A randomized controlled pilot trial of low and high arousal resilience interventions for depressive symptoms

Bibliographic Data

ID7146823
AuthorsElissa Epel (0000-0002-8004-2571, University of California, San Francisco), Brian P Don (0000-0002-0086-9377, The University of Texas at Austin), Stefanie E Mayer (0000-0001-7041-4434, University of California, San Francisco), Robin Blades (0000-0001-8700-5290, University of California, San Francisco), Ashley E Mason (0000-0002-8744-0185, University of California, San Francisco), Elena Fromer (0000-0003-2181-9499, University of California, San Francisco), Julia F O’bryan (0000-0001-5870-0083, University of California, San Francisco), Rebecca Dileo (University of Michigan), Joanna Y Guan (0009-0005-3842-9640, University of California, Davis), Samantha J Schilf, Samantha Schilf (University of California, San Francisco), Sylvia S Cheng (0000-0002-6790-3066, University of California, Berkeley), Aric A Prather (0000-0003-1302-8283, University of California, San Francisco), Wendy Berry Mendes (0000-0003-4453-1201, Yale University)
Year2025
Volume59
Issue1
Publication date2025-01-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAnnals of Behavioral Medicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0883-6612 • E-ISSN: 1532-4796
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/abm/kaaf081
PMID41309213
OpenAlexW4416815437
LanguageEN
References cited48

BACKGROUND: To cope with chronic stress, which can contribute to depression, humans often pursue arousal-reducing activities. Yet, hormetic stressors (intermittent, acute stressors) might also reduce chronic stress. PURPOSE: We compared the effects of arousal-reducing and arousal-enhancing interventions on depressive symptoms and perceived stress. METHODS: Female adults (N = 141; predominantly White, 63%, and Asian, 34%) reporting high perceived stress were randomized to 1 of 4 three-week stress resilience interventions in 2019-2020. Low arousal conditions included mindfulness meditation or slow breathing with warm showers (Control). Hormetic stress conditions included fast paced breathing with cold showers (the Wim Hof Method; WHM) or high-intensity interval training. We assessed depressive symptoms and perceived stress at baseline, postintervention, and 3 months later, and cortisol reactivity to a lab stressor. RESULTS: At postintervention, all 4 groups had decreases in depressive symptoms (15.93% reduction, r = .76, P < .001) and perceived stress (9.70% reduction, r = .48, P < .001), with no group differences. "As treated" analysis showed the WHM group had better maintenance of reduced depression 3 months later (r = .17, P < .01). The WHM group had greater increases in daily positive affect across days (r = .16, P ≤ .05) and at postintervention (r = .17, P < .015) compared to the control group. Groups were similar in cortisol reactivity pre- and postintervention. CONCLUSIONS: All groups experienced reduced stress and depressive symptoms and did not differ from each other after 3 weeks. After 3 months, a post hoc analysis of adherent subjects showed the WHM group had more sustained improvements in depression and positive affect, a finding that needs replication with larger and more diverse samples.

Arousal · Depression (economics) · Depressive symptoms · Pilot trial · Psychological intervention · Psychological resilience · Randomized controlled trial · Resilience (materials science) · Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Resilience and Mental Health

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