Effects Of Meditation Research Articles

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Quasi-experimental Study

Introduction: High levels of stress and anxiety are usually experienced by students as a result of peer pressure and concerns about college. Students who struggle to control their stress and anxiety may experience mood swings, behavioural changes, and even depression. Aim: To assess the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on depression, anxiety, and stress among undergraduate nursing students. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted at Yenepoya Nursing College, Yenepoya (deemed to be University), and Zulekha Nursing College, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India for a duration of five weeks from April 2022 to May 2022. A total of 84 study participants were enrolled and divided into two groups: the intervention group (n=42) and the control group (n=42). The intervention group received mindfulness meditation for 15 minutes, twice a day in the morning and evening for four weeks. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-42) was used to assess depression, anxiety, and stress in both groups. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 23.0. Baseline data were presented using frequency and percentage. Two-factor repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were adopted to assess the difference between pre and post-test scores for stress, anxiety, and depression in repeated intervals. The level of significance was set at p-value <0.05. Results: A comparison within the intervention group at different time points showed a significant difference in the reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression from the pretest after the administration of mindfulness meditation (p-value<0.05). The reduction of stress, anxiety, and depression in the intervention group was significantly different from the control group (p-value<0.05). Conclusion: Mindfulness meditation significantly reduces stress, anxiety, and depression among students. Hence, it can be incorporated into daily life to help individuals deal with a variety of stressful events.

Effect of Heartfulness Meditation on Cortisol Levels and Vital Parameters in Healthy Female Medical StudentsA Prospective Longitudinal Study

Introduction: Medical education has been reported to be one of the most stressful academic curriculum worldwide, with a potential of negatively affecting the physical and mental health of medical students. Meditation is a self-produced relaxation technique which restores the mental peace by relieving emotional and physiological stress and is an accepted therapy to reduce stress. Aim: To study the effect of heartfulness meditation on cortisol levels and vital parameters in healthy female medical students. Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective longitudinal study conducted in the department of physiology at Sri Padmavathi Medical College for women, SVIMS, Andhra Pradesh, India. Sixty female medical students of age group 18 to 25 years were undergone heartfulness meditation training for a period of 6 months from September 2021 to February 2022 Baseline measurements of cortisol, heart rate, Respiratory Rate (RR) and Blood Pressure (BP) were taken at the beginning of the session and after 6 months of intervention program i.e., from September 2021 to February 2022. Later pre and postvalues were compared and analysed statistically by using paired sample t-test and the p-value <0.05 or 5% was used as level of significance for comparison. For data analysis Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 was used. Results: The vital signs and cortisol levels in female medical students were significantly changed after practicing heartfulness meditation for six months. There was a significant decrease in Pulse Rate (PR) (p<0.001), RR (p<0.001), Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) (p<0.001) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP) (p<0.001) and cortisol levels (p<0.001) after 6 months practice of heartfulness meditation. Conclusion: The study concluded that heartfulness meditation had a positive effect on sympathovagal balance and also it was effective in reducing stress levels in medical students.

Effects of meditation on health promoting protective factors of persons with cardiovascular disease-a quasi-experimental pilot study with pre-post comparison.

The aim of this pilot study is to determine, in the context of a controlled intervention study, whether the health-promoting personal protective factors of sense of coherence, resilience, and self-compassion are strengthened by the practice of Metta meditation in individuals with cardiovascular disease. The interactions between mind and body play a pivotal role in health and mortality. Lifestyle factors and especially stress also play a decisive role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. With health-promoting personal protective factors, which can be actively formed over the entire lifespan, stressors can be managed more adequately. Data collection will be conducted as part of a controlled nonrandomized longitudinal pilot intervention study that will enrol individuals with cardiovascular disease (n=29). After the first interview, a 12-week Metta meditation course will start for the intervention group (IG) (n=9), while the control group (CG) (n=20) will receive no intervention. The Minnesota Living with Heart Failure® Questionnaire (MLHFQ), the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13), the Resilience Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale short form (SCS-sf) German version, the German version of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Stress Coping subscale of the Stress and Coping Inventory (SCI) are used at both measurement time (MT) points. In addition, blood pressure parameters are collected. Furthermore, selected literature will be consulted to integrate the evaluated data into existing research findings. The health-promoting personal competencies of sense of coherence, resilience, and self-compassion were not strengthened by the practice of Metta meditation in individuals with cardiovascular disease. However, there was a significant reduction in perceived stress {F[1, 27] =4.351, P=0.047, f=0.402} and improved stress coping skills {F[1, 26] =6.790, P=0.02, f=0.511} in the IG. Furthermore, the frequency of rehospitalization {F[1, 27] =5.607, P=0.03, f=0.456} differed significantly in the pre-post comparison. Due to the insufficient size of the sample, the results are only exploratory in nature and should therefore only be considered preliminary. Also, the correlations between the significant changes in the parameters and Metta meditation cannot be finally assessed. For this purpose, further studies with larger samples are needed.

Who Sticks with Meditation? Rates and Predictors of Persistence in a Population-based Sample in the USA.

Despite the well-documented psychological benefits of meditation practice, limited research has examined factors associated with meditation practice persistence. Like other health behaviors (e.g., exercise), non-persistence may undermine the effectiveness of meditation. We examined rates and correlates of meditation persistence using a population-based sample (n = 953) in the United States. Persistence was operationalized in two ways: number of lifetime practice sessions (i.e., lifetime persistence) and current practice frequency (i.e., current persistence). Consistent with the National Health Interview Survey, we defined meditation as mindfulness meditation, mantra meditation, and spiritual meditation. We examined factors related to the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA), a theory that has been used to explain adherence to health behaviors. Almost half of the sample (49.3%) indicated lifetime exposure to meditation and a third (35.0%) indicated practice in the past year. Factors positively associated with persistence (lifetime and/or current) included having spoken with a meditation teacher, higher perceived effectiveness of meditation, higher meditation-positive subjective norms, lower perceived barriers, higher conscientiousness, higher wellbeing growth mindset, and retreat experience. Factors negatively associated with persistence included first exposure through various forms of technology and having a mental health motivation for practice. First exposure through a smartphone app and first exposure through friends and family were not associated with lifetime or current persistence. Findings were unchanged after controlling for demographics and applying a false discovery rate p-value adjustment. These findings provide insights into factors that may promote persistence with meditation which can guide the delivery of meditation training. This study was preregistered at the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/4h86s).

Immediate Effects of OM Meditation on Heart Rate Variability as a Stress Index During Different Phases of Menstruation: A Quasi-Experimental Pilot Study

Introduction: Stress alters normal reproductive function, causing menstrual disorders up to infertility in females. Psychological stress is the most common lifestyle factor found to be associated with menstrual disorders among late adolescence and young adults. Yoga-based OM-meditation has been shown to reduce stress, but its effect on managing stress during different phases of menstruation in young females is not known. Aim: To evaluate if short-term practice of OM-meditation could induce a beneficial modulation in Heart-Rate Variability (HRV), a measure of stress index during various phases of the menstrual cycle in young females. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted on 20 healthy young females with a normal menstrual cycle, aged between 18-25 years, and pursuing a medicine course at Shri BM Patil Medical College, Karnataka, India, from March 2020 to December 2021. Meditation group participants (n=10) practiced OM-meditation, while control group participants (n=10) relaxed quietly for 10 minutes. Each subject received an intervention thrice during the menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases. Data was collected before and immediately after every intervention. Body Mass Index (BMI), Blood Pressure (BP), Heart Rate (HR), and HRV were measured. Distribution of data, within-group and betweengroup analysis was done. ANCOVA (Analysis of covariance) was used to determine the differences between groups. Results: Total 20 participants, n=10 in each, Meditation and control group, mean age of participants was 19.2±0.79 and 19.3±0.82 years, and the mean period of MC was 31.1±2.76 and 30.3±2.4 days in the meditation and control groups, respectively. There was no change in the baseline values of BMI, BP, and HR between the two groups, and they were within the normal range. Between-group analysis (ANCOVA) of HRV spectrum showed that OM-meditation had significantly decreased the LowFrequency (LF) component of HRV (p<0.05) and LF/HF ratio (p<0.05), and increased the High-Frequency (HF) component (p<0.05) of HRV during all three phases of MC. Conclusion: The practice of OM-meditation for 10 minutes reduced sympathetic activity and shifted autonomic balance towards parasympathetic dominance. These changes suggest that OM-meditation can reduce mental stress and optimise autonomic regulation during different phases of MC. However, this needs evaluation in a larger trial.

Mindfulness meditation intervention improves the mindfulness awareness level of nurses' second victims to enhance their psychological support.

The medical staff involved in adverse events, referred to as second victims, usually suffer second victim syndrome endangering their health. Still, there are few organizational support projects in this area in China. To explore the effect of mindfulness meditation on the level and needs of organizational support, and mindfulness awareness among nurses as second victims. Forty-six nurses from a comprehensive tertiary hospital in Wuhan, China were selected to participate in the study. This study was conducted using a convenience sampling method for eight weeks of mindfulness meditation intervention. The Second Victim Experience and Support Tool and Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale were used to assessing the need for support and mindfulness awareness of nurses prior to intervention, during the fourth and eighth weeks of intervention, and at the conclusion of the intervention course. The difference between the scores measured before the intervention, in the fourth week, and in the eighth week of intervention showed that the need for the second victim support from work-related organizations was significant (F = 34.513, p = .000); there was no significant difference in the scores related to the need for nonwork-related support of the second victim in the participating nurses (F = 1.373, p = .257); the scores of the level of mindfulness awareness were (64.85 ± 11.41), (68.63 ± 11.33), and (71.20 ± 8.41), a significant difference (F = 18.848; p = .000) was found in terms of before and after the intervention; nurses' second victim support needs gradually shifted from evasion to confronting problems appropriately. Mindfulness meditation intervention is applicable to the second victim population of nurses. It is an effective way to support second victim nurses and can effectively improve their level of mindfulness and awareness.

Effect of Mindful Meditation, Physical Activity, and Diet to Reduce the Risk to Develop or Reduce Severity of Cardiovascular Diseases in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review

Background: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is one of the leading chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia (SA) that cause disability and death. CVD predisposition risk varies according to age, gender, education, socioeconomic factors, and place of residency. In addition, CVD risk factors include physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle, saturated fatty acid high diet, smoking, and stress. Aim: This is a systematic review study that aims to determine the effect of mindful mediation, physical activity, and diet on CVD in SA. Materials and Methods: This is a systematic electronic search method in Google scholar, PubMed, and Medline. Papers collected are papers that have been published since 2015. The search uses the following keywords: (Cardiovascular disease OR physical activity OR Physical inactivity OR meditation OR diet) AND Saudi Arabia. Data were extracted from each study through a narrative summary of each study. Results: Forty papers collected from 2015 to 2022 were included in the narrative study. Physical activity, diet, and mindful meditation are among the factors that can reduce the risk of development of CVD or severity of disease in patients with a CVD. Conclusion: This systematic review emphasized risk factors like physical inactivity, poor diet, and low level of awareness among Saudis and CVD Saudi patients. The findings show the role of physical activity, mindful meditation, and diet in reducing the onset or severity of cardiovascular disease.

The effect of mindfulness meditation on working memory: An observational study in MBBS students of RVM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center, Siddipet, Telangana

Background: Meditation is a practice that has been shown to improve calmness, enhance attention, and produce a focused mind. Mindfulness is the quality of being fully engaged with whatever we are doing, being free from distraction. Students nowadays are stressed due to increasing competition relating to their academic performance and career building which, in turn, affects their performance and mental health. Most studies which show that mindfulness meditation improves focus, attention, or memory were done under supervision in serene environment away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Our study aimed to see whether some benefit of such practice could also be attained in our everyday life settings when done for a short time and without much training or supervision. Aims and Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of short-term mindfulness meditation on working memory in MBBS students using visual memory test and compare with a control group. Materials and Methods: Total 50 students were taken and divided into two groups-test and control. A baseline measurement of their working memory by visual memory test was done. A similar test was repeated after 8 weeks of regular mindfulness meditation exercise in the test group while the control group continued with their previous routine. The results were compared with their previous performance as well as with the control group using student t-test. Results: The recorded changes were analyzed for statistical significance. The results showed statistically significant improvement in the score of test group (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Our study showed that a period of 8 weeks of mindfulness meditation was helpful in improving working memory. By practicing mindfulness meditation, we train our mind to concentrate on the present moment, leaving aside our problems, worries, and stresses. This regular practice may improve brain network training which results in improvement in working memory.

HEART RATE VARIABILITY AS AN OBJECTIVE CRITERION FOR THE PSYCHO-EMOTIONAL STATE OF COMBATANTS.

The aim: To evaluate the functioning of the autonomic nervous system in combatants, the relationship between the heat rate variability (HRV) and ques¬tionnaire indicators, to improve the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to evaluate the effectiveness of Transcendental Meditation (TM). Materials and methods: 57 combatants and 30 civilians, with registering ECG and HRV-analysis, self-questionnaire testing. Results: The combatants' group showed an increase in heart rate, in the degree of centralisation of heart rate control and the R. Bayevsky stress index, a decrease in the total HRV value. PTSD score was negatively correlated with pNN50. The indicator «Stress» (by DASS-21), revealed negative relationships with the TP, (LF+HF), RMSSD, HF, HFn. The effects of TM on HRV are to save the work of the cardiovascular system (reduced heart rate), reduce the level of nervous and emotional stress, increase the overall adaptation reserve. After TM, the HRV spectrum retains the same proportions of very low, low, and high frequencies as in the baseline state. Conclusions: The study objectively proved the presence of neuro-emotional stress and depletion of autonomic regulation reserves in combatants, both by questionnaire surveys and HRV analysis. The high level of correlation between HRV and questionnaire indicators gives grounds for the introduction of HRV analysis for the initial assessment of the psycho-emotional state and tracking its dynamics, as well as for assessing the effectiveness of its correction. Our use of TM has confirmed its effectiveness in correcting the psycho-emotional state.

Exploring Pain, Quality of Life, and Emotional Well-Being in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Practicing Spiritual Meditation: A Pilot Study.

Studies on mind-body approaches in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are rare. We performed a pilot study with follow-up until 1 year to explore changes in pain, quality of life (QoL), stress, and negative emotions in patients with advanced PDAC, who regularly practiced a standardized form of spiritual meditation in addition to standard medical care. At baseline and every 2 months for a maximum of 1 year, global pain, QoL (global, SEIQoL, FACT-G), spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp), perceived stress (PSQ-20), anxiety and depression (HADS), and diurnal cortisol secretion (cortisol slope) were assessed. Changes from baseline were explored by pairwise comparisons of available cases. Twenty participants (11 women, 62 ± 9.9 SD years) participated in the study, of whom 9 patients survived the study year. Pairwise comparisons revealed transient improvements of pain after 4 and 6 months (both p values < 0.05), of global QoL after 4, 6, 8, 10 months (all p values < 0.05), of SeiQoL scores after 4 months (p < 0.05), of FACT-G scores after 6 months (p < 0.05), and of FACIT-Sp scores after 2 and 6 months (both p values < 0.05). Furthermore, overall stress levels (PSQ-20) decreased from baseline to 2, 6, and 8 months (all p values < 0.05), and anxiety declined from baseline to 6 months (p < 0.05). Depression scores and the cortisol slope did not change. This pilot study demonstrated the acceptability and feasibility of studies on spiritual meditation in patients with advanced PDAC. Randomized controlled trials are warranted to study the effects of spiritual meditation and other mind-body interventions on pain, QoL, and emotional well-being in this patient population.

Effect of short-term breathing meditation on serum lipid profile and fasting blood glucose level among young healthy adults

Effect of short-term breathing meditation on serum lipid profile and fasting blood glucose level among young healthy adults

Alteration of faecal microbiota balance related to long-term deep meditation

BackgroundAdvancements in research have confirmed that gut microbiota can influence health through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. Meditation, as an inner mental exercise, can positively impact the regulation of an individual’s physical...

EEG patterns in long-term Brahmakumari meditators and their possible significance

Background: Yoga and meditation are associated with improvement in both physical and mental health. Brahmakumari meditation is concerned with awareness of the metaphysical self with reorientating thought patterns and feelings so one can live with positive thinking, greater harmony, and contentment. EEG gives meaningful insight about the state of mind of an individual. Aims and Objectives: The present study was designed to review the effects of meditation on the state of mind based on changing EEG brainwave patterns in long-term Brahmakumari meditators. Materials and Methods: Fifteen Brahmakumari meditators aged between 30 and 50 years who were involved in regular meditation for >10 years and with no history of any neurological disorders were enrolled. Twenty-one channels EEG with EKG and EMG were recorded in all subjects during pre-meditative, meditative, and post-meditative state at an interval of 20 min. Qualitative EEG was analyzed for the appearance of wave patterns based on different voltages and frequencies. Results: High voltage alpha rhythm was observed in the majority of subjects during pre-meditation and theta waves in most subjects during meditation. During meditation, their minds progress further to a deep state of calmness and relaxation as indicated by the appearance of theta waves. Even delta waves were observed during meditation in some of the subjects indicating a phase similar to a deep sleep. Conclusion: Stress and mental unrest are major problem in the present era which is responsible for many non-communicable diseases. Regular meditation is a very important de-stressor and should be regularly practiced to lead a happy and peaceful life.

Effect of Yoga and Meditation on Different Health Parameters of the Yoga Practitioners

Yoga practitioners always look energetic, ever young and healthy compared to others because yoga postures (Asana) make the body flexible. Meditation (Dhyan) and breathing exercise (Pranayama) keep the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. The objective of this study is to identify the effect of Yoga and Meditation on different health parameters of the Yoga Practitioners. The method applied in this study was quantitative, descriptive based on the five points Likert Scales Ranking. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test (2-tailed) revealed that a statistically positive significantly effect on health parameters after attended in yoga class, Z = -10.990, p<0.01 (r=0.59)and meditation, Z= 10.544, p<0.01 with large effect size (r=0.57). The Pearson correlation analysis result showed significant correlation between the impact of yoga and meditation on regular practitioners. The relative importance index (RII) analysis of respondent’s perceptions on each category, happiness had scored highest ranking. This study concluded that, yoga and meditation had prompt effect on the entire health of regular yoga and meditation practitioners to enhance complete wellbeing who practiced three to six months. Similarly, yoga and meditation indicated higher effect on the other domains of physical, mental and spiritual health parameters. While analysis the data, the female participants were found more benefited than that of male participants.

Pengaruh Meditasi Musik Sufistik terhadap Kualitas Kesadaran Spiritual Santri

<p align="center"><strong>Abstrak</strong></p><p> </p><p class="06IsiAbstrak"><strong>The Effect of Sufistic Music Meditation on the Quality of Spiritual Awareness of Santri.</strong> In fact, Islamic boarding schools are also starting to experience the same crisis. Balancing one side is an important thing. Therefore this research is important to study so that it can be seen its significance to the problems that occur. This study aims to find out: 1) Does Sufistic music meditation affect the quality of the spiritual awareness of the students? 2) Are there any differences between the experimental group and the control group? To reveal this, a quantitative approach to the experimental pre-post control group design was used. This research is aimed at 20 students who live in PP. Annuqayah Lubangsa Selatan Putri. The final conclusions from the results of this study are: 1) There is an effect of Vx on Vy with a Paired Sample test of 0.041 <0.05, then Ha is accepted. 2) There is no significant difference between the two groups with Independent Sample results of 0.260 and 0.261> 0.05, then from these results H0 is accepted<strong>.</strong></p><p class="07KatakunciKeywords">Keywords: Santri, Meditation, Music, Sufistik, Spiritual Awareness</p>

Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Yoga and Meditation on Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review & Meta-analysis

Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Yoga and Meditation on Cognitive Function: A Systematic Review & Meta-analysis

Effect of Mindfulness Breathing Meditation on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial among University Students.

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused various changes in all aspects of human life, including the educational system. These changes have forced students to undertake an adaptive process that has inevitably affected aspects of their life and psychological well-being. Adaptation of learning into online forms in universities, including nursing, triggers depression, stress, and anxiety. The high number of incidences of stress, anxiety, and depression in undergraduate students throughout the pandemic has made it important to prevent and deal with health approaches, such as mindfulness therapy. This research intended to examine whether an intervention based on mindfulness was effective and had the potential to become an interference to reduce anxiety, stress, and depression in Indonesian university students. This research applied a randomized controlled trial. One hundred and twenty-two students from Universitas Padjadjaran and other provinces in Indonesia participated in this study, with sixty-one students in each group. A pretest and a post-test were administered before and after the intervention using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42). The intervention was carried out for 4 weeks with 15 min practice in each session. In this study, there was an effect of mindfulness breathing meditation on decreasing the mean scores for depression, anxiety, and stress in the intervention group. However, only stress (p = 0.007) and anxiety (p = 0.042) showed a significant difference in the post-test results of the intervention and control groups. In addition, there was no difference in the scores of stress, anxiety, and depression for the pre-post-tests in each group based on religion. Mindfulness breathing meditation has an impact on reducing stress and anxiety in students, so it could be applied to all university students in order to develop psychosocial status and mindful attentiveness to one's needs.

The Impact of a Short Body–Focused Meditation on Body Ownership and Interoceptive Abilities

ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a brief body-focused meditation on body ownership, while considering interoceptive abilities, dissociative experiences, mood, trait mindfulness, and meditation experience.MethodThe sample consisted of 111 healthy students who participated in a randomized controlled trial and either listened to a 20-min meditation or audio-book reading. Before and after the intervention, the rubber hand illusion and a heartbeat detection task were completed. The rubber hand illusion consisted of a synchronous and an asynchronous condition and the illusion intensity was measured using a questionnaire and by assessing the proprioceptive drift. In the heartbeat detection task, participants were instructed to count their heartbeats, so interoceptive accuracy of their counting, confidence in their own abilities (interoceptive sensibility), and the correspondence between both measures (interoceptive awareness) could be determined.ResultsThe intervention type had no effect on mood and interoceptive abilities. Independent of intervention type, valence increased, arousal decreased, and interoceptive accuracy and interoceptive sensibility improved over time. Additionally, trait mindfulness and interoceptive accuracy were negatively related to the subjective rubber hand illusion intensity. There was not a mere effect of the intervention on the rubber hand illusion, but an interaction of synchrony, time, group, and interoceptive awareness was found for both measures, showing that only participants with high interoceptive awareness experienced a weaker illusion following the meditation.ConclusionsWe concluded that meta-awareness of interoceptive abilities may help protecting oneself against manipulations of the body boundaries.PreregistrationOpen Science Framework (https://osf.io/6dvh5).

Immediate effects of short-term meditation on sensorimotor rhythm-based brain-computer interface performance.

Meditation has been shown to enhance a user's ability to control a sensorimotor rhythm (SMR)-based brain-computer interface (BCI). For example, prior work have demonstrated that long-term meditation practices and an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training have positive behavioral and neurophysiological effects on SMR-based BCI. However, the effects of short-term meditation practice on SMR-based BCI control are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the immediate effects of a short, 20-minute meditation on SMR-based BCI control. Thirty-seven subjects performed several runs of one-dimensional cursor control tasks before and after two types of 20-minute interventions: a guided mindfulness meditation exercise and a recording of a narrator reading a journal article. We found that there is no significant change in BCI performance and Electroencephalography (EEG) BCI control signal following either 20-minute intervention. Moreover, the change in BCI performance between the meditation group and the control group was found to be not significant. The present results suggest that a longer period of meditation is needed to improve SMR-based BCI control.

Sitting Meditation and Mindfulness Effects on Overall Anxiety and Test Anxiety Among College Students

AbstractResearch shows that mindfulness interventions for test anxiety in a college student population are beneficial (Lothes, Matney, & Naseer, 2022). This study assessed the effects of online mindfulness practices over a 5‐week period on anxiety and test anxiety in college students. Participants included 20 students that were randomly assigned to either a sitting meditation or a wait list control (WLC). A weekly schedule of mindfulness practices was given to participants to complete on their own for 5 weeks. The WLC did not do any mindfulness for the first 5 weeks. Participants in the both conditions showed significant within‐group reductions in test anxiety, overall anxiety, and DASS scores during their mindfulness interventions. Both groups also showed significant increases in FFMQ scores. Mindfulness may play a role in the reduction of anxiety and test anxiety. Further research is needed to assess how mindfulness may affect anxiety and test anxiety in college students.