---
title: Strategies for Responding to Stress
nct_id: NCT03289156
overall_status: COMPLETED
phase: NA
sponsor: University of Texas at Austin
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
primary_condition: Stress
countries: United States
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT03289156.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03289156"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2020-11-05
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:22:56.185Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# Strategies for Responding to Stress

**NCT ID:** [NCT03289156](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03289156)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** COMPLETED
- **Phase:** NA
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 160
- **Lead Sponsor:** University of Texas at Austin
- **Conditions:** Stress
- **Start Date:** 2017-09-18
- **Completion Date:** 2019-05-30
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2020-11-05

## Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine whether changes in psychological and physiological responses differ based on different strategies for responding to stress.

## Detailed Description

The purpose of this study is to examine whether changes in psychological and physiological responses differ based on different strategies for responding to stress. Different strategies being examined in this study include exercise and arousal reappraisal.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 18 Years
- **Maximum age:** 35 Years
- **Sex:** ALL
- **Healthy Volunteers:** Yes

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* Males and females ages 18 to 35
* Speaks English fluently
* Passes the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire-Plus
* Mild to Moderate depression symptoms as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (a score ≥14 but ≤25)

Exclusion Criteria:

* Hearing or visually impaired such that it will interfere with ability to participate effectively
* Currently exercising regularly, defined as exercising at a moderate-intensity more than 2 times a week, for at least 20 minutes each time.
```

## Arms

- **Arousal Reappraisal** (ACTIVE_COMPARATOR) — Brief educational intervention about the stress response and arousal reappraisal
- **Exercise** (ACTIVE_COMPARATOR) — Three 5-minute bouts of aerobic exercise at increasing intensities
- **Arousal Reappraisal + Exercise** (EXPERIMENTAL) — Brief educational intervention about the stress response and arousal reappraisal followed by three 5-minute bouts of aerobic exercise at increasing intensities with practice applying the arousal reappraisal learned earlier.
- **Control** (NO_INTERVENTION) — Time-matched rest

## Interventions

- **Arousal Reappraisal** (BEHAVIORAL) — Brief readings educating about the stress response and usefulness of arousal reappraisal.
- **Exercise** (BEHAVIORAL) — Three 5-minute bouts of exercise at increasing intensities (65%, 75%, and 85%) with 5-15 minute breaks in-between for recovery.

## Primary Outcomes

- **Stress Reappraisal** _(time frame: One day)_ — Self-report ratings of appraisal of a lab based stressor as threatening or challenging.

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Psychological Response to Stress** _(time frame: One day)_
- **Physiological Response to Stress** _(time frame: One day)_

## Locations (1)

- University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.university of texas at austin|austin|texas|united states` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT03289156.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03289156*  
*This page is a raw mirror with no AI summary, no editorial enrichment, and no Parkinson's-specific filtering.*