1) One-page study summary

Title

Guided Ecstatic Dance vs Aerobics+Yoga: A randomized controlled trial on heart rate variability in Barrett Honors College students.

Background & Rationale

HRV—especially RMSSD—indexes parasympathetic regulation and stress resilience. Dance-based, music-guided practices may enhance vagal tone beyond generic physical activity through emotion, synchrony, and agency. We test whether Guided Ecstatic Dance (GED) yields greater HRV improvements than an active control matched for duration and exertion (aerobics + yoga).

Design

Two-arm RCT with assessments at Pre (Week 0), Mid (Week 3), Post (Week 6), Follow-up (Week 8–10). Weekly sessions ×6 (1.5 h). Randomization 1:1 (sex-stratified blocks). HRV processing is assessor-blinded.

Participants

ASU Barrett undergraduate students (ages 18–25).

Inclusion: healthy, capable of light–moderate physical activity.

Exclusion: cardio/respiratory disorders, medications affecting autonomic function (e.g., beta-blockers), current major depressive episode/psychosis, active substance use disorder, pregnancy.

Interventions

• GED: Facilitated ecstatic-dance protocol (warm-up → guided expressive movement → integration).
• Control: Aerobics + yoga sequence (standardized flow/cool-down; matched music exposure; no ecstatic-dance facilitation).

Outcomes

Primary: RMSSD (ms) from 5-minute seated rest.

Secondary: SDNN; HF power (normalized); mean HR.

Exploratory: LF/HF; SD1/SD2; reactivity during 1-minute paced breathing @ 0.1 Hz.

Acquisition & Quality Control

Preferred 3-lead ECG sampled at 500–1000 Hz (PPG ≥64 Hz acceptable with mean HR covariate). Record respiration (belt or proxy). Session controls: fixed time-of-day; abstain from caffeine/nicotine/alcohol/exercise 6 h; no large meals 2 h; quiet 22–24 °C; eyes open; no talking/movement during rest. Artifact handling: ectopic removal; cubic-spline interpolation (<5 s); reject if >5% corrected beats or <4 min clean; reschedule rules pre-specified.

Hypotheses

• H1: GED produces greater Pre→Post RMSSD increase than control (Group×Time).
• H2: Effects persist at Follow-up.

Analysis

Linear mixed-effects models: RMSSD ~ Group×Time + meanHR + Resp + TimeOfDay + CyclePhase + (1|ID). Robust SEs; FDR correction for secondary/exploratory outcomes. Missing data handled with multiple imputation (m=20); sensitivity analyses using complete-case.

Power & Sample Size

Target d_ppc2 ≈ 0.45, pre–post r ≈ 0.6, α = .05, 1−β = .80. Simulations suggest ~64 per arm (128 total); with 15% attrition buffer ⇒ ≈148 recruits.

Ethics

Minimal risk (movement soreness; skin irritation from electrodes). Benefits include potential relaxation and contribution to knowledge on scalable well-being interventions.

2) Procedures timeline (Weeks 0–10)

• Week 0 – Baseline (Pre): Consent → screening → demographics/health → HRV lab: 5-min seated rest + 1-min paced breathing → randomization → schedule sessions.
• Weeks 1–6 – Sessions: Weekly 1.5-h GED or Control. Capture session HR (wearable), RPE, attendance, adverse events.
• Week 3 – Mid: HRV lab visit (same window as baseline) prior to that week’s session.
• Week 6 – Post: HRV lab visit 48–72 h after final session.
• Weeks 8–10 – Follow-up: HRV lab visit.
• Throughout: Pre-visit restrictions; confounders log (sleep, caffeine, exercise, alcohol, nicotine, menstrual phase, time-of-day); fidelity checklists; data QC and backups within 24 h of each visit.

3) Variables table

4) IRB-ready risks / benefits & consent notes

Risks (probability / minimal)

• Musculoskeletal: transient soreness, fatigue, minor strain during movement.
• Autonomic symptoms: lightheadedness or dizziness; rare nausea.
• Dermal: mild irritation from ECG electrodes / PPG band.
• Privacy: risk of re-identification if data mishandled.

Risk mitigations

• Pre-screening for contraindications; instructor-led warm-up / cool-down; optional water breaks; participants can stop / withdraw anytime without penalty.
• On-site CPR / first-aid trained staff; adverse-event protocol; immediate termination criteria for distress.
• Sanitized sensors; hypoallergenic electrodes available.
• De-identified study IDs; encrypted storage; access-controlled link file; aggregate reporting in publications.

Benefits

Possible improvements in mood, relaxation, and body awareness; potential increases in HRV; contribution to research on low-cost, scalable well-being interventions for students.

Compensation

[Insert amount per visit]; pro-rated for partial participation.

Confidentiality & data sharing

De-identified data and code may be shared on OSF after publication. Audio/video are not collected. Participants may request data deletion until de-identification.

Consent process

Adult consent obtained in a private setting; comprehension confirmed with teach-back; copy of consent provided; PI and IRB contact information supplied.

5) Pilot session checklist (run sheet)

Before participant arrives (−30 min)

• Room 22–24 °C; lights and noise stable; chairs set; pacing metronome @ 6 bpm ready.
• ECG/PPG batteries checked; electrodes / gel stocked; respiration belt calibrated.
• Randomization envelopes / REDCap access ready; adverse-event kit available.
• Print participant packet: consent, screening, confounders log, RPE sheet.

Intake (0 min)

• Verify inclusion/exclusion; review pre-visit restrictions; confirm no acute illness / pregnancy.
• Obtain written consent; assign Study ID; baseline demographics/health questionnaire.

Hook-up & baseline HRV (+10 min)

• Skin prep; place 3-lead ECG; confirm signal quality; fit respiration belt.
• 2-min acclimation → 5-min seated rest (eyes open, no talking/movement).
• 1-min paced breathing @ 0.1 Hz; mark events; save raw data.

Randomization (+25 min)

• Open next block envelope / REDCap randomizer (sex-stratified) → assign GED or Control.
• Schedule six weekly sessions at the same time of day.

Session fidelity (Weeks 1–6)

• Take resting HR before class; fit session wearable; record avg HR and RPE after.
• GED: follow facilitation manual; Control: standardized aerobics + yoga flow; document deviations.

Mid/Post/Follow-up HRV visits

• Re-apply baseline protocol at Week 3, Week 6 (48–72 h post), and Week 8–10.
• Complete confounders log; confirm pre-visit restrictions; replicate time-of-day.

QC and data handling (within 24 h)

• Artifact report: % corrected beats; repeat if >5% or <4 min clean (if feasible).
• Back up data to secure server; check file naming: [ID]_[TIME]_[YYYYMMDD].edf.
• Update screening / adverse-event logs; email reminders for next appointments.

Closeout

• Return equipment; debrief; collect final compensation; document withdrawal reasons if any.

References

Key references informing protocol and measurement choices:

• Roscoe, R.D., Becker, D.V., Branaghan, R.J., Chiou, E.K., Gray, R., Craig, S.D., Gutzwiller, R.S., & Cooke, N. (2019). Bridging Psychology and Engineering to Make Technology Work for People. American Psychologist, 74(3):394–406.
• Becker, D.V., & Neuberg, S.L. (2019). Archetypes Reconsidered as Emergent Outcomes of Cognitive Complexity and Evolved Motivational Systems. Psychological Inquiry, 30(2), 59–75.
• Allen, J.J.B., Chambers, A.S., & Towers, D.N. (2007). The many metrics of cardiac chronotropy: A pragmatic primer and a brief comparison of metrics. Biological Psychology, 74(2), 243–262.
• Reznik, S.J., & Allen, J.J.B. (2018). Frontal asymmetry as a mediator and moderator of emotion: An updated review. Psychophysiology, 55(1), e12965.
• Patten, K.J., McBeath, M.K., & Baxter, L.C. (2018). Harmonicity: Behavioral and neural evidence for functionality in auditory scene analysis. Auditory Perception & Cognition, 1(3–4), 150–172.