Mental Health and General Well-beingBEGIN IINCT07607782
Effect of a Brief Daily Digital Meditation on Well-Being in US Young Adults (BEGIN II)
A study testing Miracle of Mind meditation and Neutral audio learning task in people with Mental Health and General Well-being, run by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study is testing whether a short, daily, app-based meditation can help young adults feel better in their everyday lives. Adults aged 18-40 years who live in the United States and have not meditated regularly (defined as more than four times per week at any point in their lives) are invited to participate. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Mental Health and General Well-being
- What is being tested?
- Miracle of Mind meditation and Neutral audio learning task
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 354 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 27 Oct 2026to 31 Dec 2028
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 40 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Individuals between the ages of 18-40 years
- Currently residing in the USA
- Individuals who are English speaking
- Willing and able to download an application on iOS/Android
Who cannot join
- Individuals who are non-English speaking
- Unable to access an iOS/Android smartphone
- Individuals who regularly practice any form of meditation >4 times per week
- Individuals scoring 9-12 on the PHQ-4, or ≥3 on either the PHQ-2 or GAD-2 subscale
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215
Balachundhar Subramaniam, MD, MPH, 617-667-2721, sadhgurucenter_research@bidmc.harvard.edu
Balachundhar Subramaniam, MD, MPH
About this study
This study is testing whether a short, daily, app-based meditation can help young adults feel better in their everyday lives.
Adults aged 18-40 years who live in the United States and have not meditated regularly (defined as more than four times per week at any point in their lives) are invited to participate.
Read more
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups for 4 weeks:
- Intervention group: Participants will complete a 7-minute Miracle of Mind meditation each day using a mobile app.
- Active comparator group: Participants will listen to a neutral 7-minute audio lesson each day.
- Control group: Participants will continue their usual daily routine without adding anything new.
All participants will complete brief online surveys at the start of the study and several times during the 4-week study period. Surveys will ask about mood, stress, anxiety, overall well-being, and mindfulness.
Participants who already wear a smartwatch, such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch, may choose to share heart rate and related data so that researchers can examine whether meditation may also affect physical signs of stress.
Investigators will compare changes over time among the three groups to determine whether the daily 7-minute meditation helps young adults feel better, experience less stress, and become more emotionally resilient.
- Conditions
- Mental Health and General Well-being
- Being tested
- Miracle of Mind meditation, Neutral audio learning task
- Keywords
- Digital meditation, App-based guided meditation, Miracle of Mind meditation, Young adults mental health, Stress and anxiety reduction, Emotional well-being, Mindfulness, Randomized controlled trial, Active and passive control groups, Well-being questionnaires, Physiological stress indicator
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being, Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Miracle of Mind meditationBehavioural
Miracle of Mind is a 7-minute meditation that incorporates breath and awareness to enhance mental health and clarity. The practice involves voice-guided seated meditation with simple breathing techniques. This is a simple, safe intervention that does not require any previous meditation experience.
Neutral audio learning taskBehavioural
Active control participants are asked to listen to an approximately 7-minute neutral audio learning task daily in the 3Cs app for the duration of the study. A total of 28 audio learning tasks were sourced from the SDG Academy and Harvard University YouTube and SoundCloud content were screened prior to inclusion.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention arm: Daily Miracle of Mind meditation | Experimental | Participants in this group will use a study app to do a 7-minute Miracle of Mind guided meditation once a day for 4 weeks. The meditation is voice-guided, done while seated, and uses simple breathing techniques. No prior meditation experience is required. Receives: Behavioral: Miracle of Mind meditation |
| Active control arm: Daily neutral audio learning | Active comparator | Participants in this group will use the same study app to listen to a neutral 7-minute audio lesson once a day for 4 weeks. The lessons cover general educational topics and are designed not to be emotional, inspirational, or related to psychology. Receives: Behavioral: Neutral audio learning task |
| Passive control arm: Usual routine | No intervention | Participants in this group will not receive any new activity through the app and will continue their usual daily routine for 4 weeks. They will complete the same study surveys as the other groups but will not be asked to meditate or listen to audio lessons. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Well-being
To assess whether a 7-minute digital meditation practiced daily for 4 weeks improves mental well-being, as measured by the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). The WHO-5 total raw score ranges from 0 to 25 where higher scores indicate better mental well-being.
Measured: "Baseline, Week 2 and Week 4"
Secondary outcomes (5)
Mindfulness
To assess whether the 7-minute digital meditation practiced daily for 4 weeks improves mindfulness, as measured by the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). The MAAS mean score ranges from 1 to 6; higher scores indicate greater dispositional mindfulness and attention to present-moment experiences.
Measured: "Baseline and 4 weeks"
Overall health
To assess whether the 7-minute digital meditation practiced daily for 4 weeks improves overall health, as measured by the Whole Person Health Index (WPHI). The WPHI is a 9-item self-reported measure where total scores range from 9 to 45. Higher scores indicate better overall self-reported whole-person health.
Measured: "Baseline, Week 2 and Week 4"
Stress
To assess whether the 7-minute digital meditation practiced daily for 4 weeks reduces psychological distress, as measured by the Schwartz Outcome Scale-10 (SOS-10). The SOS-10 total score ranges from 0 to 60. Higher scores indicate better psychological well-being and functioning, and lower levels of psychological distress.
Measured: "Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4"
Anxiety
To assess whether the 7-minute digital meditation practiced daily for 4 weeks reduces anxiety, as measured by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety Short Form 8a. The PROMIS Anxiety Short Form 8a includes 8 items, each scored from 1 to 5. The summed raw score ranges from 8 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety symptoms and a worse outcome.
Measured: "Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4"
Positive and Negative Affect
To assess whether the 7-minute digital meditation practiced daily for 4 weeks improves emotional well-being, as measured by the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE). The SPANE is a 12-item self-reported measure consisting of two 6-item subscales: Positive Experience (SPANE-P) and Negative Experience (SPANE-N).
The SPANE-P score ranges from 6 to 30, with higher scores indicating more frequent positive emotions. The SPANE-N score ranges from 6 to 30, with higher scores indicating more frequent negative emotions and a worse outcome.
The SPANE Balance score (SPANE-B) is calculated as SPANE-P minus SPANE-N and ranges from -24 to 24. Higher scores indicate a more favorable balance of positive relative to negative emotional experiences and a better outcome.
Measured: "Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4"
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 May 2026
- Study start27 Oct 2026
- Primary completion31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Mental Health and General Well-beingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Randomized Control Trial
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 354 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Balachundhar Subramaniam, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Investigators
- Balachundhar Subramainam, MD, MPH, Principal investigator, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07607782
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2026P000078
- Acronym
- BEGIN II
- Status last verified
- Nov 2026
- First submitted
- 10 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- 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 6 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of a Brief Daily Digital Meditation on Well-Being in US Young Adults (BEGIN II)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07607782
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BEGIN II / 2026P000078
- Conditions
- Mental Health and General Well-being
- Keywords
- Digital meditation, App-based guided meditation, Miracle of Mind meditation, Young adults mental health, Stress and anxiety reduction, Emotional well-being, Mindfulness, Randomized controlled trial
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 354 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 27 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 26 May 2026 (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.
This study is testing whether a short, daily, app-based meditation can help young adults feel better in their everyday lives.
Adults aged 18-40 years who live in the United States and have not meditated regularly (defined as more than four times per week at any point in their lives) are invited to participate.
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups for 4 weeks:
- Intervention group: Participants will complete a 7-minute Miracle of Mind meditation each day using a mobile app.
- Active comparator group: Participants will listen to a neutral 7-minute audio lesson each day.
- Control group: Participants will continue their usual daily routine without adding anything new.
All participants will complete brief online surveys at the start of the study and several times during the 4-week study period. Surveys will ask about mood, stress, anxiety, overall well-being, and mindfulness.
Participants who already wear a smartwatch, such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch, may choose to share heart rate and related data so that researchers can examine whether meditation may also affect physical signs of stress.
Investigators will compare changes over time among the three groups to determine whether the daily 7-minute meditation helps young adults feel better, experience less stress, and become more emotionally resilient.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Randomized Control Trial
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention arm: Daily Miracle of Mind meditation | Experimental | Behavioral: Miracle of Mind meditationParticipants in this group will use a study app to do a 7-minute Miracle of Mind guided meditation once a day for 4 weeks. The meditation is voice-guided, done while seated, and uses simple breathing techniques. No prior meditation experience is required. |
| Active control arm: Daily neutral audio learning | Active comparator | Behavioral: Neutral audio learning taskParticipants in this group will use the same study app to listen to a neutral 7-minute audio lesson once a day for 4 weeks. The lessons cover general educational topics and are designed not to be emotional, inspirational, or related to psychology. |
| Passive control arm: Usual routine | No intervention | –Participants in this group will not receive any new activity through the app and will continue their usual daily routine for 4 weeks. They will complete the same study surveys as the other groups but will not be asked to meditate or listen to audio lessons. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Individuals between the ages of 18-40 years
- Currently residing in the USA
- Individuals who are English speaking
- Willing and able to download an application on iOS/Android
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Individuals who are non-English speaking
- Unable to access an iOS/Android smartphone
- Individuals who regularly practice any form of meditation >4 times per week
- Individuals scoring 9-12 on the PHQ-4, or ≥3 on either the PHQ-2 or GAD-2 subscale
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Miracle of Mind meditationMiracle of Mind is a 7-minute meditation that incorporates breath and awareness to enhance mental health and clarity. The practice involves voice-guided seated meditation with simple breathing techniques. This is a simple, safe intervention that does not require any previous meditation experience. | Behavioural | Intervention arm: Daily Miracle of Mind meditation |
| Neutral audio learning taskActive control participants are asked to listen to an approximately 7-minute neutral audio learning task daily in the 3Cs app for the duration of the study. A total of 28 audio learning tasks were sourced from the SDG Academy and Harvard University YouTube and SoundCloud content were screened prior to inclusion. | Behavioural | Active control arm: Daily neutral audio learning |
Primary outcome
Well-being
Time frame: "Baseline, Week 2 and Week 4"
To assess whether a 7-minute digital meditation practiced daily for 4 weeks improves mental well-being, as measured by the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). The WHO-5 total raw score ranges from 0 to 25 where higher scores indicate better mental well-being.
5 secondary outcomes
Mindfulness
Time frame: "Baseline and 4 weeks"
Overall health
Time frame: "Baseline, Week 2 and Week 4"
Stress
Time frame: "Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4"
Anxiety
Time frame: "Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4"
Positive and Negative Affect
Time frame: "Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3 and Week 4"
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Nov 2026.
- 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.
Balachundhar Subramainam, MD, MPH principal investigator
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Miracle of Mind meditation and Neutral audio learning task in people with Mental Health and General Well-being, run by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 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 4 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Nov 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Balachundhar Subramaniam, MD, MPH (617-667-2721, sadhgurucenter_research@bidmc.harvard.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Well-being (time frame: "Baseline, Week 2 and Week 4"). 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 6 Nov 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.