this is to investigate the effect of a Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) protocol as an adjunct treatment to a short-term mindfulness therapy for perceived stress and general health in service members (i.e., active duty military personnel and veterans).
The specific aims of this study are Aim 1) To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief MSSA as an adjunct treatment with a short-term Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) compared with MBSR alone for perceived stress and general health in service members. Aim 2) To describe any perceived benefits of MSSA as an adjunct treatment with MBSR compared with MBSR alone for perceived stress and general health.
Participants will be asked to complete an informed consent if eligible for the study and randomized into two groups: 1) Participants in the experimental group will receive MSSA in addition to MBSR. 2) Participants in the control group will receive MBSR only. Researchers will compare experimental and control groups to see if the interventions mitigated perceived stress and improved the health of the participants.
- Conditions
- Perceived Stress
- Being tested
- Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA)Procedure or surgery
Participants in the experimental group will receive 4 weekly sessions of MSSA, which consists of 8 acupuncture points: bilateral auricular (ear) shen men, GV- 20, GV-24.5 (Yin Tang), bilateral LI-4, and bilateral LR-3. Needles are left in situ for 30 minutes per session.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)Behavioural
Participants will receive four sessions of MBSR group psychotherapy (no more than 10 participants per group session) via Microsoft Teams. The first session will be 90 minutes followed by three 60-minute weekly sessions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) | Experimental | Not described Receives: Procedure: Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA); Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
The PSS is a 10-item scale used to evaluate perceived stress experience in adults. Perceived general stress is rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from never to very often. The total possible scores for PSS range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating higher stress.
Measured: At baseline, at two weeks post interventions, and at four weeks post interventions
Secondary outcomes (3)
Insomnia Severity Index
The ISI is a seven-item standardized self-report questionnaire that measures the subjective symptoms of insomnia. These subjective symptoms include the respondents' concerns and distress because of problems with sleep. The ISI measure contains seven items: perceived difficulty with sleep-onset, sleep maintenance, and early morning awakenings; satisfaction with sleep patterns; interference of sleep problems with daily functioning; impairment because of a sleep problem; and degree of distress or concern with the sleep problem. Each item in the ISI is rated from 0 to 4 whereby the higher number indicates more difficulty. The scores are added to yield a range of total scores from 0 to 28 in which a higher score suggests more severe insomnia.
Measured: At baseline, at two weeks post interventions, and at four weeks post interventions
The Short Form (SF) Health Survey
The 20-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-20) measures the multidimensional concept of health including perceptions about general health, physical health, mental health, and social functioning. Scores are transformed to a scale of 0 to 100 wherein high scores indicate better functioning.
Measured: At baseline, at two weeks post interventions, and at four weeks post interventions
Journal Log
Journal entries will include five open-ended questions about the participants' perceived benefits of treatment.
Measured: At weeks 2 and 4 after treatments have been completed.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Sep 2023
- Study start1 Sep 2024
- Primary completion31 Oct 2025
- Study completion31 Oct 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Perceived 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
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 86 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- United States Naval Medical Center, San Diego
- Sponsor type
- US federal agency
- Collaborators
- TriService Nursing Research Program, University of California, San Francisco
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jane J. Abanes, United States Naval Medical Center, San Diego
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06044714
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- NMCSD.2022.0054
- Status last verified
- May 2025
- First submitted
- 8 Sep 2023
- Last updated
- 28 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Acupuncture on Perceived Stress and Health in Military Service Members and Veterans
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06044714
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- NMCSD.2022.0054
- Conditions
- Perceived Stress
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 86 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- United States Naval Medical Center, San DiegoUS federal agency
- Collaborators
- TriService Nursing Research Program, University of California, San Francisco
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Oct 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Sep 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
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 is to investigate the effect of a Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) protocol as an adjunct treatment to a short-term mindfulness therapy for perceived stress and general health in service members (i.e., active duty military personnel and veterans).
The specific aims of this study are Aim 1) To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief MSSA as an adjunct treatment with a short-term Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) compared with MBSR alone for perceived stress and general health in service members. Aim 2) To describe any perceived benefits of MSSA as an adjunct treatment with MBSR compared with MBSR alone for perceived stress and general health.
Participants will be asked to complete an informed consent if eligible for the study and randomized into two groups: 1) Participants in the experimental group will receive MSSA in addition to MBSR. 2) Participants in the control group will receive MBSR only. Researchers will compare experimental and control groups to see if the interventions mitigated perceived stress and improved the health of the participants.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) | Experimental | Procedure: Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA), Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) | Active comparator | Behavioral: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Active duty and veteran service members,
- 18 to 65 years of age, self-report of perceived stress symptoms for at least one month,
- a score of 16 or above on the PSS,
- stable on psychiatric and other medications including blood pressure agents for at least three months,
- agrees to participate in group psychotherapy (i.e., MBSR), and
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Recent surgery within one month,
- alcohol abuse or dependence diagnosis within one month,
- active substance use/abuse/dependency treatment within one month,
- pregnant women (acupuncture can result in an induction of labor and spontaneous abortion on rare occasions), and
- has had acupuncture treatment, dry needling, and MBSR provided by a provider in the past month.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA)Participants in the experimental group will receive 4 weekly sessions of MSSA, which consists of 8 acupuncture points: bilateral auricular (ear) shen men, GV- 20, GV-24.5 (Yin Tang), bilateral LI-4, and bilateral LR-3. Needles are left in situ for 30 minutes per session. | Procedure or surgery | Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)Participants will receive four sessions of MBSR group psychotherapy (no more than 10 participants per group session) via Microsoft Teams. The first session will be 90 minutes followed by three 60-minute weekly sessions. | Behavioural | Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
Primary outcome
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
Time frame: At baseline, at two weeks post interventions, and at four weeks post interventions
The PSS is a 10-item scale used to evaluate perceived stress experience in adults. Perceived general stress is rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from never to very often. The total possible scores for PSS range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating higher stress.
3 secondary outcomes
Insomnia Severity Index
Time frame: At baseline, at two weeks post interventions, and at four weeks post interventions
The Short Form (SF) Health Survey
Time frame: At baseline, at two weeks post interventions, and at four weeks post interventions
Journal Log
Time frame: At weeks 2 and 4 after treatments have been completed.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 28 Jan 2026.
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Manual Standardized Stress Acupuncture (MSSA) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in people with Perceived Stress, run by United States Naval Medical Center, San Diego 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 6 inclusion and 5 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 28 Jan 2026. 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
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 (PSS) (time frame: At baseline, at two weeks post interventions, and at four weeks post interventions). 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 28 Jan 2026.