Schepanski Steven, Batta Florian, Schröter Marleen, Seifert Georg, Koch Anna Katharina
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Berlin, Germany.
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Berlin, Germany.
Front Psychiatry. 2025 Jun 2;16:1603700. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1603700. eCollection 2025.
Cold-water exposure has gained increasing popularity as a self-applied intervention for improving mental health and psychological well-being. While anecdotal evidence and popular media suggest potential benefits for reducing stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, the scientific evidence supporting these claims remains fragmented. This protocol outlines the methodology for a systematic review and meta-analysis aiming to critically appraise and synthesize the available evidence on the effects of CWE on mental health outcomes in adult populations, including both healthy individuals and those with clinical conditions. The review will examine both psychological variables and physiological stress markers in response to cold-water exposure interventions. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search will be conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science. Eligible studies will include randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials without randomization, cohort studies, and case-control studies. Risk of bias will be assessed using RoB1 for randomized controlled trials, ROBINS-I for non-randomized intervention studies, and ROBINS-E for observational studies. Random-effects meta-analyses will be conducted where sufficient data are available. The review will provide a structured quantitative synthesis of cold-water exposure's effects on mental health, helping to bridge the gap between popular claims and empirical evidence. The findings will inform future research, public health guidelines, and the development of safe and effective cold-water exposure protocols for clinical and wellness applications.
冷水暴露作为一种自我实施的改善心理健康和幸福感的干预措施，越来越受到人们的欢迎。虽然轶事证据和大众媒体表明冷水暴露在减轻压力、焦虑和抑郁症状方面有潜在益处，但支持这些说法的科学证据仍然零散。本方案概述了一项系统评价和荟萃分析的方法，旨在严格评估和综合现有证据，以探讨冷水暴露对成年人群心理健康结局的影响，包括健康个体和患有临床疾病的个体。该评价将考察冷水暴露干预措施所对应的心理变量和生理应激指标。按照PRISMA 2020指南，将在PubMed、PsycINFO、Embase和科学网进行系统检索。符合条件的研究将包括随机对照试验、非随机对照临床试验、队列研究和病例对照研究。将使用RoB1评估随机对照试验的偏倚风险，使用ROBINS-I评估非随机干预研究的偏倚风险，使用ROBINS-E评估观察性研究的偏倚风险。将在有足够数据的情况下进行随机效应荟萃分析。该评价将对冷水暴露对心理健康的影响进行结构化定量综合，有助于弥合大众观点与实证证据之间的差距。研究结果将为未来的研究、公共卫生指南以及临床和健康应用中安全有效的冷水暴露方案的制定提供参考。
