Psychophysical Well-beingNCT07673653
Comparative Effects of Meditation, Nature Exposure, and Digital Activities on Physiological and Perceived Stress
A study testing Mindfulness-based intervention, Forest bathing and Scrolling in people with Psychophysical Well-being, run by University of Pavia at 1 site in Italy.
Trial summary
The present study aims to compare the effects of meditation, nature exposure, digital scrolling, and reading on physiological and perceived stress. Participants will undergo a baseline assessment including the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), a visual analogue scale (VAS) for anxiety, and salivary cortisol… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Psychophysical Well-being
- What is being tested?
- Mindfulness-based intervention, Forest bathing and Scrolling
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 100 participants
- Where
- 1 siteItaly
- Study dates
- 5 Nov 2025to 30 Jul 2026
- 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 20 to 80 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Understanding of the Italian language
Who cannot join
- Presence of severe mental disorders and/or significant medical conditions
- Endocrine or metabolic disorders
- Substance dependence
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Comparative Effects of Meditation, Nature Exposure, Digital Scrolling, and Reading on Physiological and Perceived Stress: A Non-Randomized Controlled Study
The present study aims to compare the effects of meditation, nature exposure, digital scrolling, and reading on physiological and perceived stress. Participants will undergo a baseline assessment including the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), a visual analogue scale (VAS) for anxiety, and salivary cortisol collection at 8:30 a.m, prior to cortisol peak. Participants will then engage in one of four activities: guided meditation, a walk in a forest environment, digital scrolling on a smartphone, or reading a neutral text. Following the activity, salivary cortisol will be collected again and anxiety will be reassessed using the VAS. The study will evaluate changes in cortisol levels, perceived stress and perceived anxiety across the four conditions and explore the potential moderating role of baseline mindfulness traits.
The central research question of this study is whether different experiential conditions elicit distinct psychophysiological responses, as reflected by changes in perceived stressm salivary cortisol and perceived anxiety and therefore this investigation could improve the understanding of how different experiential contexts influence short-term stress regulation.
Read the detailed description
Stress is a global phenomenon. Chronic exposure to stress is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and impaired cognitive functioning. Consequently, identifying accessible and effective strategies for stress reduction has become a major public health priority. To explore new ways of managing it is of crucial relevance, therefore the effects of meditation, nature exposure, digital scrolling, and neutral reading on physiological and perceived stress will be investigated.
Participants will be allocated to one of 5 intervention groups: (1) guided meditation, (2) guided meditaiton (3) forest walking, (4) smartphone scrolling, or (5) reading a neutral text.
All study procedures will take place in the morning to account for the circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion. At baseline, participants will complete demographic and study-related assessments, including the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and a VAS measuring current stress and anxiety levels. A baseline saliva sample for cortisol determination will be collected at 8:45 a.m., shortly before the expected morning cortisol peak.
Participants will then engage in their assigned activity. The 2 meditation groups will complete a 20-minute guided meditation session using two different meditation techniques. The forest exposure group will undertake a 20-minute walk in a forest environment. The digital activity group will spend 20 minutes scrolling on a smartphone, while the control group will spend 20 minutes reading a neutral text. The duration of the intervention will be standardized across all groups.
Immediately following completion of the assigned activity, participants will undergo a second assessment at approximately 9:00 a.m. A post-intervention saliva sample will be collected for cortisol analysis, and participants will again complete the VAS for anxiety and stress. Salivary Cortisol and DHEA levels will be evaluated at 4 time points the above already mentioned two, and in the evening and before sleeep.
The primary objective of the study is to compare changes in perceived stress. Secondary objectives include evaluating changes in cortisool levels, DHEA, perceived anxiety and exploring the relationship between baseline mindfulness traits, as measured by the FFMQ, and physiological and psychological responses to the interventions.
The study aims to provide preliminary evidence regarding the immediate effects of contemplative practice, exposure to natural environments, and digital engagement on stress-related outcomes in healthy adult participants
- Conditions
- Psychophysical Well-being
- Being tested
- Mindfulness-based intervention, Forest bathing, Scrolling
- Keywords
- forest bathing, stress, meditation, scrolling
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Mindfulness-based interventionBehavioural
The intervention consists of 1 in person session of mindfulness of 20 minutes.
Forest bathingBehavioural
Participants engaged in guided forest immersion including mindful walking, sensory awareness, meditation, and nature-based contemplative activities.The intervention consists of 1 in person session of 20 minutes.
ScrollingBehavioural
Strolling consisted of a slow, relaxed walk in a natural environment without specific mindfulness or sensory-awareness instructions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental | Experimental | Participants in this groups will undergo a mindfulness based intervention. The meditation tecniques will differ one from the other for focused breathing, body relaxation, emotional awareness and acceptance exercises. The intervention consists of 1 in person session of 20 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: Mindfulness-based intervention |
| No Intervention | No intervention | Participants in this group will not receive any psychophysiological interventions during the study. This group serve as a passiva control group to evaluate the effectivness of the mindfulness-based intervention by comparing pre and post intervention measures. |
| Forest bathing | Active comparator | The forest bathing group will act as a an active control group. Forest bathing is known to exert psyhophysiological effects on the stress response system, allowing to evaluate different stress management techniques Receives: Behavioral: Forest bathing |
| Scrolling | Active comparator | Scrolling group will act as an active control group to evaluate the absence of the positive psychophysiological stress response. The intervention consists of 1 in person session of 20 minutes. Receives: Behavioral: Scrolling |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in perceived stress.
Change in perceived stress measured using a Visual Analog Scale for Stress (VAS-Stress), ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 indicates no perceived stress and 100 indicates the highest level of perceived stress imaginable. The outcome will be calculated as the difference between post-intervention and pre-intervention scores. Negative values indicate a reduction in perceived stress following the intervention.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Secondary outcomes (5)
Change in anxiety levels
Change in anxiety levels measured using a Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-Anxiety), ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 indicates no anxiety and 100 indicates the highest level of anxiety imaginable. The outcome will be calculated as the difference between post-intervention and pre-intervention scores. Negative values indicate a reduction in anxiety following the intervention.
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Change in salivary cortisol concentrations
Change in salivary cortisol concentration (nmol/L) measured from saliva samples collected immediately before and immediately after the intervention session. The outcome will be calculated as the difference between post-intervention and pre-intervention cortisol concentrations
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Change in salivary DHEA concentrations
Change in salivary dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) concentration (pg/mL) measured from saliva samples collected immediately before and immediately after the intervention session. The outcome will be calculated as the difference between post-intervention and pre-intervention DHEA concentrations
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Correlation between trait mindfulness and physiological stress responses
Correlation between trait mindfulness (measured by Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire total score) and change in salivary cortisol concentration
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
- Correlations among psychological and biological outcome measures, including VAS-Stress, VAS-Anxiety, cortisol, and DHEA
Measured: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jun 2026
- Study start5 Nov 2025
- Primary completion30 Jun 2026
- Study completion30 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Psychophysical Well-beingStudies 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
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be allocated to one of four intervention conditions using a non-randomized allocation procedure. To minimize expectancy effects, participants will remain unaware of their assigned condition until the intervention begins The study involves five groups: two receiving a mindfulness-based intervention, one participating in a forest-bathing activity, one assigned to a neutral reading condition, and one assigned to a smartphone scrolling condition. The reading and scrolling groups serve as comparison conditions The outcomes are measured before and after the intervention, comparing the effects between the 5 groups.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Pavia
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Padova
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Teresa Fazia, University of Pavia
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07673653
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Lum_1
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 12 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 12 Aug 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparative Effects of Meditation, Nature Exposure, Digital Scrolling, and Reading on Physiological and Perceived Stress: A Non-Randomized Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07673653
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Lum_1
- Conditions
- Psychophysical Well-being
- Keywords
- forest bathing, stress, meditation, scrolling
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 100 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of PaviaUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- University of Padova
- Study start
- 5 Nov 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Jun 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.
The present study aims to compare the effects of meditation, nature exposure, digital scrolling, and reading on physiological and perceived stress. Participants will undergo a baseline assessment including the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), a visual analogue scale (VAS) for anxiety, and salivary cortisol collection at 8:30 a.m, prior to cortisol peak. Participants will then engage in one of four activities: guided meditation, a walk in a forest environment, digital scrolling on a smartphone, or reading a neutral text. Following the activity, salivary cortisol will be collected again and anxiety will be reassessed using the VAS. The study will evaluate changes in cortisol levels, perceived stress and perceived anxiety across the four conditions and explore the potential moderating role of baseline mindfulness traits.
The central research question of this study is whether different experiential conditions elicit distinct psychophysiological responses, as reflected by changes in perceived stressm salivary cortisol and perceived anxiety and therefore this investigation could improve the understanding of how different experiential contexts influence short-term stress regulation.
Detailed description
Stress is a global phenomenon. Chronic exposure to stress is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and impaired cognitive functioning. Consequently, identifying accessible and effective strategies for stress reduction has become a major public health priority. To explore new ways of managing it is of crucial relevance, therefore the effects of meditation, nature exposure, digital scrolling, and neutral reading on physiological and perceived stress will be investigated.
Participants will be allocated to one of 5 intervention groups: (1) guided meditation, (2) guided meditaiton (3) forest walking, (4) smartphone scrolling, or (5) reading a neutral text.
All study procedures will take place in the morning to account for the circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion. At baseline, participants will complete demographic and study-related assessments, including the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and a VAS measuring current stress and anxiety levels. A baseline saliva sample for cortisol determination will be collected at 8:45 a.m., shortly before the expected morning cortisol peak.
Participants will then engage in their assigned activity. The 2 meditation groups will complete a 20-minute guided meditation session using two different meditation techniques. The forest exposure group will undertake a 20-minute walk in a forest environment. The digital activity group will spend 20 minutes scrolling on a smartphone, while the control group will spend 20 minutes reading a neutral text. The duration of the intervention will be standardized across all groups.
Immediately following completion of the assigned activity, participants will undergo a second assessment at approximately 9:00 a.m. A post-intervention saliva sample will be collected for cortisol analysis, and participants will again complete the VAS for anxiety and stress. Salivary Cortisol and DHEA levels will be evaluated at 4 time points the above already mentioned two, and in the evening and before sleeep.
The primary objective of the study is to compare changes in perceived stress. Secondary objectives include evaluating changes in cortisool levels, DHEA, perceived anxiety and exploring the relationship between baseline mindfulness traits, as measured by the FFMQ, and physiological and psychological responses to the interventions.
The study aims to provide preliminary evidence regarding the immediate effects of contemplative practice, exposure to natural environments, and digital engagement on stress-related outcomes in healthy adult participants
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
- Model description
- Participants will be allocated to one of four intervention conditions using a non-randomized allocation procedure. To minimize expectancy effects, participants will remain unaware of their assigned condition until the intervention begins The study involves five groups: two receiving a mindfulness-based intervention, one participating in a forest-bathing activity, one assigned to a neutral reading condition, and one assigned to a smartphone scrolling condition. The reading and scrolling groups serve as comparison conditions The outcomes are measured before and after the intervention, comparing the effects between the 5 groups.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Experimental | Experimental | Behavioral: Mindfulness-based interventionParticipants in this groups will undergo a mindfulness based intervention. The meditation tecniques will differ one from the other for focused breathing, body relaxation, emotional awareness and acceptance exercises. The intervention consists of 1 in person session of 20 minutes. |
| No Intervention | No intervention | –Participants in this group will not receive any psychophysiological interventions during the study. This group serve as a passiva control group to evaluate the effectivness of the mindfulness-based intervention by comparing pre and post intervention measures. |
| Forest bathing | Active comparator | Behavioral: Forest bathingThe forest bathing group will act as a an active control group. Forest bathing is known to exert psyhophysiological effects on the stress response system, allowing to evaluate different stress management techniques |
| Scrolling | Active comparator | Behavioral: ScrollingScrolling group will act as an active control group to evaluate the absence of the positive psychophysiological stress response. The intervention consists of 1 in person session of 20 minutes. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 80 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Understanding of the Italian language
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Presence of severe mental disorders and/or significant medical conditions
- Endocrine or metabolic disorders
- Substance dependence
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-based interventionThe intervention consists of 1 in person session of mindfulness of 20 minutes. | Behavioural | Experimental |
| Forest bathingParticipants engaged in guided forest immersion including mindful walking, sensory awareness, meditation, and nature-based contemplative activities.The intervention consists of 1 in person session of 20 minutes. | Behavioural | Forest bathing |
| ScrollingStrolling consisted of a slow, relaxed walk in a natural environment without specific mindfulness or sensory-awareness instructions. | Behavioural | Scrolling |
Primary outcome
Change in perceived stress.
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Change in perceived stress measured using a Visual Analog Scale for Stress (VAS-Stress), ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 indicates no perceived stress and 100 indicates the highest level of perceived stress imaginable. The outcome will be calculated as the difference between post-intervention and pre-intervention scores. Negative values indicate a reduction in perceived stress following the intervention.
5 secondary outcomes
Change in anxiety levels
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Change in salivary cortisol concentrations
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Change in salivary DHEA concentrations
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
Correlation between trait mindfulness and physiological stress responses
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
- Correlations among psychological and biological outcome measures, including VAS-Stress, VAS-Anxiety, cortisol, and DHEA
Time frame: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).
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 12 Aug 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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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 Mindfulness-based intervention, Forest bathing and Scrolling in people with Psychophysical Well-being, run by University of Pavia at 1 site in Italy.
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 1 inclusion and 3 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 12 Aug 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 Italy. 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?
Change in perceived stress. (time frame: Baseline and immediately after the single intervention session (same day).). 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 12 Aug 2026.