Effects Of Mindfulness Practice Research Articles

The relationship between creativity and yoga nidra as a mindfulness practice: Considering the possibilities for wellbeing and education

Creative thinking skills are critical for learning and society's technical and cultural progress. As society becomes increasingly complex, there is a need to identify habits and practices that support creative thinking skills alongside wellbeing. Much research has suggested that mindfulness and its associated practices can support creativity. One such mindfulness practice is Yoga Nidra (a yogic practice closely aligned to meditation). The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between Yoga Nidra and creativity (via several indicators). We review of the literature on the effects of mindfulness practices and creativity, including Yoga Nidra. We then share an exploratory empirical study which utilized the Torrance non-verbal creativity test, the Mednick verbal creativity test, the WAM questionnaire (well-being, activity, mood), the "Word-color interference" method by G. Stroop, Raven's Progressive Matrices, and the Big 5 Five-Factor Personality Questionnaire. This study involved 22 people aged 27–53 from Almaty, Moscow, and Nur-Sultan. Creativity was measured via a pre-test; then the participants were introduced to a three-week Yoga Nidra practice program, followed by a post-test. The program was presented to participants for 60 min three times a week for three weeks, by a certified yoga expert. Participants were divided into two groups: online and offline practitioners. Both groups passed pre- and post- tests. Results demonstrated a positive impact of Yoga Nidra on the creativity of the participants following this three-week program. As education researchers, we consider this research within the context of an existing body of research and theory linking mindfulness/meditation practices to creativity, thinking and learning. Finally, we reflect on implications for further research, practice, and learning settings.

Impact of continued mindfulness practice on resilience and well‐being in mindfulness‐based intervention graduates during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study

AbstractAimThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has caused unprecedented stress. Mindfulness‐based interventions (MBIs) are known to be effective in reducing stress. However, it is unclear how long‐term outcomes differ between those who continue mindfulness practice after MBIs and those who do not. In this study, we hypothesized that those who continued mindfulness practice would have higher stress tolerance, and we examined this hypothesis through a survey of MBI graduates. In this study, we examined the association between the continuation of mindfulness practice among MBI completers and individual stress during the COVID‐19 epidemic.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey of MBI graduates was conducted. The physical and mental health states were compared between those who established a habit of mindfulness practice (practice group) and those who did not (no practice group).ResultsThe data were collected from 95 participants (response rate: 53.7%). Of the total respondents, 66 (69.5%) practiced mindfulness. Although the degree of perceived stress due to the COVID‐19 pandemic was not statistically different between the practice and no practice groups, the practice group showed significantly lower levels of depression (p = 0.007), higher levels of resilience (p = 0.006), higher levels of overall health (p = 0.006), and higher levels of mental health (p = 0.039). The effect of mindfulness practice on reducing depression was fully mediated by resilience.ConclusionAmong MBI graduates, those who regularly practiced mindfulness had lower levels of depression and higher levels of physical and mental health. Thus, the continuation of mindfulness practice increases resilience, buffers against new stressors such as the COVID‐19 pandemic, and has the potential to prevent depression.

The effects of mindfulness practices on well-being

There is growing interest in psychological research into mindfulness practices and their association with aspects of psychological functioning and well-being. Therefore, we have carried out this research with the main purpose of reducing prejudices and limiting beliefs about mindfulness practices and to present the benefits of mindfulness practices on well-being¸ with its many benefits. Aiming to confirm and extend previous knowledge on this topic, we studied the relationships between well-being and the quality of mindfulness practices in a sample (N: 59), adopting a multidimensional conceptualization of mindfulness.
 To begin with, we performed a simple linear regression to determine whether the mindfulness variable predicts the individual's psychological well-being. The results, analyzed from a statistical point of view, show that 52.9% of the well-being of the respondents is influenced by the practice of mindfulness. Thus, the practice of mindfulness techniques influences and is an important predictor of psychological well-being.
 Then, we correlated the construct of mindfulness with that of well-being and all its facets: autonomy, mastery of the environment, personal growth, positive relationships with others, purpose in life and self-acceptance. For this, we used two questionnaires: the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the questionnaire that measures the well-being construct, the Ryff Scale. The results showed direct, strong correlations, both between mindfulness and the scores obtained for the well-being construct, as well as for the relationship between mindfulness practice and the subscales of the Riff instrument: autonomy, mastery of the environment, personal growth, positive relationships with others and self-acceptance. The correlation between mindfulness and purpose in life is direct and average.
 This study supports the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being, with evidence that the practice of mindfulness can enhance an individual's well-being through various means

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA NIDRA AND CREATIVITY PARAMETERS

The ability of people to think creatively is the main means of technical and cultural progress, in connection with which the urgency of finding ways to increase non-trivial thinking arises. Mindfulness practices, and in particular yoga nidra, can be seen as one of the ways to increase the level of creativity. The purpose of this article is to identify the relationship between yoga nidra and the indicator of creativity. The theoretical basis of the study is a review of the literature on the effects of mindfulness practices and yoga nidra. For the empirical study, the following methods were used: the Torrens non-verbal creativity test, the Mednick verbal creativity test, the SAN questionnaire (well-being, activity, mood), the "Word-color interference" method by G. Stroop, Raven's Progressive Matrices, the Big 5 Five-Factor Personality Questionnaire. This study involved 22 people aged 27-53 from Almaty, Moscow and Nur-Sultan. Creativity was measured, and then the participants were introduced to the yoga nidra practice program. The program was presented to participants for 60 minutes three times a week for three weeks. The yoga nidra process was taught by a yoga expert. Participants were divided into two groups: online and offline. Both groups passed pre- and post-tests. The results showed the positive impact of yoga nidra on the creativity of the participants as a result of this three-week program. No differences were found between online and offline practitioners. Key words: yoga nidra, meditation, awareness, creativity, creative thinking.

Effects of Mindful Practices on Terror of Mortality: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ObjectivesEarly Buddhist thought clearly recognizes the need for learning how to face one’s own mortality, for which purpose mindfulness practice has a central role to play. Fear of death has also been studied in cognitive psychology, leading to what is known as the terror management theory. Actual research evidence in psychology has already shown that mindfulness practice may reduce fear and anxiety in general. However, there is a lack of research examining the specific effects of brief mindfulness practices on the fear of death and dying. In this study we tested the hypothesis that brief mindfulness practices used daily over a period of 6 weeks will result in a reduction of the fear of death and dying when compared to brief contemplative practices used as an active control condition.MethodsParticipants (n = 89) were randomly assigned to the mindfulness (n = 44) and the contemplation (n = 45) conditions and completed validated scales measuring four distinct fears related to either the process of dying or the final event of death (dying of oneself, death of oneself, dying of others, and death of others), mindfulness, and self-compassion at baseline, post-intervention (at 6 weeks) and follow up (1‒3 weeks after the end of the 6-week intervention). ANOVA was used to investigate the effects of both interventions on outcome variables over time and between groups.ResultsBoth mindfulness and contemplative practices were equally effective in reducing fear related to dying of oneself and death of others while increasing fear of dying of others, mindfulness, and self-compassion. No significant intervention effects were found for fear related to death of oneself only.ConclusionsThese results suggest that fears related to dying of oneself and death of others can be reduced using both mindfulness and contemplative practices that may simultaneously increase mindfulness and self-compassion.

An Exploratory Case Study of Mindfulness Techniques in a High School Band Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of mindfulness practices on high school band students. This action research project took place in spring 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic stay-at-home orders. Four students enrolled in the high school band participated in five weeks of mindfulness practice interventions over the virtual format alongside their instrumental music director. Mindfulness practices included diaphragmatic breathing, relaxation imagery, cued relaxation, and stretching. Throughout the five weeks, student participants discussed improved focus, improvement of stress management, and increased frequency of mindfulness practice. However, four months after data collection was complete, three of the four student participants continued to practice mindfulness techniques on their own time to assist with nervousness, anxiety, and stress.

Mindfulness to performance enhancement: a systematic review of neural correlates

ABSTRACT The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on performance have recently been investigated, with several studies assessing changes in brain activity. The aim of the current systematic review was to identify the neural correlates of mindfulness practice that enhance performance. We completed searches on Scopus, PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science in February 2020. Peer-reviewed studies that implemented mindfulness-based interventions or compared groups of mindfulness meditators with non-practitioners and measured the neural activity underpinning performance were eligible. The quality of the studies and evidence was assessed with the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the GRADE system. Of the 1836 records identified, 20 published articles (925 participants) were found, including 8 experimental, 5 quasi-experimental, and 7 cross-sectional studies. None of the studies were rated as having a low risk of bias. The quality of evidence was graded to be low and very low. The main finding that emerged was the potential enhancing effect of mindfulness practice on performance monitoring abilities, which are highly important to detect and adjust to errors. Overall findings did not provide a robust evidence for neural correlates of mindfulness practice aimed to enhance performance, highlighting the need for future research. This study is registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42020185471.

Insight into resident burnout, mental wellness, and coping mechanisms early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundAcute augmentation of stress and disruption of training, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, may impact resident wellbeing.ObjectivesWe investigated how residents in various specialties in the United States were impacted by COVID-19 on mental wellbeing and resilience levels, and the methodology for coping with the stress incurred.MethodsIn April 2020, the authors electronically surveyed 200 residency programs of all specialties nationally. The survey utilized two validated questionnaires to assess wellbeing and resilience, while investigating demographics and coping mechanisms. The authors used student t-test and ANOVA to quantitatively analyze the data.ResultsThe sample consisted of 1115 respondents (with an 18% response rate). Male gender & Age >39 years were associated with more favorable average well-being indices (both p<0.01). Regarding resources, institutional support (IS) appeared favorable for resident well-being (IS 2.74, SD1.96 vs NoIS 3.71, SD2.29, p<0.01) & resilience (IS 3.72, SD0.70 vs NoIS 3.53, SD0.73, p = 0.05). The effects of mindfulness practices (MP) were not statistically significant for improvement of wellness (MP 2.87, SD 1.99 vs No MP 2.76, SD 2.15, p = 0.85) or resilience (MP 3.71, SD 0.70 vs No MP 3.72, SD 0.68, p = 0.87).ConclusionsFindings highlight the critical importance of resident mental status in cases of augmented stress situations. Institutional support may contribute to promotion of resident wellbeing.

Mindfulness and false memories: state and dispositional mindfulness does not increase false memories for naturalistic scenes presented in a virtual environment

Mindfulness attracted increased research interests in the last decade, reporting an overall beneficial effect of this practice on cognitive performances. Nevertheless, recently a possible detrimental impact of mindfulness has been underlined. While the effect of mindfulness on memory remains under-explored, recent studies have observed an increased false-memory susceptibility after mindfulness practice. A possible explanatory mechanism has been suggested, related to the nature of the studied material. For semantically related information, mindfulness would increase false memories; however, the addition of rich perceptual information could prevent this detrimental effect. The present study aimed to verify this hypothesis by testing the impact of state mindfulness induced by a short meditation session, and dispositional mindfulness on the production of false memory for pictorial material presented in a complex virtual environment. We employed a virtual reality version of the Deese–Roediger–McDermott paradigm (DRM), a classical protocol to induce false memories. Contrary to previous studies, we did not observe any effect of mindfulness on false or correct memories (free recall and recognition) after a short mindfulness practice session compared to a control condition. Nonetheless, we found a beneficial effect of mindfulness practice on memory sensitivity. Additionally, we reported a positive and negative effect of dispositional mindfulness on memory outcomes. While the Non-Reactivity facet was associated with overall better memory performances, we observed an association between the Acting with Awareness facet and an increased recollection of lures. We discuss these findings in line with a recent proposal on the link between mindfulness and episodic memory.

Effects of Mindfulness practice on work stress: a study with professionals in Primary Health Care

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of a Mindfulness-based program on mindfulness levels and in the risk of illness associated with stress at work in primary health care (PHC) professionals in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. This is a quasi-experimental study, with 26 PHC professionals, using quantitative methods and an analytical before and after approach of an 8-week Mindfulness Program. The intervention was evaluated applying the instruments: Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and Job Stress Scale. There were significant differences in six Mindfulness facets after the intervention: Observe (p = 0.002); Describe (p = 0.01); Act with awareness - autopilot (p = 0.01) and distraction (p = 0.05); Non-reactivity to inner experience (p = 0.0005); Non-judgement of inner experience (p = 0.01); and in total Mindfulness scores (p = 0.0000018). Regarding the stress levels at work, the reduction of the organizational mode in high job strain was observed (before: 35%, after: 19%). It is concluded that interventions based on Mindfulness applied to PHC professionals can improve the levels of mindfulness and modify the modes of organization at work, reducing the risk of illness associated with stress in these professionals.

The Effects of Brief Mindfulness Training on Attentional Processes: Mindfulness Increases Prepulse Facilitation but Not Prepulse Inhibition.

Mindfulness is intentional focus of one’s attention on emotions, thoughts, or sensations occurring in the present moment with a nonjudgmental attitude. Recently there has been increased interest in the effects of mindfulness practice on psychological processes such as concentration, focus, and attention. In the present study, a prepulse inhibition/facilitation (PPI/PPF) paradigm was employed to investigate the effect of brief mindfulness practice on automatic attention regulation processes. PPI occurs when a relatively weak prepulse (e.g., a tone) is presented 30–500 ms before a startle-inducing stimulus, and reduces the magnitude of the startle response. Prepulse facilitation (PPF) is the increase in startle magnitude when the prepulse is presented 500 ms or more before the startle-eliciting stimulus. In the present study, the effect of engaging in a 23-min mindfulness exercise on PPI and PPF was investigated. Participants listened to either a mindfulness instruction (mindfulness group) or relaxing music (control group). In a PPI/PPF pretest and posttest, a startle-eliciting noise was presented at lead intervals of 60, 120, and 2,000 ms. Results showed that engaging in brief mindfulness practice increased prepulse facilitation at the 2,000 ms lead interval in the posttest compared to the pretest. The amount of PPI did not differ between tests.

Effects of Mindfulness Practice on Performance and Factors Related to Performance in Long-Distance Running: A Systematic Review

Fatigue, boredom, pain, performance anxiety, and negative thoughts are challenges characteristic of competitive running. One psychological technique that is gaining support and has been successfully implemented in sport is the practice of mindfulness. Where conventional psychological skills training interventions aim to change dysfunctional thoughts and emotions, mindfulness focuses on altering the relationship to physiological and psychological states. This could help in dealing with the demands of distance running but this has yet to be examined. This article was focused on reviewing mindfulness interventions on performance and performance-based factors in long distance running, assessing (a) mindfulness scores, (b) physiological performance-related factors, (c) psychological performance-related factors, and (d) performance outcomes. A search of relevant electronic databases yielded seven studies which met the inclusion criteria. The review provided some tentative support for the use of mindfulness interventions regarding: reducing competitive anxiety, attenuating immune responses to high-intensity running, and increasing state mindfulness. However, due to the methodological weaknesses of studies more research is required using high-quality randomized controlled trial designs.

Experimental Phenomenology in Mindfulness Research

The present paper argues that experimental phenomenology has an important role to play in research on mindfulness. Experimental phenomenology is defined as a subcategory of phenomenology (defined as the science of our subjective experience of being in the world), which explores the effects of intentional variations of subjective experiencing (direction of attention and choice of attitude) on subsequent experience. To count as experimental phenomenology, both the independent and dependent variable have to be phenomenological. Because mindfulness involves paying attention to present experience with a specific attitude, it is well suited for experimental-phenomenological research. What makes experimental phenomenology into a scientific endeavor is the intersubjective nature of this kind of study: potential effects described by one person can be subjected to replication both by the same person, and by other persons. Also, conclusions drawn on the basis of this kind of study are hypothetical and provisional, and may be modified or specified on the basis of further study. In this paper, the principles of experimental phenomenology are illustrated by (a) variations of a given mindfulness practice (the body scan), and (b) the construction of a personalized mindfulness practice (mindful driving). Finally, three varieties of experimental phenomenology in research on mindfulness are discussed: (1) the use of qualitative methods to analyze mindfulness practices and their potential effects, (2) idiographic research with the use of single-subject designs and experience sampling, and (3) randomized controlled studies of the effects of mindfulness practices on present experience.

Examining the effects of mindfulness practice and trait mindfulness on gambling symptoms in women with gambling disorder: a feasibility study

ABSTRACTWomen with gambling disorder (GD) exhibit high comorbidity, late onset and rapid escalation of symptoms, and a tendency to gamble to cope with negative affect. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may be especially helpful to address these issues. This project investigated the feasibility and therapeutic potential of a 10-week group MBI in treatment-seeking women with GD (n = 9). The sample exhibited high scores on multiple measures of dysfunction and risk for GD. MBI was associated with clinically and statistically significant decreases in the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale for Pathological Gambling and a Gambling Craving Scale; decreased severity on the Beck Depression Inventory (p < .05), and more consistent attention to negative affective words on an emotional Stroop task (p = .05). Childhood exposure to violence and paternal over-control were inter-correlated, and each predicted lower distress tolerance. A between-groups design, comparing MBI with a validated GD treatment, would reduce the burden of repeated testing and enable direct recruitment through a treatment service to better target treatment-seeking individuals and promote retention in future studies. These preliminary data support the feasibility and therapeutic potential of MBI for women with GD.

The effect of mindfulness practice on aggression and violence levels in adults: A systematic review

Abstract Violence and aggression represent a serious problem, with significant cost and impact at individual and societal level. There has been increasing interest in the potential of mindfulness interventions to decrease levels of violence and aggression. This paper systematically reviews the evidence to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions for the reduction of violence and aggression levels. Five electronic databases were searched, and methods followed published guidance for systematic reviews. Studies that used a mindfulness intervention and measured outcomes of aggression and violence in adult populations were included. The Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies was utilised to evaluate the quality of included studies. Twenty-two studies met the eligibility criteria, including fourteen randomised studies, three non-randomised studies and five cohort studies. The interventions investigated included mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy and yoga with meditation. Overall, the results suggest that mindfulness-based interventions, with the possible exception of DBT, may be effective in reducing aggression and violence. They also suggest that mindfulness may relate to the processes of aggression through emotion regulation. However, papers were of variable quality, with weaknesses in both methodology and the reporting of data. Further good quality controlled studies with full and transparent reporting are needed to confirm these results, and to explore the elements of mindfulness which interact with mechanisms of aggression.

Effect of Mindfulness Practice on Self-Efficacy Among Employees in an Organization

Mindfulness has been the subject of growing attention and interest in recent years. Numerous scholars have found that mindfulness can be helpful for resolving many mental and physical health proble...

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Delivered in Primary Care: a Naturalistic, Mixed-Methods Study of Participant Characteristics and Experiences

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), an intervention that integrates mindfulness with cognitive-behavioral therapy, is an 8-week program originally developed to prevent relapses in patients with depression. Previous studies have demonstrated the efficacy of MBCT for preventing relapse, but few studies have evaluated MBCT in naturalistic conditions with real-world samples. Therefore, we sought to explore the characteristics and experiences of individuals receiving MBCT in primary care. Mixed-methods approach combining descriptive and qualitative data. Quantitative data were obtained from 269 individuals from different socioeconomic backgrounds who participated in an MBCT program in our healthcare area during the years 2017 and 2018. Qualitative data were obtained from a subsample of participants who agree to participate in semi-structured individual interviews. An interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach was used to analyze the qualitative data. In the whole sample (n = 269), the most commonly diagnosed disorders were adjustment (41.6%), mood (22.7%), and anxiety (14.1%). Most participants (60%) were taking psychotropic medications (mainly antidepressants). Overall, mindfulness training improved depressive and anxiety symptoms, regardless of the specific diagnosis. A subsample of 14 individuals participated in the qualitative study. Four overarching themes emerged from the IPA analysis in this subsample: (1) effects of mindfulness practice, (2) learning process, (3) group experience, and (4) mindfulness in the healthcare system. The findings of this naturalistic, mixed-methods study suggest that MBCT could be an effective approach to treating the symptoms of common mental disorders in the primary care setting.

Mindfulness and academic performance: An example of migrant children in China

Mindfulness emphasizes the awareness of the “here-and-now.” Studies in the recent decade have found that mindfulness can affect positive change in child and adolescent school performance. As an emerging field, however, the mechanisms and effects of mindfulness practice on academic performance for children in developing countries have not been elaborated sufficiently in previous studies. Using China as an example context, this paper examines the relationship between mindfulness practice and academic performance of migrant children, and explores the role of executive function in this relationship. Through a survey with 219 fifth-graders in two migrant schools in Beijing, this study validates the positive association between mindfulness, executive function, and better school grades in Chinese, math, and English tests. Additionally, this study adds empirical evidence to the roles of mindfulness in child development, and also sheds light on the pathway through which mindfulness positively correlates with academic performance. These findings provide implications for addressing child academic challenges and conducting further research among migrant children in China and beyond.

Mindfulness in Physical and Occupational Therapy Education and Practice: A scoping review

Background: Mindfulness practices provide numerous benefits for individuals with a variety of health issues. Recent research has highlighted the benefits of mindfulness for health professionals. The potential benefits for physical and occupational therapists or students however, are currently unclear.Objectives: To perform a scoping review on the effects of mindfulness practices among physical (PT) and occupational therapists (OT) and students of those disciplines.Methods: Eligible published articles in English were identified through a literature search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and AMED from the inception of databases to November 2015. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were screened for the selection of relevant papers. Articles identified as editorials, correspondences, commentaries, case reports, abstracts alone, and review papers were excluded.Results: Six studies (two qualitative studies, one quantitative study, one mixed-method study, and two experimental studies) met the inclusion criteria. Three studies focused on PT/OT students, two on clinicians and one on current clinicians who had previously failed a course. These studies highlighted the potential benefits of mindfulness for physical and occupational therapists. They should be interpreted with caution however, due to the small number of relevant studies, high heterogeneity in mindfulness interventions and methodological limitations.Conclusions: There is a paucity of research on the effects of mindfulness among physical and occupational therapists and students of those disciplines. The lack of relevant studies makes a systematic review challenging but the findings of the current studies suggest potentially promising effects.

Mindful Schooling: Better Attention Regulation Among Elementary School Children Who Practice Mindfulness as Part of Their School Policy

Mindfulness has been gaining greater support and interest from researchers, clinicians, and educators in the last two decades. However, the effects of mindfulness practice among children are still understudied. Effects of mindfulness practice on self-regulation of attention and emotions were assessed among 242 students in the 2nd, 4th, and 6th grades in a school that has integrated mindfulness practice as part of the school experience, and in a comparison school. Self-regulation of attention was assessed by using CPT and Stroop tasks. Mindfulness levels, anxiety, and affective experience self-reports were also collected. The results indicate that mindfulness practice was associated with earlier development of self-regulation among students in the mindful school, as reflected by a significantly lower proportion of commissions in the CPT task, and a marginally significant higher proportion of correct trials in the Stroop task, at 4th grade in the mindful school as compared to the comparison school. Research regarding early implementation of mindfulness and its effects on developmental trajectories is warranted. The feasibility and efficiency of mindfulness practice as a social emotional learning technique, suggested by this study, warrants further research into the early implementation of mindfulness and its effects on the development of trait mindfulness as part of children’s daily life. Furthermore, we show that mindfulness can be incorporated in significant ways within the public curriculum and does not necessarily have to be some elite practice reserved for children of alternative parents.