Mahdis Habibinia | Executive Editor (Online)
Featured Image: York student Megan Kirk Chang, along with Dr. Paul Ritvo, have launched a clinical trial that’s the first of its kind in Canada. | Images courtesy of Megan Kirk Chang
Megan Kirk Chang is a fourth-year doctoral student who, along with the help of Kinesiology and Health Science, and Psychology Professor Doctor Paul Ritvo, has launched the first registered clinical trial in Canada to investigate an online mind-body intervention to regulate autonomic function and alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Specifically, the effects of online yoga and mindfulness-based programs on young adults at York, aged 18 to 34, with unresolved PTSD symptoms.
“I’ve always done work with life transitions, and it’s already stressful enough to be a student and transition through school with the added compound of having to navigate a past trauma,” Chang explains. What sparked her interest in the study was becoming re-triggered through transition periods.
Chang herself is a trauma survivor. She has also been a yoga instructor for nine years. This trial resonates with her personally.
Trauma has been at the vanguard of social discourse, especially considering the #MeToo movement. Multiple people stepping forward to share their experiences and stories of trauma have made global news.
But trauma isn’t just limited to physical or sexual assault—Chang is certain there are people at York who will resonate with this.
“We focus on online interventions that change a person’s actions during any 24-hour day,” Ritvo explains. “We are respectful of medical and psychiatric treatments, but the bottom line is that few interventions are as effective as those you can do for yourself, with yourself.”
Chang met Dr. Paul Ritvo four years ago. Ritvo is “a clinical psychologist by background but really loves meditation and body-based awareness and blending the two together.”
Their clinical trial is aimed towards helping those who might be experiencing the aftermath of a traumatic event. This goal includes helping students overcome challenges, reduce the effects of PTSD, and ultimately allowing those involved to be able to live their day-to-day lives functionally and fully.
Chang believes there are students who are dealing with unresolved symptoms of PTSD who also think they do not qualify for services because their symptoms do not fall into the ‘class definition’ of PTSD.
She adds: “The trial has now been recognized by the US National Institutes of Health as a registered clinical trial. People from across the globe can look up our study and repeat it in their own country. Its gone through a very rigorous ethical approval.”
So far, the two have screened 14 York students, all of whom have been women. “I believe there’s still a stigma around men coming forward and admitting they’ve been through a trauma,” Chang explains . “I would like men to feel comfortable coming forward as well.”
Their findings indicate that people reported being exposed to an average of 3.6 unique traumatic experiences directly.
“There isn’t one person that’s only had one trauma,” Chang adds. According to statistics, the average is around 1.5 to two trauma exposures. This trial, thus far with the current students, shows double.
According to Ritvo, it’s too early for other results since the trial is just beginning but they are optimistic. Interventions have been successful, and they are “one of a few research groups testing an online intervention with the inbuilt advantages of: being available anywhere there’s internet contact; being relatively inexpensive to administer, therefore accessible over a longer period of time for a relatively large group of affected people.”
The trial is also studying the psychophysiological aspects of the disorder using innovative technology, including the TobiiPro glasses and ECG machine to measure pupillometry and heart-rate-variability of participants before and after the intervention.
Ritvo explains they are using this innovative technology to monitor stress response by looking at the heart and eyes. They use methods like heart rate variability and pupillometry to assess whether “individuals are progressing towards autonomic balance.” This refers to the autonomic (meaning involuntary or unconscious) nervous system being regulated healthfully, versus demonstrating extremes that predict onset or the worsening of psychophysiological disorder.
“Pupillometry,” explains Ritvo, “the measurement of minute changes in the pupil of the eye (contractions versus expansions), is a sensitive way to assess progress towards autonomic balance.”
Although it’s the first study of its kind in Canada, Chang hopes to one day present this to the World Health Organization.
Ritvo describes Chang as a very competent individual with a passion for helping people. “I believe she will help people who need her help and make an important contribution to the science literature on PTSD.”
The two researchers are currently looking at the possibility to expand the trial due to its momentum. They are currently waiting for the approval of the Office of Research Ethics at York.
“If the intervention is effective, we can make it available to a large number of trauma sufferers at a low cost,” Ritvo explains.
Students interested in the clinical trial may contact Megan Kirk Chang at mkirk@yorku.ca or (705) 984-3370.
