Effects of the Visual and Auditory Components of a Brief Mindfulness Intervention on Mood State and on Visual and Auditory Attention and Memory Task Performance

Abstract

Although the positive cognitive and emotional effects of mindfulness-based interventions are widely accepted, the differential effect of the visual and auditory components of this therapy is currently unknown. In this study, 50 healthy volunteer participants were randomized to two equivalent brief mindfulness-based interventions, one using visual stimuli and the other auditory. For the first group, we used a 30-min computer presentation showing different images organized into colors, mandalas and landscapes (15 images × 2 min). For the second group, we created an audio track divided into the same categories as the visual group and with the same timing (15 sounds × 2 min). The results show that regardless of the condition (visual or auditory), the scores in auditory and visual memory and attention improved after meditation. Also regardless of condition, positive emotions decreased after mindfulness meditation. However, following the intervention, negative emotions decreased more sharply in the auditory group than in the visual group. These results suggest that mindfulness concentration and attention techniques presented in an auditory verbal format are more immediately effective at the emotional level than when presented in visual format.