Meditation Program Research Articles

Mejora en algunas dimensiones de salud percibida en pacien- tes con fibromialgia mediante la aplicación de un programa de meditación mindfulness

Resumen: En este estudio se analizan los efectos que un programa de meditación para el desarrollo de la conciencia plena (mindfulness), puede tener sobre la salud percibida en un grupo de pacientes diagnosticados con fibromialgia. Participaron 33 pacientes diagnosticados de fibromialgia. Se realizó un diseño cuasiexperimental con medición pretest-postest-seguimiento, con un grupo experimental y un grupo control. Como instrumento de evaluación se utilizó el Cuestionario SF-36. Los análisis estadísticos realizados muestran una mejora en las dimensiones funcionamiento físico, dolor corporal, salud general, funcionamiento social, rol emocional, salud mental, y componente mental una vez finalizada la intervención. Estas mejoras se mantienen en la evaluación de seguimiento realizada tres meses después de finalizada la intervención. Estos resultados son acordes con otras investigaciones donde se ha comprobado la eficacia de las técnicas de mindfulness en la mejora de pacientes con fibromialgia. No obstante, el estudio presenta varias limitaciones que habría que subsanar en sucesivas investigaciones para dotar de mayor validez a los resultados obtenidos. Perceived health improvement through a mindfulness meditation development program in fibromyalgia patients Abstract: This study analyzes the effects of a mindfulness development meditation program on perceived health in a group of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Thirty-three patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia participated. A quasi-experimental pretest/posttest/follow-up design was carried out, with one experimental group and one control group. The SF-36 Questionnaire was used as the evaluation instrument. The statistical analyses done show an improvement in the dimensions physical functioning, bodily pain, general health, social functioning, role emotional, mental health, and mental component at the end of the intervention. These improvements are maintained in the follow-up test given three months after intervention. These results are in agreement with other studies which have found mindfulness techniques to be effective in improving patients with fibromyalgia. Nevertheless, the study shows various limitations that would have to be corrected in successive studies to bring more validity to the results.

Exploring Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Associated With Meditation Among Patients With Melanoma.

Aim: To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices associated with meditation among people with melanoma and investigate the relationship between perceived stress, trait mindfulness, and meditation. Factors associated with interest to participate in an online meditation program were also explored. Methods: A survey-based cross-sectional study of 291 patients attending a melanoma outpatient clinic assessed knowledge of meditation, attitudes toward meditation using Determinants of Meditation Practice Inventory (DMPI), and meditation experience. Perceived stress and trait mindfulness were measured using the Perceived Stressed Scale and Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale, respectively. Results: Participants who had tried meditation (43%) were likely to be younger, female, and have completed higher education or be employed. Perceived stress score was higher among women, younger participants, and those treated in the past year but did not differ by melanoma stage. Participants reported a good understanding of the potential benefits of meditation, but even among people with meditation experience, common misconceptions prevailed. The main barrier to meditation was a perceived lack of knowledge about meditation . Higher DMPI scores were associated with lower education, moderate to low access to service centers, or living in disadvantaged neighborhoods . Participants practicing meditation that involved self-reflection reported less stress and higher trait mindfulness compared with participants practicing another type of meditation. People interested in participating in an online meditation-based program reported higher perceived stress than those not interested. Conclusion: A meditation-based intervention teaching self-reflective practices, targeted at people with melanoma, may have the potential to assist them with managing their stress.

Effect of a one-week spiritual retreat on dopamine and serotonin transporter binding: a preliminary study

ABSTRACTSpiritual retreats are a commonly used intensive program of meditation and prayer, along with other elements, designed to provide participants with opportunities for spiritual and psychological growth. While individual elements of such retreats have been studied, there have been no reports in the literature regarding the neurophysiological effects of these retreats. This preliminary study presents the first data we are aware of on the neurophysiological effects, particularly those related to dopamine and serotonin, in a group of participants undergoing an intensive seven-day spiritual retreat. We used DaTscan single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in 14 individuals before and closely following participation in a seven-day spiritual retreat. We observed significant decreases in dopamine transporter binding in the basal ganglia and significant decreases in serotonin transporter binding in the midbrain after the retreat program. Participating in the retreat also resulted in significant changes in a variety of psychological and spiritual measures. We also report the relationship between neurophysiological and subjective measures along with a discussion of potential methodological challenges for future studies.

Telephone-adapted Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (tMBSR) for patients awaiting kidney transplantation

BackgroundPatients with progressive kidney disease experience increasing physiologic and psychosocial stressors and declining health-related quality of life (HRQOL). MethodsWe conducted a randomized, active-controlled, open-label trial to test whether a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program delivered in a novel workshop-teleconference format would reduce symptoms and improve HRQOL in patients awaiting kidney transplantation. Sixty-three transplant candidates were randomized to one of two arms: i) telephone-adapted MBSR (tMBSR, an 8-week program of meditation and yoga); or ii) a telephone-based support group (tSupport). Participants completed self-report questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and after 6-months. Anxiety, measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) post-intervention served as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included: depression, sleep quality, pain, fatigue, and HRQOL assessed by SF-12 Physical and Mental Component Summaries (PCS, MCS). Results55 patients (age 54±12yrs) attended their assigned program (tMBSR, n=27; tSupport, n=28). 49% of patients had elevated anxiety at baseline. Changes in anxiety were small and did not differ by treatment group post-intervention or at follow-up. However, tMBSR significantly improved mental HRQOL at follow-up: +6.2 points on the MCS - twice the minimum clinically important difference (95% CI: 1.66 to 10.8, P=0.01). A large percentage of tMBSR participants (≥90%) practiced mindfulness and reported it helpful for stress management. ConclusionsNeither mindfulness training nor a support group resulted in clinically meaningful reductions in anxiety. In contrast, finding that tMBSR was more effective than tSupport for bolstering mental HRQOL during the wait for a kidney transplant is encouraging and warrants further investigation.ClinicalTrials.govNCT01254214.

Compassion-Based Meditation in African Americans: Self-Criticism Mediates Changes in Depression.

This study examines self-criticism as a mechanism through which compassion meditation reduces depressive symptoms in low-income African American men and women (N=59) who had recently attempted suicide. After completing several measures, including the Levels of Self-Criticism Scale and Beck Depression Inventory-II, participants were randomly assigned to receive either a six-session compassion meditation (CM) group (Grady Compassion and Meditation Program) or a six-session support group. As predicted, path analysis results showed that treatment condition led to changes in self-criticism from pre- to posttreatment, with those receiving CM showing greater reductions in levels of self-criticism than those randomized to the support group. Path analyses also revealed that changes in self-criticism fully mediated the link between condition and changes in depressive symptoms. These findings highlight the importance and value of targeting levels of self-criticism in compassion-based interventions to reduce the depressive symptoms of suicidal African Americans.

Exploring Mindfulness and Meditation for the Elementary Classroom: Intersections Across Current Multidisciplinary Research

Mindfulness and meditation programs, and their associated benefits for education, can be examined within three related disciplines: psychology, elementary education, and exceptional education. A review of psychology research provides evidence that meditation and mindfulness work to balance the often negative effects of students' social-emotional environments, stress, anxiety, and even poverty. Elementary education research documents positive outcomes of mindfulness meditation with elementary students. Finally, the discipline of exceptional education highlights the positive benefits of mindfulness and meditation programs on students with learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. Overall, the advantages as corroborated across disciplines encourage use of mindfulness and meditation exercises or schoolwide programs to achieve improved student behavior and academic benefits.

Brief mindfulness meditation training reduces mind wandering: The critical role of acceptance.

Mindfulness meditation programs, which train individuals to monitor their present-moment experience in an open or accepting way, have been shown to reduce mind wandering on standardized tasks in several studies. Here we test 2 competing accounts for how mindfulness training reduces mind wandering, evaluating whether the attention-monitoring component of mindfulness training alone reduces mind wandering or whether the acceptance training component is necessary for reducing mind wandering. Healthy young adults (N = 147) were randomized to either a 3-day brief mindfulness training condition incorporating instruction in both attention monitoring and acceptance, a mindfulness training condition incorporating attention monitoring instruction only, a relaxation training condition, or an active reading-control condition. Participants completed measures of dispositional mindfulness and treatment expectancies before the training session on Day 1 and then completed a 6-min Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) measuring mind wandering after the training session on Day 3. Acceptance training was important for reducing mind wandering, such that the attention-monitoring plus acceptance mindfulness training condition had the lowest mind wandering relative to the other conditions, including significantly lower mind wandering than the attention-monitoring only mindfulness training condition. In one of the first experimental mindfulness training dismantling studies to-date, we show that training in acceptance is a critical driver of mindfulness-training reductions in mind wandering. This effect suggests that acceptance skills may facilitate emotion regulation on boring and frustrating sustained attention tasks that foster mind wandering, such as the SART. (PsycINFO Database Record

보호병동 입원 중인 정신증적 장애 환자들을 대상으로 한 명상 프로그램의 적용

본 연구의 목적은 마음챙김 기반 명상 프로그램이 보호병동에 입원 중인 정신증적 장애 환자들에게 적용될 때 고려되어야 할 점들에 대해 탐색하고, 그 효과를 확인하는 것이다. 예비연구에서는 보호병동에 입원 중인 정신증적 장애 환자들을 대상으로 8주간 명상 프로그램을 실시하여 환자 및 병동 담당의 및 간호사들로부터 프로그램에 대한 피드백을 받았다. 그 결과, 참가 환자들의 전반적인 기능 상태의 차이로 인한 의사소통의 문제, 예상하지 못한 퇴원으로 인한 중도 탈락, 과제에 대한 부담감 및 지루함 등이 보고되었다. 보고된 문제점들을 본 연구(main study) 프로그램에 수정 보완하여 적용하였다. 본 연구에서는 예비연구에서 보고된 문제점들을 수정한 명상 훈련을 실시하였으며, 실험집단은 명상 훈련을 받았으며 통제집단은 병동 내 일반적인 프로그램에 참여하였다. 예비연구에 참여한 참가자들은 본 연구에 참여하지 않았다. 그 결과, 실험집단은 통제집단에 비해 간이정신진단검사의 강박증척도에서 유의한 저하를 나타내었으며, 불안 척도에서 유의수준에 근접한 경향성을 나타냈다. 본 연구의 결과들은 명상 훈련 프로그램이 정신증적 장애 환자들에게 치료 효과가 있다는 점과 보호병동이라는 특수한 치료환경에 적용되기 위해서 다양한 측면들이 고려되어야 함을 시사한다.

Meditation training for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a randomized clinical trial.

Studies investigating psychological interventions for the promotion of well-being in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are lacking. The purpose of the current study was to examine the use of an ALS-specific mindfulness-based intervention for improving quality of life in this population. A randomized, open-label and controlled clinical trial was conducted on the efficacy of an ALS-specific meditation programme in promoting quality of life. Adults who received a diagnosis of ALS within 18 months were randomly assigned either to usual care or to an 8-week meditation training based on the original mindfulness-based stress reduction programme and tailored for people with ALS. Quality of life, assessed with the ALS-Specific Quality of Life Revised scale, represented the primary outcome, whilst secondary outcomes included anxiety and depression, assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and specific quality of life domains. Participants were assessed at recruitment and after 2, 6 and 12 months. The efficacy of the treatment was assessed on an intention-to-treat basis of a linear mixed model. A hundred participants were recruited between November 2012 and December 2014. Over time, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of quality of life (β = 0.24, P = 0.015, d = 0.89). Significant differences between groups over time were also found for anxiety, depression, negative emotions, and interaction with people and the environment. An ALS-specific meditation programme is beneficial for the quality of life and psychological well-being of people with ALS.

The Effects of a Mindfulness Meditation Program on Quality of Life in Cancer Outpatients: An Exploratory Study.

Objective. Numerous studies have investigated the efficacy of mindfulness meditation (MM) in managing quality of life (QoL) in cancer populations, yet only a few have studied the Asian population. The aim of this exploratory study is to evaluate the effect of a MM program on the QoL outcomes in Taiwanese cancer outpatients. Methods. Patients with various cancer diagnoses were enrolled and assigned to the MM group and usual care (UC) group. The meditation intervention consisted of 3 sessions held monthly. The outcomes of the whole intervention were measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument. Results. A total of 35 participants in the MM group and 34 in the UC group completed the study. The results showed that the postintervention scores were significantly higher than the preintervention scores in the MM group. In the UC group, there was no significant difference between preintervention and postintervention scores, except for the lower environment domain scores. There was no significant difference between the follow-up scores and postintervention scores in the MM group, indicating that improvement can be maintained for 3 months after completing the MM course. Conclusions. The present study provides preliminary outcomes of the effects on the QoL in Taiwanese cancer patients. The results suggest that MM may serve as an effective mind–body intervention for cancer patients to improve their QoL, and the benefits can persist over a 3-month follow-up period. This occurred in a diverse cancer population with various cancer diagnoses, strengthening the possibility of general use.

Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Program on the physiological sign and depression in Breast Cancer Patients in Korea

Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Program on the physiological sign and depression in Breast Cancer Patients in Korea

Group Practice of theTranscendental Meditation®andTM-Sidhi®Program and Reductions in Infant Mortality and Drug-Related Death

These two studies tested the prediction that the group practice of a procedure for the development of consciousness, the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program, by a sufficiently large group of individuals would be sufficient to reduce collective stress in the larger population, reflected in two stress-related health indicators, infant mortality rate and drug-related fatality rate. Based on theoretical prediction and prior research, from January 2007 through 2010 (intervention period), this effect should have been measurable. Change in the rates of these two indicators during the intervention period were estimated from 2002 through 2010 data using a broken-trend (or segmented trend) intervention model with time series regression methods. Significant changes in trend for both the infant mortality rate and drug-related fatality rate were evident at the predicted time and in the predicted direction, controlling for preintervention trends, seasonality, and autocorrelation. The changes in trend were both statistically and practically significant, indicating an average annual decline of 3.12% in infant mortality rate and 7.61% in drug-related fatality rate. Diagnostic tests are satisfactory and indicate that it is unlikely that the statistical results are attributable to spurious regression. The mechanism for these collective effects is discussed in view of possible alternative hypotheses.

Significance of Sahaja Yoga meditation in reducing academic stress

Background of Study: The Indian school education system is textbook-oriented that focuses on rote memorization of lessons and demands long hours of systematic study every day. The elaborate study routines that are expected by high school students span from the morning to till late evening hours, leaving little time for socialization, recreation, play games and sports by full strength. Objective of Study: The present study was conducted with a view to see the effect of Sahaja Yoga meditation on stress among school children. Materials and Method: Non-equivalent control group design was used for this experiment. The participants were 8th grade students from a school located in Mumbai. The students were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. Experimental group received the treatment of Sahaja Yoga meditation program for 6 weeks, whereas the control group did not receive any treatment. Both groups were free to do their daily routine activities. Stress was assessed using a questionnaire before and after 6 weeks of Sahaja Yoga meditation program. Statistical Analysis: Collected data were analyzed with the help of the standard statistical technique t-test to conclude the investigation. Results: The results of the study showed a significant difference in academic stress (p < 0.05) after 6 weeks of Sahaja Yoga meditation program. However, there was no significant improvement in academic stress (p > 0.05) in the control group. Conclusion: Sahaja Yoga meditation program is helpful to manage the academic stress of school girls.

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Program for Psychiatric Inpatients

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of a Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on stress response and power in psychiatric inpatients in a closed ward. Methods: For this study a quasi-experiment design was used to examine the effects of the intervention. The MBSR program conducted in this study was a six-session program, in which participants were asked to meditate for 45 minutes twice a week for 3 weeks. Homogeneity between the experimental and control group was assessed using x2 test, t-test, and Fisher`s exact test. The results of the assessment showed that the variances of the two groups were equal. Demographic variables of the study participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study hypotheses were verified using t-test. Cronbach`s α was measured to assess the reliability of each test. Results: Compared with the control group, patients in the experimental group showed significant improvement in scores for stress response (t=3.62, p=.001) and power (t=-3.42, p=.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that the mindfulness meditation program can be used as a psychosocial rehabilitation intervention for psychiatric inpatients by capitalizing on its positive effects on emotional reactivity and behavioral regulation.

Effect of advance meditation program on electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and stress level in young healthy adults

Background: Meditation is a mind and body practice for increasing calmness and physical relaxation, improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and enhancing overall health and well-being. Many studies have already been carried out to see the effect of Yoga, Pranayam, meditation, Sudarhan Kriya on physiological parameters, but till date, there is not a single study which shows the cumulative effect of yoga, pranayam, meditation along with sudarshankriya on physiological parameters. Methods: This observational study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, Jaipur and in association with Art of living organization. The study participants were enrolled into three groups. In the first group, 10 participants of Advance Meditation Program (AMP), who were doing this program for the first time, in second group, 10 participants who were doing AMP along with regularly practicing Padam Sadhna for at least 2 years and finally, in the third group, 10 participants who were not practicing any kind of meditation or yoga. After consent, subjects filled the Cohen's stress questionnaire. Electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded before AMP and after AMP. Results: There was significant difference in heart rate (P = 0.002), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.028), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.005), RR interval (P = 0.020), PR interval (P = 0.040), and stress score (P = 0.027) in first time participants. Similarly, in the second group (repeaters) also significant difference was noticed. Conclusion: AMP has its positive effects on ECG, blood pressure, and stress level. Thus, it can be considered as one of the important nonpharmacological methods for prevention of stress, anxiety, and cardiovascular diseases.

Comment on "Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-Being".

Comment on "Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-Being".

The Study on the Effectiveness of the Mandala Meditation Program for Improving of Psychotic Symptoms of Schizophrenics

The Study on the Effectiveness of the Mandala Meditation Program for Improving of Psychotic Symptoms of Schizophrenics

마음수련 명상 프로그램이 지역사회 암 생존자의 삶의 질, 삶의 만족, 삶의 기대에 미치는 효과

마음수련 명상 프로그램이 지역사회 암 생존자의 삶의 질, 삶의 만족, 삶의 기대에 미치는 효과

Meditation in humanitarian aid: an action research

BackgroundMeditation enables individuals to achieve a state of inner peace and mental silence. Evidence on the feasibility and potential effect of applying meditation in humanitarian aid is lacking. The aim of the study was to assess whether meditation programmes could improve the quality of life of refugees and aid workers during humanitarian crises. MethodsMeditate to Regenerate, a non-governmental organisation, uses techniques of Sahaja Meditation, a UNESCO Center for Peace partner, to facilitate participants of its programmes towards acquiring self-knowledge, resilience, and social cohesion. In 2013, Meditate to Regenerate provided a multidisciplinary programme in Jordan during the peak of the Syrian crisis; the programme focused on the practice of meditation to support the wellbeing of Palestinian refugees in the Talbieh Camp, and on meditation programmes for Syrian refugees and humanitarian aid staff in Zaatari Camp. Programmes were open to everyone and were provided free of charge. In both Talbieh and Zaatari programmes, quality of life was measured among consenting participants with the Arabic version of the WHO Quality of Life assessment before and at the end of the programme. To control for respondent bias, the Socially Desirable Response Set was incorporated in the survey instrument and inversely weighted in the analysis. Findings64 eligible Palestinian refugees participated and completed the baseline quality of life questionnaire. 44 participants (69%) completed the follow-up measure (mean age 39·5 years, SD 16·1); 25 (58%) were women. Participants had higher mean psychological quality of life after the programme than at baseline (increase 10·0, 95% CI 5·4–14·6; p<0·0001); participants with a lower baseline psychological quality of life had a greater increase (r=–0·48, 95% CI −0·69 to −0·20). For the 124 humanitarian aid staff who completed both baseline and follow-up surveys, mean age was 28·4 years (SD 7·7), and 64 (58%) were women. An increase in mean physical quality of life was observed after the programme (3·57, 1·1 to 6·0; p=0·0051). InterpretationWe found that it was feasible to organise and conduct free meditation programmes in response to humanitarian crises. Meditation programmes can facilitate the improvement in the quality of life of refugees and aid workers during emergent and long-term humanitarian crises. Further research is needed to investigate its effectiveness. FundingS-CC is supported by a Medical Research Council population health scientist fellowship. The action study received no funding.

Efficacy of Healing meditation in reducing anxiety of individuals at the phase of weight loss maintenance: A randomized blinded clinical trial

ObjectiveTo verify the efficacy of Healing Meditation in reducing anxiety levels in individuals on a weight loss maintenance program. DesignA randomized, controlled, evaluator-blinded clinical trial, conducted between January and October 2014, with a follow-up of 12 weeks. SettingA weight loss secondary care facility in Salvador, Brazil., of 41 patients at the weight maintenance phase (Mean initial BMI 33.6±4.7kg/m2, who had attained a mean BMI of 24.5±1.6kg/m2 in a median period of 7 months). InterventionAn 8-week Healing Meditation program (n=20), consisting of a 1h weekly meeting, or for a control group on the waiting list (n=21), in addition to the standard clinical program. Main outcome measuresTotal anxiety was measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), before and after the intervention. Secondary analyses included comparison of the effect of meditation on the somatic and psychic components of the scale. ResultsThrough an intention to treat analysis, we detected a difference in the mean variation between the intervention and control groups in the total anxiety scores of 7.7 (95% CI 6.3–9.2; Cohen’s d=3.41). Means and standard deviations for pre and post intervention anxiety scores were 15.5 (3.4) and 7.8 (2.0) for the intervention group and 14.8 (3.4) and 14.9 (3.4) for the control. ConclusionHealing meditation significantly reduced the anxiety of obese individuals, in the phase of weight maintenance, suggesting this to be an effective auxiliary resource for weight loss maintenance.