Exploring the Synergistic Impact of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Mindfulness Meditation on Anxiety Responses to Induced Rumination

transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and mindfulness are two commonly used interventions for targeting cognitive processes related to emotional pathology.

The current research is applied and quasi-experimental. The population was students aged 19 to 26 at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad. Among them, 60 healthy college students were selected through a purposive sampling method according to the stress, anxiety, and depression scale and were randomly assigned to 4 groups. In this study, we examined how tDCS in combination with mindfulness influenced the anxiety reactivity to induced rumination. All populations received either active or sham anodal tDCS to DLPFC or active or sham cathodal tDCS to the IPL, delivered either in active or sham mindfulness meditation. anxiety was assessed 5 times across the study. To collect data, the Spielberger State-Anxiety Inventory was completed by each participant. In the end, the data were analyzed descriptively by mean and standard deviation and inferentially by mixed variance analysis.

The between-group analysis revealed that after a single session of tDCS combined with mindfulness meditation, there were no significant differences in anxiety scores across the five stages. However, the within-subject analysis indicated significant changes in anxiety levels across the five assessment times.

Concurrent single sessions of tDCS and mindfulness in the form of a body scan did not create a significant difference between the groups in any of the anxiety assessment times. However, with the continuation of mindfulness in the form of focusing on breathing, there were significant differences in the level of anxiety response compared to the previous stage