Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory Research Articles

Evidence for differential associations of distinct trait mindfulness facets with acute and chronic stress

Stress and stress-associated disease are considered the health epidemic of the 21st century. Interestingly, despite experiencing similar amounts of stress than those falling ill, some individuals are protected against the “wear and tear of daily life”. Based on the notion that mindfulness training strengthens stress resilience, we explored whether facets of trait mindfulness, prior to training intervention, are linked to acute psychosocial stress reactivity and chronic stress load. To assess different mindfulness facets, over 130 participants completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). For acute stress induction, a standardized psychosocial stress test was conducted. Subjective stress, sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, and levels of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis end hormone cortisol were assessed repeatedly. Additionally, levels of hair cortisol and cortisone as indices of the long-term physiological stress load were collected. We found differential associations of different facets of mindfulness with subjective stress, cortisol, and hair cortisone levels. Specifically, the trait mindfulness facets FMI “Acceptance” and the ability to put one’s inner experience into words (FFMQ “Describing”) were associated with lower acute subjective and cortisol stress reactivity. Contrarily, monitoring-related trait mindfulness facets (FFMQ “Acting with Awareness” and “Observing”) were associated with higher acute cortisol and marginally higher long-term cortisone release. Our results suggest granularity of the mindfulness construct. In accordance with the “Monitor and Acceptance Theory”, especially acceptance-related traits buffered against stress, while monitoring-related traits seemed to be maladaptive in the context of stress. The current results give valuable guidance for the conceptualization of mindfulness-based interventions geared towards stress reduction.

Transcultural Adaption and Validation of Korean Version Freibrug Mindfulness Inventory (FMI): Assessing Mindfulness in Forest Therapy Sessions

Forest therapy is associated with several health advantages, such as stress reduction and improved psychological health. Mindfulness, an important component of forest therapy, is also associated with improved health outcomes. However, few studies have empirically evaluated mindfulness in forest therapy settings. This study translated the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) in the context of forest therapy into Korean and then validated it. (1) Methods: This study included 352 individuals. Four other psychometric tools were administered to ensure criterion validity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were implemented to determine the factor structure. Furthermore, item validity was assessed using item response theory. (2) Findings: A two-factor structure of the FMI, comprising acceptance and presence, was the most suitable. However, excluding item 13 enhanced the model fit (χ2 [df] = 169.9 [64], comparative fit index = 0.93, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.92, root mean square error of approximation = 0.069). The FMI had satisfactory psychometric properties. (3) Conclusion: The FMI was translated into Korean and validated, serving as a valuable instrument for assessing mindfulness in the context of forest therapy. We identified that item 13 should be excluded. Our results demonstrate the potential effects of mindfulness on mental health in forest therapy.

Excessive mind wandering, rumination, and mindfulness mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and anxiety and depression in adults with ADHD.

Persistent mind-wandering processes are associated with negative emotions; however, mindful states exhibit an anticorrelation with mind-wandering patterns. The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of excessive mind wandering (EMW), rumination, and trait mindfulness between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and the severity of anxiety/depression in adults with ADHD. Medication-free 159 adults diagnosed with ADHD completed a test battery that included a sociodemographic form as well as the Adult ADHD Severity Rating Scale, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, Mind Excessively Wandering Scale, Ruminative Response Scale, and Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory after the diagnostic examination according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5-Clinician Version (SCID-5). ADHD symptoms exhibited an indirect, but not a direct, association with the severity of anxiety and depression, mediated by increased excessive mind wandering and rumination, as well as decreased trait mindfulness. This study was carried out within a clinical population using a cross-sectional design. While diagnostic assessments were conducted using SCID-5, psychiatric symptoms were evaluated through self-report measures. Coping with EMW and rumination and promoting mindfulness ability may be promising targets in treating comorbid conditions in adults with ADHD. These findings have highlighted the effects of mentation processes on depression and anxiety, which are common comorbidities with ADHD in adults; however, longitudinal studies are needed.

Association between time perspective and metacognition among Lebanese adults: the mediating role of mindfulness

BackgroundMindfulness may serve as a component of metacognitive beliefs and can also be viewed as a form of time perspective. The interplay between time perspective and metacognitive beliefs remains understudied. Both aspects, however, display considerable stability over time and significantly influence an individual’s life and well-being. Lebanon, marked by its diverse and complex history, struggles with various political, social, and economic challenges. This study offers a valuable and unprecedented opportunity to examine these connections within a distinct cultural context, shedding light on the unique experiences of the Lebanese population. Therefore, our research aims to investigate the connection between time perspective and metacognition, with a focus on the role of mindfulness as a mediator.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2022 and involved participants from various regions of Lebanon. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data and scales such as the Arabic versions of the 15-item Short Form of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, the Metacognitions Questionnaire, the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-2).ResultsOur investigation recruited 423 participants. The analysis showed that individuals with a positive stance on their past, a hedonistic present, or a future-oriented outlook exhibited heightened levels of mindfulness. This elevated state of mindfulness, in turn, demonstrated a significant link to augmented cognitive self-consciousness (An increased introspection into one’s own thoughts). We also observed a direct association between a future-focused time perspective and high scores of cognitive self-consciousness. Furthermore, mindfulness emerged as a crucial mediator in the relationships between time perspectives and negative beliefs about the danger of worry. Similarly, individuals with a positive view on their past, a hedonistic present orientation, or a future-focused mindset demonstrated elevated levels of mindfulness, which was correlated with less negative beliefs about the danger of worry. Notably, a positive past perspective was directly associated with less negative views on worry and the subsequent loss of control, whereas higher future focused time perspective scores was significantly and directly associated with more negative beliefs about worry, whereas more future focused time perspective was significantly and directly associated with more negative beliefs about worry.ConclusionOur findings found several meaningful associations between our variables, but it primarily underscored the significance of considering distinct subcomponents within mindfulness and psychopathological metacognition that may overlap, shedding light on their differential impacts on psychological well-being. We were also able to mirror the dual pathway theory of time perspective suggested in previous studies. These insights carry notable implications for the development and refinement of mindfulness-based and metacognitive interventions, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches that consider varying time perspectives. Continued investigation in this area promises to advance our understanding of these constructs and refine their practical applications in mental health interventions and well-being enhancement strategies.

Using an Electronic Mindfulness-based Intervention (eMBI) to improve maternal mental health during pregnancy: Results from a randomized controlled trial

Prevalence rates of peripartum depression and anxiety are high and correlate with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have been shown to reduce mental distress during pregnancy.A multicenter, randomized controlled study was conducted after screening for depressive symptoms. The intervention group (IG) was given access to an 8-week supervised eMBI between weeks 29 and 36 of pregnancy and followed up to 5 months postpartum. Psychometric data were collected using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ-R), the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI-14) as well as the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ).Out of 5299 pregnant women, 1153 scored >9 on the EPDS and N = 460 were included in the RCT. No significant interaction effects for depressive symptoms and anxiety were found. Pregnancy- and birth-related anxiety decreased significantly in the IG and 6 weeks after birth, the rate of women at risk for adverse mental outcome was significantly lower compared to the CG. Mindfulness scores improved significantly in the IG.The eMBI program did not show effective regarding general depressive or anxiety symptoms, however, positive results were demonstrated regarding pregnancy and birth-related anxiety and the prevention of postpartum depression.

Psychometric properties of the short form of the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory in the Arabic language

ABSTRACT Interests in including mindfulness techniques in medical and psychological fields have been increasing recently. Accordingly, it is important to validate the short form of the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI-14) to help professionals living in Arabic speaking countries. Thus, we aimed to validate the FMI-14 in the Arabic language (FMI-Ar) in Arabic-speaking university students from Lebanon. We carried-out a cross-sectional study between July and September 2021; 363 university students (mean age 22.65 ± 3.48 years, 61.7% females) were enrolled. The McDonald’s omega and Cronbach’s alpha values for the total score were excellent (0.92 for both). Confirmatory factor analysis of the one-factor model of the FMI-Ar showed satisfactory fit indices: χ2/df = 218.33/77 = 2.83, RMSEA = 0.071 [0.060–0.082], CFI = 0.92, and TLI = 0.90. Additionally, the FMI score was negatively associated with depression (r = –0.51; p = 0.001) and anxiety (r = –0.48; p < 0.001). All hypotheses (factor, convergent, and divergent validity) related to the FMI-Ar were verified in our study. Therefore, professionals can now benefit from the FMI-Ar, a suitable scale to measure mindfulness among Lebanese University students.

Uważność a radzenie sobie ze stresem u kobiet i mężczyzn

The study aimed to expand knowledge of the relationship between mindfulness trait and coping styles in stressful situations, taking into account gender differences. Based on previous research findings, it was expected that mindfulness would be positively associated with Active Coping and Seeking Support styles and negatively associated with Avoidant Coping and Helplessness styles. In addition, differences in levels of mindfulness and coping styles were expected between women and men, as well as a moderating effect of gender on the relationship between mindfulness and coping styles. The study included 259 participants. The Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory in the short version and the Mini-CO PE Inventory were used. A positive correlation was observed between the level of mindfulness and strategies from the Active coping group. A negative correlation between mindfulness and Helplessness strategies was also found. The results also showed that women had significantly lower levels of the mindfulness trait and a greater tendency to use the Support Seeking, Avoidant Behavior, and Helplessness styles than men. In addition, women with higher mindfulness had a lower tendency to use the Helplessness style, while this relationship was not significant for men. The study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between mindfulness and stress coping by gender.

Predicting the Sleep Health of Dual-Career Couples Based on Mindfulness and Work-Family Conflict

Background and Objective: The purpose of the current study was to predict the sleep health of dual-career couples based on mindfulness and work-family conflict.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: The research method in this study was descriptive and correlational. To achieve the objectives, 280 subjects were selected from the statistical population based on the available and simple random sampling method and the population included all dual-career couples of Tehran, Iran, who were living and working in this city in 2020-2021. Data collection was carried out by Sleep Health Scale (SHS) by Becker et al., Work-Family Conflict Scale (WFCS) by Carlson et al., and the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). Data were analyzed by Pearson statistical method to examine the correlation between the dependent variable and independent variables as well as the regression coefficient to predict the sleep health variable by mindfulness and work-family conflict.&#x0D; Results: A significant negative relationship was found between the sleep health of dual-career couples and work-family conflict. Moreover, a significant positive relationship existed between the sleep health of dual-career couples and mindfulness. Furthermore, work-family conflict and mindfulness could predict the sleep health of couples. This means that decreased work-family conflict and increased mindfulness lead to better sleep health in dual-career couples.&#x0D; Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, work-family conflict and mindfulness can predict the sleep health of dual-career couples.

The relationship between psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and posttraumatic growth in cancer patients in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have an important long-term emotional impact on patients with cancer diagnosis, as they are in the high-risk group. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between self-compassion, psychological flexibility, and posttraumatic growth, and to examine whether psychological flexibility may serve as a mediator between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth. Two hundred fifty-three patients with cancer were included in the study. Sociodemographic and Clinical Features Data Form, Self-Compassion Scale (SCS), Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI), Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) were applied to all patients. The multivariate analysis with independent variable SCS, FMI, AAQ-II, and CFQ scores explains 49% of the variance in PTGI (F(4,248) = 60,585, p < 0.001). SC and FMI scores were found to have a positive and AAQ-II and CFQ scores a negative predictive effect on PTGI scores. The partial mediational effect of psychological flexibility on the relationship between self-compassion and posttraumatic growth was found to be statistically significant. In traumatic life events such as pandemics, the importance of self-compassion for posttraumatic growth and the mediator role of psychological flexibility in this relationship should be considered in order to manage the treatment process in cancer patients. These patients are more affected by the pandemic due to the nature of their malignancy and the strict protective measures they must follow as members of a high-risk group. The significance of therapies focused on psychological flexibility should be emphasized in comprehensive biopsychosocial approaches for the management of cancer patients.

Mindfulness among lebanese university students and its indirect effect between mental health and wellbeing

BackgroundUniversity students are a high-risk population for developing mental health issues. Mindfulness, the non-judgmental awareness of the present moment, has an effective role in numerous psychological contexts among students. However, no previous studies have investigated the association between mindfulness, mental health and wellbeing among Lebanese university students. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the mediating effect of mindfulness in the association between mental health and wellbeing in this population.MethodsThis cross-sectional study enrolled 363 Lebanese university students recruited through convenience sampling (July-September 2021). The Wellbeing Index Scale, Lebanese Anxiety Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire and Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory were used to assess subjective well-being, anxiety, depression and mindfulness respectively.ResultsOur findings showed that higher mindfulness (Beta = 0.18; p < 0.001) was significantly correlated with a higher wellbeing, whereas more depression (Beta=-0.36; p < 0.001) was significantly associated with a lower wellbeing. The results of the indirect effect analysis showed that mindfulness mediated the association between anxiety and wellbeing and between depression and wellbeing. Higher anxiety/depression were significantly associated with lower mindfulness and a lower wellbeing (direct effect). Moreover, higher mindfulness was significantly associated with a higher wellbeing.ConclusionMindfulness is associated with improved wellbeing and plays an indirect role between mental health issues and wellbeing. Our results suggest that mindfulness presents an adaptive approach and coping method associated with improved students’ wellbeing.

Validation of Indonesian Brief Measurement of Religious Coping (Brief R Cope BI)

Religion and spirituality are determinants of psychological adjustment of coping resources, especially in a religious country such as Indonesia. However, in general, its measurement does not use standardized scales. This study aimed to examine the validity of the Indonesian version of the Brief Measurement of Religious Coping (Brief RCOPE). The sample of this study was 150 women recruited by a consecutive sampling strategy. Exploratory factor analyses were performed to examine the structure’s validity. The criteria’s validity was measured by its correlation with the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory and FACIT Sp12. The exploratory factor analyses indicated that the Indonesian Brief RCOPE satisfied the construct validity. The Bartlett sphericity test was significant (df (91) = 1109.79, p &lt; 0.001), and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test was 0.782. The exploratory factor analyses confirmed that the two-factor design model with 50.4% explained the variance. Positive religious coping was correlated with mindfulness (r = 0.338, p &lt; 0.01) and spirituality (r = 0.317, p&lt; 0.01), while negative religious coping was correlated with perceived stress (0.182, p &lt; 0.05). Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for Factor 1 and Factor 2 were 0.83 and 0.82, respectively. Thus, the Indonesian version of Brief RCOPE is valid and reliable for measuring positive and negative religious coping.

Mentation processes such as excessive mind wandering, rumination, and mindfulness mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and anxiety and depression in adults with ADHD

IntroductionExcessive mind wandering is a common feature of ADHD in adulthood also referred to as mental restlessness and ceaseless mental overactivity. ADHD is a predisposing factor for many psychiatric symptoms, especially negative emotions such as depression and anxiety. Rumination is thought to be a mediator for depression in individuals with ADHD. The above-mentioned mental processes may reduce the ability of individuals with ADHD to be mindful.ObjectivesThis study investigates whether the mentation processes (excessive mind wandering, rumination, mindfulness) mediate the relationship between ADHD symptoms and anxiety, and depression in adults with ADHD.MethodsMedication-free 175 individuals with ADHD who were referred to the Adult Neurodevelopmental Disorders Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, Selçuk University were invited to the study. After initial diagnostic examination including The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID 5), all participants completed a test battery that included a sociodemographic form, the Adult ADHD Severity Rating Scale, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale, the Mind Excessively Wandering Scale, the Ruminative Response Scale, and the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory. The data of 159 patients whose ADHD diagnosis was confirmed, who did not have any mood episodes and psychotic symptoms at the time of inclusion of the study, and who filled out the forms completely, were included in the analysis. The study was approved by the Selçuk University Local Ethics Committee.ResultsParticipants ages ranged from 18 to 39 (mean of 22.93 ± 4.36), and 57.2% (n = 91) were women. Also, their 48.6% (n = 77) reported that they alcohol use, and 21.1% (n = 34) had substance use history. According to SCID 5 interview, participants 64.2% had comorbid psychiatric conditions. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that ADHD symptoms, rumination, excessive mind wandering, anxiety, and depression scores were significantly positively correlated with each other, but all were negatively correlated with mindfulness. Linear regression analysis showed mindfulness association with rumination, excessive mind wandering, anxiety, and depression scores, but not with ADHD symptoms. Thereupon, a conducted mediation regression analysis showed that ADHD symptoms indirectly worsened depression and anxiety through increased rumination and excessive mind wandering, and decreased mindfulness ability (Figure 1).Image:ConclusionsAdults with ADHD have distressing mentation patterns which worsened their anxiety and depression. Mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy modalities may help improve excessive mind wandering and rumination in ADHD. Our findings should be warranted in future studies of functional brain connectivity patterns that may serve as a mentation endophenotypes in ADHD.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Psychological Flexibility, Stigma, and Quality of Life in Psoriasis Patients

Psoriasis is a disease that negatively affects the quality of life, and is commonly seen together with depression and anxiety. In our study, the relationships between the psychological flexibility levels, psoriasis severity, depression, anxiety and quality of life of psoriasis patients were investigated. For this purpose, 118 psoriasis patients and 118 healthy controls were evaluated with Sociodemographic and Clinical Data Form, Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire. Also, patient group were applied the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Psoriasis Area Severity Index, Psoriasis Internalized Stigma Scale and Dermatology Life Quality Index. It was observed that the psychological flexibility levels of psoriasis patients were lower than healthy controls. Psoriasis patients with low psychological flexibility had higher depression, anxiety, and internalized stigma scores. There was no correlation between the severity of psoriasis and depression, anxiety, and stigma. Stigma and HAM-D scores were found to be independent risk factors for reduced quality of life. Our findings emphasize the necessity of psychological evaluation in psoriasis patients and show that psychological treatments will positively contribute to the person's quality of life. According to the results of our study, awareness, acceptance and cognitive decomposition interventions aimed at increasing psychological flexibility may be useful in this population.

Effectiveness of brief mindfulness intervention for college students' problematic smartphone use: The mediating role of self-control.

Mainland China has the most smartphone users worldwide, especially among college students, while mindfulness intervention can significantly alleviate the level of problematic smartphone use. We examined the effects of a brief mindfulness intervention on problematic smartphone use and investigated if this effect is mediated by self-control. Participants were recruited randomly from a university in Beijing of China. Forty-four college students were assigned to a mindfulness group or a control group. The mindfulness group took part in a brief (30 min) single-session mindfulness intervention. The control group was instructed to listen to a neutral news audio recording for the same duration (30 min). The Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale, and Self-control Scale were used to measure state mindfulness, problematic smartphone use, and self-control of college students at pre-intervention and post-intervention, respectively. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA revealed that the mindfulness group had significant improvements in state mindfulness (p = .049) and self-control (p = .012), and had significant alleviation in problematic smartphone use (p < .001) at post-intervention. In the regression model, self-control had a mediating effect between mindfulness intervention and problematic smartphone use (95% CI [0.490, 7.216]). A brief single-session mindfulness intervention can alleviate the level of problematic smartphone use and increase the level of state mindfulness and self-control compared to the control group. Self-control can completely mediate the efficacy of the mindfulness intervention in reducing problematic smartphone use.

Does self-esteem mediate the association between perfectionism and mindfulness among Lebanese university students?

ObjectivesTo evaluate the associations between mindfulness, self-esteem and perfectionism in a Lebanese sample of university students, as well as the indirect effect of self-esteem between mindfulness and perfectionism was investigated.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was carried out between July and September 2021. A total of 363 university students were recruited through convenience sampling through several universities in Lebanon’s governorates. An online survey that included a part that collected sociodemographic information, the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory to assess mindfulness, the Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale to assess self-esteem and the Big Three Perfectionism Scale to assess perfectionism was completed by participants.ResultsHigher self-esteem (Beta = 1.30) was significantly associated with more mindfulness, whereas higher self-critical perfectionism (Beta = − 0.61) was significantly associated with less mindfulness. Self-esteem mediated the association between self-critical and narcissistic perfectionism and mindfulness. More perfectionism was significantly and directly associated with less mindfulness and lower self-esteem, whereas higher self-esteem was significantly associated with more mindfulness.ConclusionThis study provides valuable findings that enable practitioners to effectively identify people needing interventions to improve psychological health through mindfulness, self-esteem and perfectionism. The conclusions that can be deduced from this study can help educational psychologists and counselors guide university students towards effective mindfulness practices that can increase self-esteem levels and balance maladaptive perfectionism that can cause distress and impairment in the social and academic settings.

Roles of Trait Mindfulness and Working Memory Capacity in Life Goal and Autobiographical Memory Specificities

Low life goal and autobiographical memory specificities are associated with negative psychological symptoms. Short-term mindfulness trainings can increase life goal and autobiographical memory specificities. The present study extends the literature by investigating whether trait mindfulness is associated with life goal and autobiographical memory specificities. Additionally, because mindfulness trainings improve working memory capacity, which is associated with future episodic specificity and autobiographical memory retrieval, a second aim of this study was to examine whether working memory capacity moderates the relationship between trait mindfulness and life goal and autobiographical memory specificities. 96 participants completed the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Automated Operational Span task, minimal instructions Autobiographical Memory Test, and Measure to Elicit Positive Future Goals and Plans. A multiple regression analysis revealed that the presence aspect of trait mindfulness and the interaction of the acceptance aspect of trait mindfulness and working memory capacity were predictive for goal specificity. A follow-up simple slope analysis revealed that high acceptance aspect of mindfulness was associated with low goal specificity in participants with a high working memory capacity. However, this association was not present in participants with medium and low working memory capacity. Neither trait mindfulness nor working memory capacity were associated with autobiographical memory specificity. Findings suggest that present-moment awareness enables one to focus on accessing event-specific knowledge, and that an accepting attitude alone cannot help people with high working memory capacity to make more concrete and specific future plans. The lack of association between trait mindfulness and autobiographical memory specificity might be attributed to low specific memories found in this study.

Probing the posture with machine learning provides physiological evidence supporting the enhanced body awareness hypothesis in trait mindfulness.

Enhanced body awareness has been suggested as one of the cognitive mechanisms that characterize mindfulness. Yet neuroscience literature still lacks strong empirical evidence to support this claim. Body awareness contributes to postural control during quiet standing; in particular, it may be argued that body awareness is more strongly engaged when standing quietly with eyes closed, because only body cues are available, than with eyes open. Under these theoretical assumptions, we recorded the postural signals of 156 healthy participants during quiet standing in Eyes closed (EC) and Eyes open (EO) conditions. In addition, each participant completed the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, and his/her mindfulness score was computed. Following a well-established machine learning methodology, we designed two numerical models per condition: one regression model intended to estimate the mindfulness score of each participant from his/her postural signals, and one classifier intended to assign each participant to one of the classes “Mindful” or “Non-mindful.” We show that the two models designed from EC data are much more successful in their regression and classification tasks than the two models designed from EO data. We argue that these findings provide the first physiological evidence that contributes to support the enhanced body awareness hypothesis in mindfulness.

Wellbeing Profile of France and India IT Employees: A Cross‐Cultural Study

Background: Cultural influence and variances have a great influence in the development of psychosocial well-being. Cross-cultural psychologists explore the difference between Eastern and Western cultures. The present study was designed to analyse the variations in wellbeing profile of IT professionals between India and France. Methodology: Two hundred and Fourteen non-probabilistic samples were recruited via various IT companies from France (n=92) and India(n=122). The participants completed the wellbeing profile consisted of Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, Subjective Fluctuating Happiness Scale and Subjective Authentic-Durable Happiness Scale (SFHS and SA-DHS) and rating scale for Satisfaction at work, importance of religions/spirituality shared through a digital format, built on the Google Form. Results: Based on independent-samples t-tests, the results indicated that Indian and French IT professionals did not exhibit a difference on levels of Mindfulness, Satisfaction at work, Fluctuating Happiness and Authentic-Durable Happiness. In addition, the findings shown inter correlations between Mindfulness, Satisfaction at work, Fluctuating Happiness and Authentic-Durable Happiness across the culture. In contrast, the results indicated that Indian IT professionals did exhibit higher levels in importance of Religions and Spirituality when compared to French IT professionals. Conclusion: In a nutshell, the present study came to the conclusion that Indian and French employees share a greater number of wellbeing characteristics in common. Religion and spirituality are also important parts of the Indian culture of well-being.

Self-Reported Body Awareness: Validation of the Postural Awareness Scale and the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (Version 2) in a Non-clinical Adult French-Speaking Sample.

Body awareness refers to the individual ability to process signals originating from within the body, which provide a mapping of the body’s internal landscape (interoception) and its relation with space and movement (proprioception). The present study aims to evaluate psychometric properties and validate in French two self-report measures of body awareness: the Postural Awareness Scale (PAS), and the last version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness questionnaire (version 2, MAIA-2). We collected data in a non-clinical, adult sample (N = 308; 61% women, mean age 35 ± 12 years) using online survey, and a subset of the original sample (n = 122; 62% women, mean age 44 ± 11 years) also completed the retest control. Factor analyses and reliability analyses were conducted. Construct validity of the PAS and the MAIA-2 were examined by testing their association with each other, and with self-report measures of personality (Big Five Inventory), alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale) and dispositional trait mindfulness (Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory). Factor analyses of the PAS supported the same two-factor structure as previously published versions (in other languages). For the MAIA-2, factor analyses suggested that a six-factor structure, excluding Not-Worrying and Not-Distracting factors, could successfully account for a common general factor of self-reported interoception. We found satisfactory internal consistency, construct validity, and reliability over time for both the PAS and the MAIA-2. Altogether, our findings suggest that the French version of the PAS and the MAIA-2 are reliable self-report tools to assess both components of body awareness (proprioception and interoception dimension, respectively).

Effects and mechanisms of an online short-term audio-based mindfulness program on negative emotions in a community setting: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

This study aims to test the effectiveness of a short-term online audio-based mindfulness programme for reducing signs of negative emotions in community-dwelling people. Community-dwelling adults will be recruited via online social networking sites (e.g., QQ, WeChat and Weibo). Participants (n = 260) will be randomized into a mindfulness group (n = 130) and a waitlist control group (n = 130). In the mindfulness group, participants will be advised to spend 10–20 min listening to the audio content, including mindful-form practices (e.g., eating, sitting, walking or breathing) then practice daily mindfulness exercises for 3 weeks (a total of 21 sessions), whereas those in the control group will receive the same intervention after data collection in the mindfulness group. Participants will fill in the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) five times: at baseline and at 1, 2, 3 and 6 weeks. The primary hypothesis is that negative emotion indices of community-dwelling people will be reduced after intervention. Individual differences and weekly change of indices during the intervention period will be explored. The study will test the potential mediation and moderation effect of anxiety through intervention effects on negative affect. Secondary outcome measures include levels of mindfulness, current mental wellbeing and positive affect. The final results may support that the mindfulness programme may be good for community-dwelling people.