Mindful Walking Research Articles

A qualitative study on participants’ experiences with a community-based mindful walking intervention and mobile device activity measurement

BackgroundMindful walking (MW) interventions employ mindfulness training combined with physical activity. Wearable mobile devices have been increasingly used to measure outcomes of physical activity interventions. The purpose of this study was to understand MW participants’ attitudes towards MW and the use of mobile devices in health promotion interventions, including barriers and facilitators of intervention engagement and adherence. Few qualitative studies have documented participant experience with these two types of interventions. MethodThe pilot study involved a randomized MW intervention including 38 participants with self-reported inadequate physical activity. Half of them were randomized to receive MW intervention plus a FitBit device and the other received the FitBit device only. We used a qualitative thematic analysis of the narrative data collected through open-ended survey questions at three time points. Participants in the MW intervention were asked to describe their experiences with MW, while all participants were asked to describe their experience with wearing the FitBit to track their step counts. Results: Participants reported a broad range of perceived benefits and challenges related to adopting the MW intervention and using the mobile device. Participants were generally willing to try to adopt the recommended MW practice and to see value of MW in increasing physical activity and improving overall health. Participants reported using a variety of additional device features beyond goal setting and step counts, indicating using the devices may have been effective in providing additional motivation for participants in meeting physical activity goals in both the control and intervention groups. While most of the feedback about MW (in the intervention group) and the device (all participants) was overwhelmingly positive, a minority of participants reported barriers such as lack of patience with meditation and discomfort with wearing the device. ConclusionMost participants in the MW intervention see the health benefits of this program and most participants using the wearable physical activity tracking device reported the motivational benefits of this device. Issues with the MW intervention (e.g., lack of patience) and the wearable device (e.g., discomfort with wearing) need to be addressed in future interventions.

Treegazing. How Art and Meditation Connect Peripatetic Practices as a Form of Subtle Activism

Treegazing was a public walking event held in the Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne as part of Melbourne Design Week 2020 inviting the public to lift their gaze, be mindful whilst acknowledging the garden’s aesthetic design and history. This walk created a temporary community of strangers who co-experienced the majestic arboreal canopies of trees and plants, reducing ‘plant blindness’ (Schussler & Wandersee, 1998). Acknowledging the importance of ‘what stories are told’ and ‘making-kin’ (Haraway, 2016), this article explores collaborative visions between yoga and meditation practitioner Amanda Hawkey and artist Heather Hesterman. Investigating the dualities of silence/sound, open/enclosed, empty/busy and built/green spaces as a series of experiences. The act of mindful walking aims to connect the body to green spaces; to provide an embodied experience of nature. How might fundamental practices, as humans walking individually and together in public space be potential acts of transformation, of mindfulness, and environmental awareness - even subtle activism? We argue that encouraging an engagement with nature via haptic and ocular modes of art practice and meditation may facilitate a deeper engagement with and/or increased appreciation for flora. Treegazing implicates the walkers to become part of a connective- fluidity that enacts the space not within as participants, witness nor viewers but offers a shared collective experience of both mobility and stillness with the landscape, a subtle activism that looks up and treads lightly to ‘conspire – with nature.’

“Walking with God”: developing and pilot testing a manualised four-week program combining Christian meditation and light-to-moderate physical activity for daily stress

ABSTRACT In the current study, the authors developed and pilot tested a manualized four-week program for Christian adults with daily stress, combining Christian meditation with light-to-moderate physical activity among a community sample of churchgoers (N = 8). Although Eastern-influenced mindful walking and yoga practices are quite popular in the contemporary psychology literature as interventions for a wide variety of psychological problems, we wanted to offer a Christian-sensitive alternative for Christian adults to draw from their own faith tradition to impact psychological change. Over a four-week period of time, Christian participants were instructed to meditate on a short passage in Scripture as they engaged in a daily 30-minute movement and walking activity. On all four outcome variables, pilot results revealed that 75% of participants reported score changes in the hypothesized direction. To conclude, study limitations are reviewed, as are directions for future research.

786-P: Describing and Comparing Mindfulness Practices on Diabetes Self-Management (DSM) and Glycemic Control in Adolescents with T1D

Adolescents with T1D often experience stress leading to poor DSM and suboptimal glycemic control. Mindfulness, as a trait or learned skill, is a protective factor against stress and is associated with positive wellbeing. Yet, little is known about mindfulness in adolescents with T1D. This study describes self-reported mindfulness practices and compares mindfulness on DSM and A1c in adolescents with T1D. Adolescents (12-18 yrs) completed questions on mindfulness practices [having mindfulness experience (yes vs. no), types, and duration] and a valid measure of DSM (Self-care Inventory) during routine diabetes clinic. A1c was obtained from medical record. Data were analyzed using descriptive analyses and group comparative analyses were used to examine the association between mindfulness experiences, type and duration on DSM and A1c. Adolescents (n=128) were 59% male, 88% white, on average 15±2 yrs of age, mean diabetes duration of 7±4 yrs, mean moderate level of DSM of 57±8 (range:15-75), and A1c of 8.3±1.6%. About one third (30%; n=38) reported having mindfulness experience with 23 (61%) being formal (e.g., breathing, body scan, mindful meditation, mindful yoga); 19 (50%) being non formal (e.g., mindful walking); and 4 (11%) being religious. Almost half (45%, n=17) reported practicing mindfulness for < 3 mos, 5 (13%) for (3 - 12 mos), and 16 (42%) for > 1 yr. Several participants (n=8, 21%) reported using mindfulness mobile apps (e.g., Headspace, Calm, Pokémon Go) or YouTube. Adolescents with more than one type of mindfulness practice (e.g., formal with non formal or religious) and those with religious experience reported better DSM than those with one type of mindfulness practice [F(3, 34)= 5.2, p=0.005]. About a third adolescents have been exposed to some mindfulness practices. DSM was better among participants who reported practicing more than one type of mindfulness. Introducing mindfulness training tailored to adolescents with T1D could be beneficial. Disclosure H. Abujaradeh: None. D. Charron-Prochownik: None. B. Galla: None. S.M. Sereika: None. M. DiNardo: None. C.A. Feeley: None. P. Viswanathan: None. Funding National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners; Sigma Eta Chapter; University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing

A preliminary study of an online pain management programme for patients with ankylosing spondylitis

AbstractThis study was a preliminary attempt to develop and examine an online pain management programme incorporating mindfulness‐informed exercises (i.e. breathing and body scanning exercises) and CBT elements for ankylosing spondylitis patients. Thirty patients diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis participated in a five‐week online pain management programme, which was delivered primarily through a website. The materials covered by the website included breathing and body scanning exercises, mindful walking exercise, positive thinking and management of dysfunctional thinking. Each participant received instructions and reminders from a counselling psychologist through electronic communications each week. They completed the Brief Pain Inventory, Ryff's Psychological Well‐being Scale, Pain Self‐Efficacy Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale and Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale‐Revised before and after the treatment programme. In addition, four face‐to‐face focus groups were conducted to yield supplementary qualitative findings. The overall results indicate that this online pain management programme can improve sleep quality and reduce pain interference and catastrophic responses to pain in ankylosing spondylitis patients, albeit being not very effective for mitigating the intensity of pain. Moreover, male and female patients can benefit equally from the online programme. Findings from the focus groups revealed some challenges faced by local patients when practising mindfulness‐informed exercises. Some solutions to those challenges were put forward in accordance with patients’ feedback.

Provoked Aggression: An Interplay between Self-control Training, Mindfulness Induction, and Provocation Sensitivity

ABSTRACTTraining in self-control and mindfulness have recently received empirical supports in the aggression literatures, but little is known about the efficacy of these interventions for those with greater sensitivity to aggression-provoking situation. On theoretical grounds, both interventions may operate in tandem at different points of a provoked aggression episode. Undergraduate participants (N = 99; mean age 20.02, SD = 2.66; 51.5% female) were randomly assigned either to perform a 2-week self-control training of correcting posture or not, then they were orthogonally assigned either to experience a 10-min mindful walking exercise or relaxation control. Following these interventions, participants were provoked and given the opportunity for a retaliatory act of delivering an aversive noise blast. We found that less provoked aggression was associated with lower provocation sensitivity and participation in the self-control training, but was not associated with mindfulness induction by itself or via its interaction with other predictors. These findings indicated that interventions on aggressive behavior should not be examined alone; other factors such as for whom (i.e., individual differences), how (i.e., the interaction with another intervention), and when (i.e., aggression-provoking situations) should be taken into consideration for assessing the interventions.

Mindfulness Training for Social Service Providers in Hawaii: Context and Considerations

Few studies exploring outcomes for mindfulness training have specifically focused on social service providers such as case managers, juvenile justice (probation/parole) officers, family court liaisons, substance abuse and mental health counselors, and school behavioral health specialists, among others. This study examined whether social service professionals across various agencies in the state of Hawai‘i would be accepting of mindfulness-based training and practices, and explored their personal practice experiences. Participants (N = 97) received mindfulness skills training including mindful breathing, mindful walking, and the body scan. Through post-evaluation surveys, practice logs of homework practices, and reflections, they were then asked to reflect on their experiences with the practice and identify potential changes that they would attribute to mindfulness. Interpretative phenomenological and content analyses revealed that participants generally reported a high level of acceptance of the mindfulness training and practices but progress, continuity, and sustainability were slow. Findings provided some indications of mindfulness resulting in salutary effects for social service professionals, but the training structure was problematic. Future research needs to examine how institutional, cultural milieu facilitate or hinder opportunities for social service professionals to embody and embed mindfulness in daily life; this would require multimodal and qualitative methodologies that seek to highlight and understand the live experiences of social service providers.

A pilot study of mindful walking training on physical activity and health outcomes among adults with inadequate activity

IntroductionMindful walking is a meditation practice that combines physical activity and mindfulness practice. Some mindful walking interventions expect four weeks of attendance (as compared with the traditional 8-week models of mindfulness-based interventions, or MBIs), a practice that could make MBIs more accessible to working-age adults. This study examined whether a 4-week mindful walking intervention increased physical activity and improved mental health outcomes. MethodsWe conducted a randomized experiment among adults with inadequate physical activity (N = 38), whereby the intervention group received a four-week, one-hour-per-week mindful walking intervention and the control group received instructions to increase physical activity. Everyone in both groups received a wrist-worn step count device as participation incentive. Physical activity (as measured by the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity questionnaire, RAPA) and other health outcomes were assessed with online surveys at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2), and one month after the intervention (T3). Those mental health outcomes included perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), depression (Brief Edinburgh Depression Scale), and Mental Health Inventory (MHI). The primary outcome of device-measured step count was recorded at T1 and T2. Independent two-sample t-tests were used to compare the primary outcomes at T1. Generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) with a random intercept for each subject were used to compare the two groups on the primary outcomes at all time points. The independent variables in the model included a binary variable for group assignment (intervention vs. control), a 3-level categorical variable for time, and their interaction. Age, gender and race/ethnicity are used as covariates in the model. Estimated changes (either differences or ratios between outcomes at time points T1 and T2/T3) are reported to assess change within groups. ResultsBoth groups exhibited significant improvements in the RAPA measures of physical activity and depression. However, between-group differences were not statistically significant. There was no within-group or between-group difference on device-measured step count, though both groups yielded an average daily step count close to the recommended level of 8,000 steps per day for older adults. The intervention group exhibited a significant reduction in perceived stress, and this reduction was significantly greater than that of the control group at T2 (p = .025) although the difference was insignificant at T3. No significant difference in MHI was found. DiscussionWhile these adults with inadequate physical activity increased their physical activity, no significant between-group differences in physical activity were identified. Potential reasons for the lack of significant findings could be due to the ceiling effect (the step count device for everyone in both groups might have encouraged more activity in both groups), limited sample size and low-dose 4-week intervention used in this study. On the other hand, it is encouraging to see that this low-dose, short-duration 4-week intervention (as compared with those popular 8-week MBIs) achieved significantly greater stress reduction among the intervention group than among the control group, even though the between-group difference at one-month follow-up was statistically insignificant. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up are needed to assess the possible benefits of these short-duration mindful walking interventions.

Impact of Mindful Walking Intervention on Daily Step Count

Impact of Mindful Walking Intervention on Daily Step Count

Feasibility of an Outdoor Mindful Walking Program for Reducing Negative Affect in Older Adults.

Mindful walking has emerged as a potential intervention strategy to improve mental health and promote well-being in adult and clinical populations. This strategy has not been implemented specifically with older adults to date. This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, sustainability, and preliminary efficacy of a mindful walking program for reducing negative affect in older adults. Community-dwelling older adults (n = 29) completed a 1-month, outdoor mindful walking program distributed across eight 30-min sessions. Responses from postprogram and follow-up questionnaires revealed that mindful walking was well-accepted, highly valued, and maintained after the program ended. Analysis from the pre- and postwalk surveys also suggested the preliminary efficacy of a mindful walking program for reducing negative affect. Positive results identified in the current feasibility study indicate readiness for randomized controlled trials to further examine the efficacy and effectiveness of a mindful walking intervention for promoting health and well-being in older populations.

Silent into Nature: Factors Enabling Improvement in a Mindful Walking Retreat in Nature of People with Psychological Symptoms

Abstract Complementary to a quantitative effect study, this paper reports on the factors enabling the effect of a mindful walking retreat following a largely unpaved route along a lowland river and estuary in the Netherlands, on which people make their own choices to find their way. Most participants had a depression background. Interviews, triangulated with diary and questionnaire data, were subjected to iterative coding. Several factors were identified as conducive to positive effect, such as encountering nature, negotiating obstacles, duration of the walk, and walking in silence. The results are helpful for the design of effective walking retreats and also underpin the option to develop mindful walking retreats as a regular element in the mindfulness portfolio. Key Words: Walking—Mindfulness—Depression—Nature—Wilderness experience.

‘Re-souling daily life’ – towards a restored spirituality of the Sabbath as a cure for ‘societal madness’

In a world of busyness bordering on ‘madness’ (referring here to fanatical and foolish behaviour and not to serious mental illness), technological dominance, and constant, unreflective activity, a renewed spirituality of the Sabbath is essential for a flourishing, fulfilling and spiritual life, for both children and adults. The topics of silence, leisure and to a smaller extent Sabbath, have been treated in a limited number of articles within this journal – hence the relevance and timeliness of this contribution. This article begins with working descriptions of spirituality. It then proceeds to an examination of the nature of societal ‘madness’ as insanity. The article also explores Jewish, Christian and Benedictine perspectives on the topic, and points throughout to a range of values and disciplines that might assist the reclamation of a sustained Sabbath consciousness and the ‘re-souling’ (renewing, re-Spiriting) of everyday life, such as ‘mindful walking’.

Optimising mindfulness-based stress reduction for people with multiple sclerosis.

Objectives To gather views from patients with multiple sclerosis after completing a standard eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course and optimise and test a modified version as required. Methods Two successive groups of 25 multiple sclerosis patients received mindfulness-based stress reduction in a wait-list randomised controlled trial. Seventeen participants and two mindfulness-based stress reduction instructors were individually interviewed after the first (standard) course and 16 participants and the same two instructors were interviewed following the second (optimised) course. Interviews were analysed using a thematic approach. Results Mindfulness-based stress reduction was well received in both groups, with participants describing a beneficial shift in awareness. An initial (at times unpleasant) increase in awareness of disability was generally followed by greater acceptance and self-compassion. Other benefits reported included improved relationships, walking and sleep, with less stress and pain. Mindful-movement and mindful walking were problematic in group 1. This component of mindfulness-based stress reduction was simplified in group 2. A pre-course orientation session was introduced, and some organisational changes made based on feedback from group 1. Feedback from group 2 was positive in all these areas. Discussion Mindfulness-based stress reduction appears beneficial to people with multiple sclerosis, albeit mindful-movement required some modification. Contextual and organisational issues also appear important in this population.

Self-Reported Long-Term Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Patients with Bipolar Disorder.

This study focused on patients with bipolar disorder (BD), several years after their participation in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). It aimed at documenting sustained mindfulness practice, perceived long-term benefit from the program, and changes regarded as direct consequences of the intervention. This cross-sectional survey took place at least 2 years after MBCT for 70.4% of participants. It was conducted in two specialized outpatient units for BDs that are part of the Geneva University Hospitals (Switzerland) and the Sainte-Anne Hospital in Paris (France). Eligibility criteria were a diagnosis of BD according to DSM-IV and participation in at least four MBCT sessions. Response rate was 66.4%. The final sample included 71 outpatients (71.8% bipolar I, 28.2% bipolar II). A questionnaire retrospectively assessed patient-perceived change, benefit from MBCT, and current mindfulness practice. Proportions of respondents who practiced mindfulness at least once a week were 54.9% for formal practice (body scan, sitting meditation, mindful walking, or movements) and 57.7% for informal practice (mindful daily activities). Perceived benefit for the prevention of relapse was moderate, but patients acknowledged long-lasting effects and persistent changes in their way of life. Formal mindfulness practice at least once a week tended to be associated with increased long-lasting effects (p = 0.052), whereas regular informal practice and mindful breathing were significantly associated with persistent changes in daily life (p = 0.038) and better prevention of depressive relapse (p = 0.035), respectively. The most frequently reported positive change was increased awareness of being able to improve one's health. Despite methodological limitations, this survey allowed documenting mindfulness practice and perceived sustained benefit from MBCT in patients with BD. Participants particularly valued increased awareness that they can influence their own health. Both informal and formal practices, when sustained in the long term, might promote long-lasting changes.

Knee loading is lower during mindful walking compared to regular walking: a preliminary study

Knee loading is lower during mindful walking compared to regular walking: a preliminary study

Towards a Walking-Based Pedagogy

After several years of experimenting with walking as a creative process and an artistic form, my commitment to developing walking-based pedagogy for art education has been honed and heartened. This article details my doctoral research and summarizes the mindful walking methodology I am developing for diverse demographics and variable geographies. In particular, I share excerpts from interviews conducted with four Montreal-based artists who walk as an aspect of their practice: Victoria Stanton, Kathleen Vaughan, karen elaine spencer, and Dominique Ferraton. Presented as a hybrid article that couples a written introduction with a self-directed audio walk, the two components are designed to complement one another. By providing an audio walk as a pedagogical tool, I am advocating for kineasthetic engagement as an essential component for discourse on this topic. Likewise, I propose a notion of curriculum that is lived and emerging, somatic and contextual, personal yet political, and enhanced by curiosity and listening.

Mindfulness and mood stimulate each other in an upward spiral: a mindful walking intervention using experience sampling.

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of mindful walking in nature as a possible means to maintain mindfulness skills after a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) or mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course. Mindful walking alongside the river Rhine took place for 1, 3, 6, or 10 days, with a control period of a similar number of days, 1 week before the mindful walking period. In 29 mindfulness participants, experience sampling method (ESM) was performed during the control and mindful walking period. Smartphones offered items on positive and negative affect and state mindfulness at random times during the day. Furthermore, self-report questionnaires were administered before and after the control and mindful walking period, assessing depression, anxiety, stress, brooding, and mindfulness skills. ESM data showed that walking resulted in a significant improvement of both mindfulness and positive affect, and that state mindfulness and positive affect prospectively enhanced each other in an upward spiral. The opposite pattern was observed with state mindfulness and negative affect, where increased state mindfulness predicted less negative affect. Exploratory questionnaire data indicated corresponding results, though non-significant due to the small sample size. This is the first time that ESM was used to assess interactions between state mindfulness and momentary affect during a mindfulness intervention of several consecutive days, showing an upward spiral effect. Mindful walking in nature may be an effective way to maintain mindfulness practice and further improve psychological functioning.

Mindful navigation for pedestrians: Improving engagement with augmented reality

Navigation systems are often followed mindlessly, as users may focus the attention on the device and not on the path. The risk of errors and bias related to the mindless adherence of the instruction is high.We suggested that a mindful walking navigation system could reduce the errors and improve the overall exploration experience. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis with an Augmented Reality system, with information directly projected on the path, in comparison with a standard device. Moreover, we tested the hypothesis that when users feel they are in control of their path, both performance and overall experience would improve. We found that both conditions increased the navigation performance and experience, decreased travel time, errors, and confusion and it increased the number of landmarks noticed.

Thresholds of Possibility—Mindful Walking, Traditional Oral Storytelling, and the Birch Bark Canoe

The chapter explores the relationships of the material and discursive in an afterschool arts space devoted to creating an “ideal city” out of recyclables. Intrigued by the making of a homeless shelter by a Grade 5 student and a teacher candidate, the author turns to intra-activity as a theory—and ethic-onto-epistemological framework—through which to read and analyze the intra-actions between the human and nonhuman, the material and discursive and the natural and cultural factors in the practices of designing and making the home. For this literacy researcher, this required a methodological and ontoepistemological re-orienting, a poststructuralist move to enter into the theoretical threshold and to produce knowledge differently. Drawing on three thresholds—mindful walking, traditional oral storytelling, and the making of the birch bark canoe—the author suggests new possibilities for thinking with intra-activity as a theory in the study, illustrating how Indigenous ways of knowing and being have always included an ethics of living in relationship with the natural, spiritual and physical forces of the material world. This process opens up new insights and questions about the ways of knowing that inspired and informed the creation of the “home for the homeless”, as well as new considerations about the ontoepistemological frameworks used in literacy research.

Exploration of the Effectiveness and Acceptability of a Professional Mindfulness Retreat for Psychiatrists

Mindfulness has a growing evidence base demonstrating its efficacy for mental health patients; however, less is known about its usefulness for psychiatric staff. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed mindfulness retreat designed for psychiatrists. Twenty-two consultant psychiatrists, two middle grade doctors and two trainees attended a mindfulness retreat designed by a consultant psychiatrist with long-term experience in mindfulness meditation, in collaboration with a Zen Master. The retreat lasted 2 days, was part silent and involved a range of mindfulness exercises, including meditation and mindful walking. Teaching was provided around establishing one’s own regular practice, as well as how to teach patients to do the same. Questionnaires were distributed to participants before the retreat, immediately after and at 1-week follow-up to evaluate the retreat efficacy. Results illustrated that the retreat significantly increased perceived mindfulness and therapeutic alliance and significantly reduced burnout. This was further supported by a thematic analysis of retreat feedback which identified themes of individual development and retreat experience. The mindfulness retreat appeared to be an effective and acceptable intervention for psychiatrists. Further large-scale evaluation is required.