Mindfulness Activities Research Articles

Listen to the Children: Elementary School Students' Perspectives on a Mindfulness Intervention

In recent years, mindfulness-based practices in grade schools have been associated with students’ improved cognitive skills and general classroom behavior. In the majority of studies, however, only teacher and parent feedback are elicited, omitting a considerably significant voice – that of the students. Our study aims to fill this gap by exploring student opinions and perceptions regarding the implementation of a classroom-based mindfulness program. Elementary school students (N = 51) took part in teacher-facilitated mindfulness activities which were incorporated into their daily classroom routines. Over the course of the 8-week intervention period, students participated in focus groups about their perceptions of the program. Through qualitative content analysis, two major findings emerged from the focus group data: student opinions about the mindfulness program varied substantially and the mindfulness activities were not always liked and enjoyed. Critically, if students do not enjoy classroom-based mindfulness programs, they may be less motivated to engage in mindful activities and in turn may not experience the benefits that mindfulness has to offer. To maximize student engagement with mindfulness while addressing their concerns, the following recommendations are made: A balance between the entertaining and educational aspects of the program, flexible program delivery, and encouraging students to pursue mindful living outside of the classroom. This research is important to educational and clinical practitioners as student insight will benefit the development and modification of classroom-based mindfulness programs to ensure that students are better able to engage with and benefit from these programs.

Impact of meditation on mental & physical health and thereby on academic performance of students: a study of higher educational institutions of Uttarakhand

Background and Purpose finding out why people choose to engage in mindfulness-based practises can help in the development of effective health promotion outreach efforts. The impact of health attitudes and perceived stress on the intention to practise mindfulness meditation among undergraduate college students in Uttarakhand was studied in this study. Experimental Approach the research is descriptive in nature based upon primary data. A total of 15 aspects have been studied to assess the impact of meditation on mental & emotional state, physical & psychological wellbeing and academic performance of students. For collection of data, convenience sampling technique has been used. Data has been collected via mail survey using questionnaire technique. Descriptive analysis has been conducted to fulfil the objective of the study, where SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis. Key results indicate that meditation has a positive impact on improving mental & emotional state of students, at the same time it leads to better physical and psychological health. As a result of this, the academic performance of students also enhances, where they are able to perform better in their academics. Conclusion and Implications meditation is a beneficial method to reduce stress and boost creativity. It also promotes physical stamina to battle sickness. It also led to the improved academic performance of students; their confidence level, concentration level, memory power, focus, study ability and other related aspects were improved following meditation and mindfulness activities. Keywords: Meditation, Mindfulness-based practices, Mental & emotional state, Physical & psychological well-being, Academic performance.

Digital Prompts to Increase Engagement With the Headspace App and for Stress Regulation Among Parents: Feasibility Study.

BackgroundGiven the interrelated health of children and parents, strategies to promote stress regulation are critically important in the family context. However, the uptake of preventive mental health is limited among parents owing to competing family demands.ObjectiveIn this study, we aim to determine whether it is feasible and acceptable to randomize digital prompts designed to engage parents in real-time brief mindfulness activities guided by a commercially available app.MethodsWe conducted a 30-day pilot microrandomized trial among a sample of parents who used Android smartphones. Each day during a parent-specified time frame, participants had a 50% probability of receiving a prompt with a message encouraging them to engage in a mindfulness activity using a commercial app, Headspace. In the 24 hours following randomization, ecological momentary assessments and passively collected smartphone data were used to assess proximal engagement (yes or no) with the app and any mindfulness activity (with or without the app). These data were combined with baseline and exit surveys to determine feasibility and acceptability.ResultsOver 4 months, 83 interested parents were screened, 48 were eligible, 16 were enrolled, and 10 were successfully onboarded. Reasons for nonparticipation included technology barriers, privacy concerns, time constraints, or change of mind. In total, 80% (8/10) of parents who onboarded successfully completed all aspects of the intervention. While it is feasible to randomize prompt delivery, only 60% (6/10) of parents reported that the timing of prompts was helpful despite having control over the delivery window. Across the study period, we observed higher self-reported engagement with Headspace on days with prompts (31/62, 50% of days), as opposed to days without prompts (33/103, 32% of days). This pattern was consistent for most participants in this study (7/8, 87%). The time spent using the app on days with prompts (mean 566, SD 378 seconds) was descriptively higher than on days without prompts (mean 225, SD 276 seconds). App usage was highest during the first week and declined over each of the remaining 3 weeks. However, self-reported engagement in mindfulness activities without the app increased over time. Self-reported engagement with any mindfulness activity was similar on days with (40/62, 65% of days) and without (65/103, 63% of days) prompts. Participants found the Headspace app helpful (10/10, 100%) and would recommend the program to others (9/10, 90%).ConclusionsPreliminary findings suggest that parents are receptive to using mindfulness apps to support stress management, and prompts are likely to increase engagement with the app. However, we identified several implementation challenges in the current trial, specifically a need to optimize prompt timing and frequency as a strategy to engage users in preventive digital mental health.

Pain experiences of Hindi-speaking Indian migrants in Sydney: a qualitative study

Cultural beliefs and values are increasingly understood to influence the experience of pain, health-seeking, and pain management behaviours. Research exploring cultural beliefs about pain is particularly needed for Indian migrants, who have a high prevalence of pain and are among the largest migrant communities in Australia and internationally. The objective of this study was to explore pain-related beliefs and coping strategies of Hindi-speaking Indian migrants with chronic back pain living in Sydney. Indian migrants (n = 26) completed a demographic survey, standardised pain questionnaires (RMDQ, PSEQ and BBQ) and participated in one of five focus group discussions. This cohort had low levels of disability: Mean (SD) [RMDQ 5.04 (3.2)], high self-efficacy [PSEQ 44.6 (8.8)], and relatively positive beliefs about back pain [BBQ 28.6 (4.4)]. Three categories of interconnected beliefs emerged from the focus groups: causative, treatment/coping-related, and prognostic beliefs underpinned by a core cultural belief in ‘the philosophy of Karma’. Within this core philosophy, three cultural values were central to the experience of pain and the construction of pain-related beliefs: collectivism and contribution, gendered roles, and mind-body wellness. The incorporation of holistic approaches to back pain management with an emphasis on mindfulness, exercise, and physical activity aligned with family-oriented goals could be considered for management of chronic back pain among Indian migrant communities. Contribution of the Paper•Culture seemed to influence beliefs relating to chronic back pain among Indian migrants, with a core belief in the philosophy of Karma.•Within this core philosophy, three cultural values were central to the experience of pain and the construction of pain-related beliefs: collectivism and contribution, gendered roles, and mind-body wellness.•Indian migrants living with chronic back pain could benefit from planning and delivery of an intervention involving family and community, and Yoga as an adjunct therapy along with exercise and physical activity.

Women Just Wanna Have Time: Wellness Innovation Research

Introduction: Studies show that the stress that resident physicians endure, particularly female residents, can have a negative impact on one’s overall well-being. Many interventional studies have explored the impact that mindfulness, meditation, and exercise have on stress, a negative influencer of well-being. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how short, self-led mindfulness, meditation, and movement exercises impacted OB/GYN residents at a university-based program. Methods: Participants voluntarily enrolled in a self-led program (fall 2019 – spring 2020) encompassing movement, mindfulness, and meditative activities, for which they received instructions by email detailing six 21-day cycles (requiring 15 minutes of daily participation). Periodically, re-engagement reminders were sent. A total of four surveys tracking impact and well-being were utilized via REDCap throughout the study (incentivized by Amazon gift cards). Results: Initial voluntary participation was 29% of the residency program (8/28, 100% women); however, after a precipitous drop (75%, 6/8) following the first survey, and minimal participation thereafter, the study terminated early due to lack of participation. Investigations into the nature of the early termination revealed that time was the major limiting factor for participation, along with the cumbersome nature of the REDCap survey methodology. Conclusion: Future studies and interventions that seek to impact the well-being of already busy clinicians should consider both their perceived and real effects on free time. Otherwise, stress reduction interventions paradoxically and inadvertently can increase stress and perceived daily burdens.

Nurses\u2019 turnover intention, hope and career identity: the mediating role of job satisfaction

BackgroundA high turnover rate has become a critical issue in the field of nursing and how to tackle the problem of nursing turnover has received increased attention worldwide. Hope, career identity, job satisfaction may be useful for reducing turnover. The aim of this study is to explore the relationships among career identity, hope, job satisfaction, and the turnover intention of nurses, and to test the mediating role of job satisfaction on the associations of hope and career identity with turnover intention.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional design was used. A total of 500 nurses were recruited from five comprehensive tertiary hospitals using convenience sampling. The questionnaire included items about sociodemographic information as well as the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, Nursing Career Identity Scale, Job Satisfaction Index Scale, and Nurse Turnover Intention Scale. Pearson’s correlation, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. We describe the study in accordance with the STROBE statement.ResultsHope (r = − 0.227, p < 0.001) and career identity (r = − 0.342, p < 0.001) were negatively correlated with turnover intention. Job satisfaction played a completely mediating role on the associations of hope and career identity with turnover intention (β1 = − 0.09, β2 = − 0.33).ConclusionsJob satisfaction mediated the associations of career identity and hope with turnover intention. Thus, effective measures can be taken to enhance nurses’ hope and career identity in order to improve their job satisfaction and thereby reduce their turnover intention. Providing nurses with more support, helping them find a spiritual foundation, and holding mindful activities that stimulate positive emotions are helpful. In addition, colleges should pay more attention to instilling nursing students with career identity and nursing values.

Sustaining the Quality of Life for University Employees with Obesity Using Mindfulness Activities and Work Engagement: A Quasi-Experimental Design

Using an e-calendar, a web-based intervention program, informal mindfulness activities, and work engagement, this study evaluated the sustainability of the quality of life for staff with obesity at a Malaysian public university. The participants were identified through the human resources department of the university. The inclusion criteria required an age of 20–59 years and BMI ≥ 25. The exclusion criteria were pregnancy, the use of weight loss pills or supplements that can influence weight, chronic illness, and the use of medication that requires physician monitoring. Thirty-one university staff were assessed for quality of life using a within-subject repeated-measures design. The participants were asked to use the study website for 10 to 15 min/day for 36 weeks. Data was captured by a pretest, posttest, and two follow-up surveys. The results showed an increase in the posttest mean scores for all domains representing the quality of life. As expected, three domains increased at follow-up 1 and were maintained at follow-up 2. This suggests that informal mindfulness practices and work engagement using an e-calendar are practical means to increase and sustain the quality of life of employees. In conclusion, the quality of life among university staff with obesity can be improved using informal mindfulness activities and work engagement, and an e-calendar is another alternative method of practicing mindfulness at home and at the workplace. The implications of this study are also discussed.

EVALUATION OF PSYCHOSOCIAL STATUS OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS DURING COVID 19 PANDEMIC

Background- Our study aimed to obtain that information in the domain of anxiety and depression among health care workers of India. Methods- It was a cross-sectional, web-based study, conducted to evaluate the effect of quarantine on stress, anxiety, and reaction of a family toward the person. The online survey questionnaire was circulated using e-mail, WhatsApp, text message, etc. Results- A total of 120 responses were recieved. The mean age of the study population was 27.2 (SD: 5.1) years and majority were male (57%). Nearly half (45%) of the participants had depression and almost all patients had anxiety [Table 1]. Conclusion- Supportive psychotherapy, psychoeducation mindfulness techniques, grief counselling, activity scheduling, and sleep hygiene are some of the ways that can ensure the mental sanity of the healthcare workers during this time. The existing health-care system should be boosted in the coming times to push forward the psychological care of everyone for a better future

Dispositional mindfulness and self-referential neural activity during the resting state

ABSTRACT Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to impact a broad range of outcomes including enhanced attention, memory, and self-regulation. Previously, mindfulness training has been negatively correlated with brain activity across the default mode network nodes following mindfulness-based practice. Currently, little research has been done to understand the neural basis of differences in mindfulness levels in untrained individuals. In this study, we explored the relationship between the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional ALFF (fALFF) during the resting state and the level of dispositional mindfulness, which was measured by using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). The results showed that the total scores on the FFMQ were negatively correlated with the spontaneous activation of left premotor cortex. This indicates that individuals with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness might require less effort to control their irrelevant motor responses.

Rebooting in sport training and competitions: Athletes’ perceived stress levels and the role of interoceptive awareness

ABSTRACT The psychological consequences of the lockdown in the sport context have been well studied. However, few studies investigated athletes’ perceived stress during the rebooting in sport training and competitions; moreover, no investigations examined the relationship between perceived stress and interoceptive awareness. To mind this gap and support the enactment of appropriate behaviours for practising sports in a unique situation, we compared athletes’ perceived stress data collected during the rebooting in sport activities with normative data and with those collected during the first Italian lockdown. Furthermore, we examined the impact of interoceptive awareness towards positive and negative stress by means of regression analyses. The IPSS-10 and the MAIA questionnaire were administered to 220 athletes. Findings suggest that athletes were experiencing a detrimental situation despite the resumption of sport activities but when comparing rebooting phase with the lockdown, female athletes began to feel greater financial security thereby reducing their perceived stress. Athletes who scored high especially for body trusting – the experience of one’s body as safe and trustworthy – could regulate their perceived stress levels by increasing positive and reducing negative stress. Athletes could engage in mindful activities related to the body to reduce their perceived stress levels and better deal with an unprecedented situation.

Supporting older people experiencing anxiety through non-pharmacological interventions.

Anxiety is a debilitating condition that adversely affects people's quality of life. It is challenging to differentiate anxiety from other physical and mental health conditions in older people, particularly those with co-morbid dementia or depression. The coronavirus 2019 pandemic has compounded social isolation and loneliness in older people, causing increased levels of anxiety. Nurses need to be able to detect and assess anxiety in older people and offer short, low-intensity interventions to support older people's mental health or refer them to specialist assessment and treatment. While research on anxiety in older people is lacking, cognitive behavioural therapy, mindfulness, yoga, music therapy and pleasant activities have shown potential as non-pharmacological interventions for alleviating anxiety in older people. This article explores the role of nurses in identifying when an older person may be experiencing anxiety and then choosing the optimal non-pharmacological intervention to support them.

Quality of Life and a Surveillant Endocannabinoid System.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is an important brain modulatory network. ECS regulates brain homeostasis throughout development, from progenitor fate decision to neuro- and gliogenesis, synaptogenesis, brain plasticity and circuit repair, up to learning, memory, fear, protection, and death. It is a major player in the hypothalamic-peripheral system-adipose tissue in the regulation of food intake, energy storage, nutritional status, and adipose tissue mass, consequently affecting obesity. Loss of ECS control might affect mood disorders (anxiety, hyperactivity, psychosis, and depression), lead to drug abuse, and impact neurodegenerative (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson, Huntington, Multiple, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and neurodevelopmental (autism spectrum) disorders. Practice of regular physical and/or mind-body mindfulness and meditative activities have been shown to modulate endocannabinoid (eCB) levels, in addition to other players as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). ECS is involved in pain, inflammation, metabolic and cardiovascular dysfunctions, general immune responses (asthma, allergy, and arthritis) and tumor expansion, both/either in the brain and/or in the periphery. The reason for such a vast impact is the fact that arachidonic acid, a precursor of eCBs, is present in every membrane cell of the body and on demand eCBs synthesis is regulated by electrical activity and calcium shifts. Novel lipid (lipoxins and resolvins) or peptide (hemopressin) players of the ECS also operate as regulators of physiological allostasis. Indeed, the presence of cannabinoid receptors in intracellular organelles as mitochondria or lysosomes, or in nuclear targets as PPARγ might impact energy consumption, metabolism and cell death. To live a better life implies in a vigilant ECS, through healthy diet selection (based on a balanced omega-3 and -6 polyunsaturated fatty acids), weekly exercises and meditation therapy, all of which regulating eCBs levels, surrounded by a constructive social network. Cannabidiol, a diet supplement has been a major player with anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, antidepressant, and antioxidant activities. Cognitive challenges and emotional intelligence might strengthen the ECS, which is built on a variety of synapses that modify human behavior. As therapeutically concerned, the ECS is essential for maintaining homeostasis and cannabinoids are promising tools to control innumerous targets.

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: Exploring Experiential Knowledge and Assets of Family Caregivers

Family caregivers of patients with chronic conditions often subject themselves to drastic life changes. The quality of life of the caregivers often decreases noticeably at the beginning of the caregiving trajectory, because they typically reorient their lives to focus on the patient's health status. As a result, previous studies viewed caregivers primarily as people who need help and focused on how technologies can support them. However, in our study, we found that caregivers are also capable of developing their own experiential knowledge and strategies, which have been invisible in previous caregiver studies. By conducting in-home interviews with fourteen family caregivers, we present the types of new knowledge and coping strategies family caregivers have developed from their lived experiences during everyday caregiving tasks. These include 1) establishing new mindsets, 2) developing mindful activities, 3) building relationship management strategies, and 4) sharing experiences with people in their own networks. Based on our findings, we call for an asset-based approach that will help researchers notice the capabilities of caregivers. This approach could enable researchers to be more reflexive in the incorporation of caregivers' devalued knowledge within their system designs.

A Qualitative Study on Mindfulness and Teacher’s Well Being

Teaching is one of the most stressful occupation. Especially the teachers who have recently started their career are the one’s who suffer from stress the most. Copping up with the stress should be taught to them by making them aware of the concept of mindfulness. The study is conducted to see the effect of mindfulness practices on the stress level of the teachers. The study is descriptive and purely qualitative in nature. Population of the study is private school teachers and the sample size is based on 2 primary school teachers who have recently started teaching and facing difficulties in coping up with the stress. The sampling technique used in the study is Purposive non- random sampling. The data collection tool for study is Interview and analyzed by thematic analysis. The overall results of the conducted study is that Mindfulness activities like Mindfulness breathing ,Body scan, Mindfulness through nature, Japanese method to relax in 5 minutes can help a lot to reduce teacher’s stress

The role of place attachment in recreation experience and outcome preferences among forest bathers

Forest bathing or forest therapy encompasses slow mindful walking and deep immersion in nature while utilizing all sensory systems, which can occur during multiple recreation activities. This study examined differences in demographic and visit characteristics, recreation experience preferences (i.e., experiential on-site benefits sought), and improved well-being outcome preferences (i.e., long-term off-site outcomes) based on forest bathers’ varying levels of place attachment. The study was framed by immersion in nature benefits-related theories and an Outcomes-Focused Management approach. Using a convenience sample and several forest bathing criteria, responses (N = 247) were voluntarily and anonymously collected with an exit survey of forest bathing participants at national, county, and metropolitan/municipal forests in South Korea from late July to mid-September in 2014. Cluster analysis segmented forest bathing participants into three place attachment groups (Low-Medium-High). Results revealed that forest bathers experiencing higher levels of place attachment were more likely to be non-local, repeat visitors who partake in water-based immersion and mindful forest walking activities. More highly attached forest bathing participants considered various on-site recreation benefits (e.g., social connection, nature enjoyment, physical and mental health) to be more important than less attached forest bathing participants. Also, more highly attached forest bathing participants rated preferences for various improved well-being outcomes, including psychophysiological, psychological, social, economic, and environmental factors significantly higher. Results suggest that forest bathing participation has a significant role in enhancing positive well-being benefits. ∙ Forest therapy known as ‘forest bathing’ is a globally emerging and increasingly popular recreational activity in natural areas. ∙Forest bathing participants with higher levels of attachment to a natural area report stronger preferences for achieving not only on-site personal, health and social benefits but also off-site personal, social, economic, and environmental benefits. ∙Managers can prepare maps indicating sitting places to reflect on natural features and engage with notable natural elements during their forest bathing experience. ∙Forest bathing participants often develop a high sense of attachment to and desire diverse benefit opportunities in the natural area so managers are advised to offer several forest bathing trails of varying lengths with various natural features, so that the more attached forest bathers can achieve the higher levels of experience outcomes they seek. These opportunities should be clearly communicated through websites and trailhead displays to ensure that first-time and long-term visitors are aware of the diverse opportunities available. ∙Since forest bathers are shown to be more highly attached to their natural area, this can benefit managers by having visitors who are more likely to be advocates and supporters of their natural areas when threats emerge or additional funding is needed.

Cognitive remediation group therapy compared to mutual aid group therapy for people aging with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder: randomized, controlled trial

ABSTRACT Cognitive impairment is an important comorbidity for people aging with HIV, and group therapy may ameliorate the associated anxiety and stress. Combination psychosocial interventions may have better outcomes than single technique approaches. A pilot, parallel design, two-arm trial randomized people aging with HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder (HAND) to Cognitive Remediation Group Therapy (Experimental; combination of brain training activities and mindfulness-based stress reduction) or Mutual Aid Group Therapy (Control). Outcomes were feasibility, acceptability, fidelity, and exploratory measures of anxiety, stress, coping, and use of mindfulness and brain training activities. Among 40 contacted participants, 15 replied, 12 recruited, and 10 completed. Assessors confirmed intervention delivery with satisfactory fidelity. The novel arm had statistically significant improvements in stress and mindfulness use compared to control, and brain training and mindfulness use sustained at 3-month follow-up. Requiring a HAND diagnosis made recruitment challenging. Further research should broaden eligibility to people aging with HIV and cognitive challenges.

Well-being programmes in prisons in England and Wales: a mixed-methods study

PurposeIn the past decade, there has been growing awareness of well-being and its importance and an increase in the development of activities or programmes aimed at improving well-being. The purpose of this study is to investigate what well-being programmes were being offered to prisoners in England and Wales and what benefits and other outcomes were experienced.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a mixed-methods exploratory design in two phases. Phase 1 was a questionnaire survey of all adult prisons in England and Wales, completed by prison staff. In Phase 2, a sample of survey respondents took part in in-depth interviews.FindingsThe programmes identified in Phase 1 included physical activities, creative arts, mindfulness, horticulture, reading and animal-assisted activities. Prison staff reported a range of universally positive outcomes shared by all programmes, including enthusiasm from prisoners, enjoyment of the activities and being able to do something different from the usual prison routine. However, in Phase 2, interviewees rarely mentioned direct health and well-being benefits. The impetus for programmes was varied and there was little reference to national policy on health and well-being; this reflected the ad hoc way in which programmes are developed, with a key role being played by the Well-being Officer, where these were funded.Originality/valueThe literature on well-being programmes in prisons is limited and tends to focus on specific types of initiatives, often in a single prison. This study contributes by highlighting the range of activities across prisons and elucidating the perspectives of those involved in running such programmes.

Effects of Physical Activity and Mindfulness on Resilience and Depression During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic.

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic generated a significant number of stressors that the Swiss population had to deal with. In order to cope with and adapt to such adversity, it is essential to have protective factors that allow for resilience. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness and physical activity on depression and resilience during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A quantitative method was adopted asking participants who were engaged in physical activity or mindfulness to fill a battery of measures of depression and resilience and some demographic questions. The results showed that mindfulness practice strengthened the initial level of resilience of practitioners, suggesting that mindfulness meditation is a tool for coping with adversity during a potentially traumatic event. Conversely, physical activity practitioners maintained a stable resilience score over time, suggesting that exposure to adversity did not disrupt their state of biopsychospiritual homeostasis. Moreover, being physically active decreased the depression score over time. Regarding demographic variables, gender differences were observed in the average scores in the resilience scale and in the Depression Inventory.

Mindful walking and cognition in older adults: A proof of concept study using in-lab and ambulatory cognitive measures

Mindfulness practice and walking have been linked individually to sustain cognition in older adults. This early-phase study aimed to establish proof-of-concept by evaluating whether an intervention that integrates light-intensity walking with mindfulness practices shows promising signs of improving cognition in older adults. Participants (N = 25, Mage = 72.4 ± 6.45) were community-dwelling older adults who engaged in a supervised mindful walking program over one month (8 sessions total, 2 sessions per week, 30-minute slow walking containing mindfulness skills). They completed performance-based and subjective ratings of cognitive measures in field before and after two mindful walking bouts using a smartphone app. They also completed in-lab performance-based and self-report cognitive measures at baseline and after the entire program. Controlling for demographics, potential covariates, and time trends, short-term improvements in perceived cognition and processing speed were observed from pre- to post-mindful walking sessions (i.e., 30 min) across multiple ambulatory cognitive measures (Cohen’s ds range = 0.46–0.66). Longer-term improvements in processing speed and executive function were observed between baseline and end of the program (i.e., one month) across various performance-based cognitive measures (ds range = 0.43–1.28). No significant changes were observed for other cognitive domains. This early-phase study (Phase IIa) provides preliminary support that mindful walking activity is promising for sustaining cognition in older adults. Our promising findings form the building blocks of evidence needed to advance this intervention to a fully powered randomized controlled trial that examines program efficacy with a comparator. Favorable outcomes will inform the development of this lifestyle behavioral strategy for promoting healthy brain aging in late adulthood.

The impact of interactive online learning by Pear Deck during COVID-19 pandemic era

The COVID-19 pandemic surprises the world, switches every learning activity to online learning and increases online education platforms’ demand. However, teachers must be careful in choosing online education platforms as some online learning applications may look exciting but not give meaningful learning for students. This study uses the Pear Deck to build meaningful learning by establishing the interaction in a mindful activity. As an add-on application of PowerPoint or Google slides, Pear Deck is one solution for teachers to engage students in active and meaningful learning even though the learning mode is changed online. The participants of this study are 20 students from Linear Algebra class. After the class is over, the researcher distributes the questionnaire adopted from the Triple E Framework to assess online learning effectiveness. More than 75% of students responded that teaching and learning by using Pear Deck not only built the interaction as well as the engagement between teachers and students but also allowed them to enhance their knowledge and extend their knowledge through the learning activities. Finally, this research suggests that using the Pear Deck should be followed by the flexible type problem to enhance the higher-order thinking skill.