Mindfulness Group Research Articles

Efficacy of computerized cognitive training and mindfulness for improving cognition and mood in older adults: better together than separately

Background The risk of cognitive decline in older adults makes it necessary to design training programs for the improvement of cognition. Aims To determine the efficacy of applying a combined program of computerized cognitive training (CCT) and mindfulness for improving cognition and mood and quality of life in people aged 60 years and older, compared with using both interventions separately. Methods Adults, older than 95 years were assigned to groups that subsequently received one of the three interventions (CCT, mindfulness, and combined). Cognitive, emotional, and quality of life assessment instruments were administered pre- and post-intervention. The standardized individual change was determined, and one-factor ANOVAs and ANCOVAs were conducted to test between-group differences. Results After controlling for confounding factors, greater significant improvements were obtained in the combined group compared with the CCT and mindfulness groups in selective attention (median effect size) and abstract reasoning (large effect size). No significant differences were found in the rest of cognitive variables, mood or quality of life. Conclusion The findings indicate that, with the same investment of time, combining CCT and mindfulness effectively improves selective attention and abstract reasoning, in older adults. This combination of strategies might have implications for the improvement of cognitive impairment in older adults.

Feasibility and Efficacy of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Smoking Intervention Delivered via the Internet: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: A growing body of literature suggests that mindfulness-based interventions are effective in reducing smoking. However, existing mindfulness interventions are often lengthy and require extensive interaction with a therapist, making them inaccessible to a large percentage of the population. The current study addressed this issue by testing the feasibility and efficacy of a single session, web-based, mindfulness intervention for smoking cessation. Methods: Participants (N = 80) took part in a fully online cue exposure exercise interspersed with brief instructions on how to cope with cravings for cigarettes. All participants were randomly assigned to receive either mindfulness-based or coping as usual instructions. Outcomes included participant satisfaction with the intervention, self-reported craving following the cue exposure exercise, and cigarette use 30 days post-intervention. Results: Participants in both groups found the instructions moderately helpful and easy to understand. Participants in the mindfulness group reported a significantly smaller increase in craving than those in the control group following the cue exposure exercise. Averaging across conditions, participants reported smoking fewer cigarettes in the 30 days following the intervention than in the 30 days prior, however there were no between group differences in cigarette use. Conclusion: Mindfulness-based interventions for smoking reduction can be effectively implemented in a brief, single-session online format. These interventions are easy to disseminate and can reach a large number of smokers with minimal participant burden. Results from the current study suggest that mindfulness-based interventions can help participants control craving in the face of smoking-related cues, although perhaps not change smoking quantity. Future research is needed to explore factors which may increase the efficacy of online, mindfulness-based interventions for smoking cessation, while still maintaining their accessibility and reach.

Effects of an online program including mindfulness, exercise therapy and patient education compared to online exercise therapy and patient education for people with Patellofemoral Pain: protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundPatellofemoral pain (PFP) is a common knee disorder that causes persistent pain, lower self-reported function and quality of life. People with PFP also present with altered psychological factors, which are associated with higher levels of pain and dysfunction. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) generally consist of meditative practices developed to provide a holistic approach to chronic conditions. However, the effects of MBI on clinical and psychological outcomes for people with PFP remains understudied.MethodsThis assessor-blinded, parallel, two-arm randomized clinical trial aims to investigate the effects of adding an 8-week online MBI program to exercise therapy and patient education on clinical and psychological factors for people with PFP. We also aim to investigate whether psychological factors mediate changes in pain and function. Sixty-two participants with PFP will be recruited and randomized into one of two treatment groups (Mindfulness or Control group). Both groups will receive an 8-week intervention involving exercise therapy and education delivered through an online platform. The Mindfulness group will additionally receive a MBI component including formal and informal practices. Outcomes will be assessed online at baseline, intervention endpoint (follow-up 1) and 12 months after intervention completion (follow-up 2). Comparisons between groups will be performed at all time points with linear mixed models. A mediation analysis will be performed using a 3-variable framework.DiscussionExercise therapy and patient education are considered the “best management” options for PFP. However, unsatisfactory long-term prognosis remains an issue. It is known that people with PFP present with altered psychological factors, which should be considered during the evaluation and treatment of people with PFP. Adding a MBI to the current best treatment for PFP may improve short and long-term effects by addressing the underlying psychological factors.Trial registrationRegistro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC) RBR-4yhbqwk, registered in April 6, 2021.

Antenatal mobile-delivered mindfulness-based intervention to reduce perinatal depression risk and improve obstetric and neonatal outcomes: A randomized controlled trial

ObjectivesOne in five mothers will experience perinatal depression (PND) during pregnancy and within their first year following childbirth. Current evidence suggests the short-term efficacy of Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) for perinatal women, but the extent to which this positive impact remains the early postpartum period is unclear. This study investigated the short- and maintenance efficacy of a mobile-delivered four-immeasurable MBI on PND, and obstetric and neonatal outcomes. MethodsSeventy-five adult pregnant women suffering from heightened distress were randomized to receive a mobile-delivered four-immeasurable MBI (n = 38) or a web-based perinatal education program (n = 37). PND was measured by Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at baseline, post-intervention, 37th-week gestation, and 4–6 weeks postpartum. Outcomes also included obstetric and neonatal outcomes, trait mindfulness, self-compassion, and positive affect. ResultsParticipants reported an average age of 30.6 (SD = 3.1) years with a mean gestational age of 18.8 (SD = 4.6) weeks. In intention-to-treat analyses, women in the mindfulness group showed a significantly greater reduction in depression from baseline to post-intervention (adjusted mean change difference [β] = −3.9; 95%CI = [−6.05, −1.81]; d = −0.6), and the reduction sustained until 4–6 weeks postpartum (β = −6.3; 95%CI = [−8.43, −4.12]; d = −1.0), compared with control. They had a significantly reduced risk of emergent cesarean section (relative risk = 0.5) and gave birth to infants with higher Apgar scores (β = 0.6;p = .03; d = 0.7). Depression reduction before giving birth significantly mediated the intervention effect on lowering the emergency cesarean risk. ConclusionsWith a reasonably low dropout rate (13.2 %), the mobile-delivered MBI can be an acceptable and effective intervention for reducing depression throughout pregnancy and postpartum. Our study also suggests the potential benefits of early prevention for mitigating emergent cesarean section risk and enhancing neonatal health.

Differential efficacy of physical exercise and mindfulness during lunch breaks as internal work recovery strategies: a daily study

ABSTRACT This study aims to identify whether daily activities during the lunch break, performed before eating, are associated with improvements in several indicators related to recovery from work stress. No existing studies examine the daily effects of sitting mindfulness meditation and aerobic physical exercise practiced during lunch break as daily internal work recovery activities. This three-armed randomized controlled trial was carried out over 22 working days with service sector workers (n = 94, age mean, 46.8) The RCT was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03728062. The mindfulness group received a mindfulness-based intervention (sitting meditation), while the physical exercise group practiced an aerobic exercise program with the same time intervals as the mindfulness group (15–30 minutes); the third group was the control group. We measured daily effects on fatigue, psychological detachment, sleep quality, stress symptoms, and attention problems. Measurements of daily variables were collected through an ad hoc App. Growth curve analysis reveals that mindfulness and physical exercise can effectively reduce fatigue, stress boschphysicalBosch physical exercise significantly improved sleep quality.

Mindfulness may buffer the longitudinal influence of peer rejection on adolescents’ prosocial behavior: A cross-lagged study

Interpersonal rejection has been found to impair people’s prosocial actions. However, this relation may change as a function of theoretically relevant personality traits. The present study examined the potential moderating roles of trait mindfulness in the longitudinal relations between peer rejection and prosocial behaviors. At two time points with an interval of eight months, 654 adolescents nominated children in their class who have been rejected by peers and children who have enacted prosocial behaviors toward classmates and then completed the mindfulness questionnaire. Cross-lagged model results indicated that peer rejection could negatively predict prosocial behaviors in both high and low mindfulness groups of children while the reverse predictive relation from prosociality to peer rejection was not significant. More prominent, trait mindfulness might buffer the negative contribution of peer rejection to prosocial behaviors. Within a more ecologically valid context with a longitudinal design, our study contributed to a better understanding of the conditions under which interpersonal rejection may undermine prosocial behaviors.

The Effect of Attentional Avoidance, Attentional Focusing, and Mindfulness on the Frequency of Voice-Hearing and Associated Distress in People with Schizophrenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the most effective coping mechanism to deal with auditory hallucinations that reduces the frequency of voice-hearing and associated distress. In the present randomized controlled trial, each of the three coping mechanisms of attentional avoidance, attentional focusing, and mindfulness were used in one group and the fourth group was the control group. Method : A total of 64 patients with schizophrenia, categorized in three groups of attentional avoidance, attentional focusing and mindfulness and one control group, were asked to listen to an ambiguous auditory task depending on the type of their coping mechanism. After determining the baseline of distress, the task was performed in duplicate for each group. After playing the auditory task for the first time, participants were asked to rate out the level of their distress and compliance with instructions, and they were asked to estimate the likely number of words they had heard. After the second time, they were asked to note the words they hear during the task and rate out their distress and compliance with instructions again at the end of the task. Results: There was a significant difference between groups in terms of distress with a medium effect size of 0.47. The post hoc analysis revealed that mindfulness group reported less distress compared to the attentional focusing group (P = 0.017) and the control group (P = 0.027). Also, a significant difference existed between groups in terms of the frequency of the identified words, with a moderately strong effect size of 0.59, and a very good statistical power of 0.99. The post hoc analysis showed that attentional avoidance (P = 0.013) and attentional focusing (P = 0.011) groups heard fewer words than the control group. Conclusion: Attention is a good target for treating psychotic patients with auditory hallucinations. Also, manipulation of attention can affect the frequency of auditory hallucinations and associated distress.

Who benefits more from mindfulness? A preliminary study exploring moderating effect of personality traits on competition anxiety in athletes

Objective Mindfulness can help athletes better regulate their emotions, and analyzing personality traits may help identify those who would benefit more from psychological intervention activities to optimize subsequent training effects. This study sought to examine the effects of mindfulness training on athletes’ competition anxiety and to consider the role of personality traits. Methods Fifty athletes (mean age = 21.87 years, SD = 1.62; 23 females and 27 males) were randomly assigned to a mindfulness group (n = 23), which received 8 weeks of mindfulness training, and a control group (n = 27) receiving no intervention. The athletes’ personality traits, mindfulness level, and competition anxiety were measured according to the study plan before and after mindfulness training, and at an 8-week follow up. Results Compared with the control group, mindfulness training had a positive effect on the level of mindfulness and self-confidence in the mindfulness group, as well as a greater improvement in cognitive/somatic state anxiety. Improvements remained stable from the end of training to follow up. Additionally, athletes with high activity and high extraversion had more improvement in mindfulness levels and cognitive/somatic state anxiety, respectively, while athletes with low neuroticism demonstrated greater improvement in self-confidence. Conclusions Mindfulness training helps to reduce athletes’ competition anxieties, and personality traits might affect the improvement effect to a certain extent, which provided a reference for optimizing mindfulness training and developing more personalized psychological training for athletes who display certain personality traits.

“You Just Have to Stick With the Practice”: A Long-Term Weekly Mindfulness Group at the VA

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) proliferate in today’s health care landscape. Most prominent MBIs teach mindfulness technique through protocols structured in time-limited treatment packages, though the arc of mindfulness practice as “a lifetime’s engagement” is much longer than the typical MBI length of eight weeks. Although studies have shown that MBIs can be efficacious in addressing a wide range of health concerns, sustaining routine meditation practice long-term can be difficult, and treatment gains can fade if routine practice is not maintained. This article discusses long-term weekly mindfulness groups, a unique mindfulness treatment modality that emphasizes ongoing training and support for developing and sustaining routine mindfulness practice, that have been in continuous operation for more than 10 years at a large Veterans Affairs hospital. The protocol utilized for these mindfulness groups is described in this article. Fundamentals of mindfulness and common challenges, such as issues of avoidance, grasping, and dissociation, are articulated as guidelines for the therapist’s facilitation of the group process and individual members’ practice routines.

Editor’s Introduction

Editor’s Introduction Dr. Marty Cooper, Editor When I was asked to be the special editor for this issue of the journal, I thought I had an idea of what I was engaging in. It seemed to be a straightforward task where I would be reviewing journal articles and making decisions on what to include in the issue. What I found instead was a deep dive into interpersonal relationships and working within a larger group myself to bring this issue to fruition. Indeed, what I found was the magic that makes the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society (EGPS) and GROUP special—its people. Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that I was asked to be a temporary editor for a special journal of a special organization. There is one person without whom this issue would not have been possible—Christine Schmidt. Through this process, I have found a friend, a colleague, and a collaborator in Christine. Many thanks to you, Christine, and to the executive committee and board of directors for their support of this issue. This issue reflects the multiplicity of group work across disciplines. We decided to open the journal with the EGPS one-year group training program graduation address by Robert Grossmark. Dr. Grossmark captures the essence of the training program as well as the importance of ushering in the next generation. Additionally, he provides a timely goodbye to the esteemed training program leadership and a warm welcome to those who will take the helm. Following Dr. Grossmark’s remarks, we turn our attention to a paper by Kathleen Isaac and Christine Schmidt, who share with us their work co-leading organizational group therapy in a nonprofit setting. Brenda Boatswain discusses secondary traumatic stress experienced by nurses and a brief therapy group designed to address this. Sean Grover provides us with insight into the work he has been doing providing on-site parenting support groups. Francine R. Mendelowitz discusses the use of applied theater to promote social-emotional health in adolescents. Melisa Stevanovic and colleagues discuss casting group counseling as peer support in a mental health rehabilitation committee. Hang Ruan and colleagues [End Page 9] present long-term weekly mindfulness groups at a large Veterans Affairs hospital. Finally, Andrew I. Smolar discusses how group identification has contributed to our national discord. Although it has been a pleasure to work on this issue, I was even more excited by the recent news that I was recently selected to coedit the journal with an esteemed colleague, Dr. Jessica Jean Baptiste. I look forward to working with Dr. Jean Baptiste, the editorial team of the journal, and the Executive Committee and Board of EGPS. [End Page 10] Copyright © 2023 Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society

The Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Training in an Elementary School in Germany

ObjectivesThe primary goal of this study was to investigate the influence of the Mindfulness Education Workbook, a 6-week mindfulness-based tool, on emotion regulation, inhibition, physical self-concept, resources, and connectedness to nature. Furthermore, we explored whether a difference in number of hours of mindfulness practice would affect the outcomes.MethodNinety-one children from a public elementary school (M age = 9.74 years, SD = 0.76) participated in the study and were divided into three groups according to their respective school classes. The intervention group was divided into two groups that varied by number of hours of mindfulness practice: (a) mindfulness-plus and (b) mindfulness. In addition to biweekly training, the mindfulness-plus group also repeated a daily exercise. The passive control group received the standard school day instruction. The five concepts of emotion regulation, inhibition, physical self-concept, resources, and connectedness to nature were measured before and after the mindfulness intervention.ResultsFor the measurement of emotion regulation, there was a significant effect in favor of the two mindfulness groups compared with the control group for the adaptive strategies in total as well as for their comprising emotions, anger, fear, and sadness, separately. Solely for the subscale mood elevation, the mindfulness-plus group showed significantly higher scores compared to the control group. Both mindfulness-plus and mindfulness groups varied from the control group on the measure of emotion regulation strategies, however not on the other four domains that were assessed (self-reports of resources, physical self-concept, and connectedness to nature as well as a mental task assessing inhibition). There was no evidence that the additional practice in the mindfulness-plus group significantly added to the intervention’s effectiveness.ConclusionsThe Mindfulness Education Workbook is a promising tool for elementary schools. Follow-up studies may provide further insights into the various effects of offering mindfulness training in schools. Further research with objective markers may also allow individual aspects under the umbrella term mindfulness to be investigated in more detail.PreregistrationThis study was not preregistered.

Clients’ experiences with a Trauma-sensitive mindfulness and compassion group intervention: a first-person perspective on change and change mechanisms

Background: Trauma-related symptoms are common and there is a need for treatment interventions targeting underlying core vulnerabilities regardless of the client’s diagnosis. Mindfulness and Compassion interventions have shown promising results in trauma treatment. However, little is known of how clients experience such interventions. Objective: This study describes clients’ experiences of change after participating in a transdiagnostic group intervention, Trauma-sensitive Mindfulness and Compassion Group (TMC). Method: All 17 participants from two TMC groups were interviewed within one month of completing treatment. Transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis with a focus on how the participants experienced change and change mechanisms. Results: Three main themes of experienced change were developed: Becoming empowered; A new relationship to oneself and one’s body; and Gaining more freedom in relationships and life. Four main themes were developed to capture clients’ experiences of change mechanisms: New perspectives give understanding and hope; Accessing tools facilitates agency; Significant moments of awareness open up to new possibilities, and Circumstances in life that facilitate change. Conclusion: We discuss and reflect upon participants’ experiences of the effects of participating in a TMC group and the mental and emotional costs of doing the work and present a broader perspective on change processes overall.

Mindfulness Training Improves Attention: Evidence from Behavioral and Event-related Potential Analyses.

Mindfulness meditation helps to improve attentional capacity. However, the neural correlates that indicate the mechanism through which mindfulness improves attention are unclear. To address this gap, we aimed to assess the effects of mindfulness training on sustained attentional capacity. Event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with the modified sustained attention response task (mSART) were used in this study. A total of 45 college students were randomly assigned to either the mindfulness group (n = 21) or the control group (n = 24). Participants in the mindfulness group received a three-week mindfulness training. The self-report results showed that the mindfulness group reported higher mindfulness scores (observing and non-judgment of inner experiences) after the training. The mindfulness group also scored lower on the state anxiety than the control group. Behavioral results also showed that self-caught mind wandering in the mindfulness group significantly decreased after the training, and the mindfulness group showed a faster response after the training. The ERP results showed that N2 amplitudes in the post-test were significantly greater than those in the pre-test in the mindfulness group. We did not find any interactions between group and time for P3. The findings suggest that mindfulness training can effectively improve sustained attentional capacity, as indicated by reduced mind wandering and increased N2 responses.

A randomized clinical trial of mindfulness meditation versus exercise in Parkinson’s disease during social unrest

Clinical practice guidelines support resilience training and exercise for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This assessor-blinded, randomized clinical trial aimed to compare the effects of a modified mindfulness meditation program versus stretching and resistance training exercise (SRTE) in patients with mild-to-moderate PD. A total of 126 potential participants were enrolled via convenience sampling, of which 68 eligible participants were randomized 1:1 to receive eight weekly 90-min sessions of mindfulness meditation or SRTE. Compared to the SRTE group, generalized estimating equation analyses revealed that the mindfulness group had significantly better improvement in outcomes, particularly for improving depressive symptoms (d, −1.66; 95% CI, −3.31 to −0.02) at week 8 and maintaining emotional non-reactivity at week 20 (d, 2.08; 95% CI, 0.59 to 3.56). Both groups demonstrated significant immediate, small-moderate effects on cognition (effect size [d] = 0.36–0.37, p = 0.006–0.011). Compared with the SRTE, mindfulness meditation appeared to be a feasible and promising strategy for managing depressive symptoms and maintaining emotional stability, with comparable benefits on cognitive performance. To combat the psychospiritual and cognitive sequelae of social unrest and COVID-19 pandemic, the integration of mindfulness training into motor-oriented PD rehabilitation protocols is recommended to strengthen the resilience and minimize the psycho-cognitive comorbidities among patients with mild-to-moderate PD.Trial Registration: HKU Clinical Trials Registry identifier: HKUCTR-2681.

Effects of mindfulness decompression therapy on mental health and job burnout among nurses working in the frontline of the novel coronavirus pandemic: A retrospective study.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to spread worldwide, nucleic acid detection is a key step in controlling it. Psychological issues and job burnout of nurses working in nucleic acid sampling roles for long periods have become apparent. This study aimed to explore the effects of mindfulness decompression therapy on mental health and job burnout in front-line nurses working in nucleic acid sampling during the pandemic. Nucleic acid sampling frontline nurses who were positive for burnout on both the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Scale (MBI-GS) were selected as the participants. Frontline nurses in the nucleic acid testing area who received routine psychological nursing intervention from June 2020 to April 2021 were used as the control group. Nurses who received both routine psychological nursing and mindfulness decompression therapy from May 2021 to December 2021 formed the "mindfulness" subject group. We compared the two groups' primary outcome measures of SCL-90 and MBI-GS scores. Before the intervention, there were no significant differences between the two groups in general data, SCL-90 scores, and MBI-GS scores. After the mindfulness decompression therapy, according to SCL-90 and MBI-GS scales, psychological distress and job burnout of nurses in the mindfulness group were significantly better than those in the control group. Mindfulness decompression therapy can effectively improve mental health and relieve job burnout in frontline nurses in nucleic acid sampling areas, which is worthy of clinical application. Randomized controlled trials are still needed, however, to fully confirm the effects of mindfulness decompression therapy.

Mindful attention promotes control of brain network dynamics for self-regulation and discontinues the past from the present

Mindful attention is characterized by acknowledging the present experience as a transient mental event. Early stages of mindfulness practice may require greater neural effort for later efficiency. Early effort may self-regulate behavior and focalize the present, but this understanding lacks a computational explanation. Here we used network control theory as a model of how external control inputs-operationalizing effort-distribute changes in neural activity evoked during mindful attention across the white matter network. We hypothesized that individuals with greater network controllability, thereby efficiently distributing control inputs, effectively self-regulate behavior. We further hypothesized that brain regions that utilize greater control input exhibit shorter intrinsic timescales of neural activity. Shorter timescales characterize quickly discontinuing past processing to focalize the present. We tested these hypotheses in a randomized controlled study that primed participants to either mindfully respond or naturally react to alcohol cues during fMRI and administered text reminders and measurements of alcohol consumption during 4 wk postscan. We found that participants with greater network controllability moderated alcohol consumption. Mindful regulation of alcohol cues, compared to one's own natural reactions, reduced craving, but craving did not differ from the baseline group. Mindful regulation of alcohol cues, compared to the natural reactions of the baseline group, involved more-effortful control of neural dynamics across cognitive control and attention subnetworks. This effort persisted in the natural reactions of the mindful group compared to the baseline group. More-effortful neural states had shorter timescales than less effortful states, offering an explanation for how mindful attention promotes being present.

“A breath of fresh air”: mindfulness training for early-career mental health social workers in Israel during COVID-19

ABSTRACT The present study examined the effectiveness of participation in a mindfulness group for Israeli early career social workers during the COVID-19 period. Eleven participants conducting fieldwork in a mental health rehabilitation center were interviewed. The participants described a variety of benefits from their mindfulness training, in three main areas: (1) Personal: applying mindfulness in their daily life; (2) Family: improved work-life balance and family relationships; and (3) Professional: applying mindfulness in their work with mental health clients. Mental support and self-care tools provided to early-career social workers were perceived by the participants as helping them overcome uncertainty, fatigue, and overwork.

Comparing the effectiveness of Zekr therapy in Islam with mindfulness therapy on anxiety and life expectancy of mothers with mentally disabled children

Aim: The purpose of this research was to compare the effectiveness of Zekr therapy in Islam with mindfulness therapy on anxiety and life expectancy of mothers with mentally disabled children in Meybod city. Method: The design of the present research was applied in terms of its purpose and the method of conducting it was quasi-experimental with a pre-test and post-test design with two experimental groups and one control group. The statistical population of the research is all mothers with mentally disabled children in Meybod city. Among the statistical population, 45 mothers with intellectually disabled children were selected in a targeted and available manner and randomly divided into three groups in the form of two groups of 15 experimental people (30 people) and control group (15 people). Beck's anxiety questionnaire was used to collect and measure mothers' anxiety, and mothers' life expectancy was measured with Snyder et al.'s questionnaire. Then exercise protocols (remembering therapy and mindfulness) were implemented. To answer the research hypotheses, the covariance tests were performed at the five percent error level using SPSS software version 26. Results: The results of covariance analysis for mindfulness treatment showed that 62.2% of life expectancy scores of mothers with intellectually disabled children are explained. Also, 55.6% of the anxiety scores of mothers with mentally retarded children are explained based on the mindfulness model. Also, 59.9% of Zekr therapy protocol scores are explained on the variable of life expectancy of mothers with mentally retarded children. Finally, according to the eta squared value (0.746), 74.6% of the scores of the Zekr therapy protocol are explained on the variable of anxiety of mothers with mentally retarded children. From the analysis of Shefe's follow-up test, it can be concluded that the mean of anxiety in the dhikr therapy and mindfulness group has decreased significantly compared to the control group, but the two experimental groups have no significant difference from each other (α=0.05). It can also be concluded that the average life expectancy in the Zekr therapy and mindfulness group has decreased significantly compared to the control group, but the two experimental groups have no significant difference from each other (α=0.05). Conclusion: The obtained results indicated that both the mentioned treatment courses were equally effective in reducing anxiety and increasing the life expectancy of mothers with mentally disabled children.

Comparison of the effectiveness of self-compassion-based mindfulness package with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy package on emotional in overweight women

Aim: The purpose of this research was to compare the effectiveness of self-compassion-based mindfulness package with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy package on emotional eating in overweight women. Method: The current research was practical and semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design along with a follow-up period. Among the overweight women in Isfahan who referred to weight control and weight loss centers and offices in 2019, 45 people were selected by convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the research groups. The research tool was the Van Strien et al Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (1986). Each of the self-compassion-based mindfulness groups by Haji Rostam (2019) and the mindfulness-based cognitive therapy group Based on the approach of Teasdale et al (1995) underwent eight treatment sessions, and the control group did not receive any treatment. The results were analyzed using SPSS software and using variance analysis method with repeated measurements. Results: The findings showed that the mindfulness package based on self-compassion and the cognitive therapy package based on mindfulness on the desire to eat (F = 7.15, P = 0.001) and eating behavior (F = 5.74, P = 0.002) have had a lasting positive effect on overweight women. Conclusion: In this way, in order to improve the desire to eat and eating behavior in overweight women, the mindfulness package based on self-compassion and the cognitive therapy package based on mindfulness can be used.

Effects of Mindfulness Training and Interference Training on Competitive Shooting Performance under Stress

We aimed to examine the effects of interference training and mindfulness training on the performance of shooting enthusiasts. 57 pistol shooting enthusiasts were equally distributed based on ability to an Interference Training Group (n=19 with mean age of 6.89±2.61; 10 males and 9 females), Mindful Training Group (n=19 with mean age of 16.26±2.57; 10 males and 9 females), and a Control Group (n=19 with a mean age of 16.73±2.10; 10 males and 9 females). A mixed experimental test with 3×6 repeated measures ANOVA was used to test outcomes. The between-group variable was psychological intervention (interference/mindfulness/control) and the within-group independent variable was time (T1-T6). The dependent variables included shooting task performance. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2. We found that interference training and mindfulness training significantly improved the participants' motor performance and mental state; the control group also showed some improvements. The improvement in shooting performance following interference training was fast but quickly plateaued. Conversely, following mindfulness training, the improvements were continuous and almost linear. Therefore, we suggested that athletes should choose mindfulness training as the main training method if adequate preparatory time is available before competition; we suggest interference training if less than one month's preparation time is available or in the context of inadequate professional psychological support.