Mindfulness Group Research Articles

Effects of live-online, group mindfulness training on opioid use and anxiety during buprenorphine treatment: A comparative effectiveness RCT

BackgroundOffice-based opioid treatment with buprenorphine has emerged as a popular evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. Unfortunately, psychosocial stress, anxiety, pain, and co-morbid substance use increase patients' risk for relapse. We designed this study to compare the effects of complementing buprenorphine treatment with 24 weeks of a live-online Mindful Recovery Opioid Care Continuum (M-ROCC) group to a time and attention-matched, live-online Recovery Support Group (RSG) active control condition. MethodsWe plan to enroll a maximum of N = 280 and randomize at least N = 192 patients prescribed buprenorphine through referrals from office-based and telemedicine buprenorphine treatment providers and social media advertisements. Participants will be randomly assigned to M-ROCC or RSG and will be blinded to their treatment condition. The primary outcome for this study will be biochemically confirmed periods of abstinence from illicit opioids, as measured by self-reported use and randomly collected, video-observed oral fluid toxicology testing during the final 12 weeks of study participation. Secondary outcomes include changes in Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) anxiety and pain interference scores between baseline and week 24. ResultsThe trial was funded by the National Institutes of Health, HEAL Initiative through NCCIH (R33AT010125). Data collection is projected to end by September 2023, and we expect publication of results in 2024. ConclusionIf the M-ROCC intervention is found to be effective in this format, it will demonstrate that live-online mindfulness groups can improve outcomes and address common co-morbidities like anxiety and pain during buprenorphine treatment.

Mindfulness meditation enhances interbrain synchrony of adolescents when experiencing different emotions simultaneously.

Mindfulness is considered to benefit social behavior and interpersonal communication. However, the underlying neural mechanism has not been fully examined. This study aimed to explore how mindfulness practice affected the interbrain synchrony within adolescent peer dyads when sharing emotional experience together by using the electroencephalograph hyperscanning approach. Thirty adolescent dyads were randomly assigned to a mindfulness group or a non-mindfulness group. Mindfulness group performed a 20-min mindfulness exercise. Non-mindfulness group were instructed to rest. Simultaneously, electroencephalograph was recorded when they completed a picture-processing task. Phase-locking-value in the gamma band was used to calculate adolescent dyads' brain-to-brain synchrony. Results showed that greater interbrain synchrony in the frontal region was observed when viewing different emotional stimuli together after the mindfulness than before the mindfulness in the mindfulness group. However, there was no significant difference in the interbrain synchrony in the non-mindfulness group. Moreover, greater interbrain synchrony was observed in the mindfulness group than in the non-mindfulness group after mindfulness or rest in the frontal region. However, there was no significant difference between the mindfulness and non-mindfulness group before mindfulness or rest. The findings are discussed in light of the broader theoretical questions of how mindfulness may promote interpersonal functioning from a psychophysiological perspective.

The effects of relaxation techniques following acute, high intensity football training on parasympathetic reactivation

BackgroundEvidence shows relaxation techniques reactivate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) following physiological stressors such as exercise. As such, these techniques may be useful following exercise training of high intensity sports, like collegiate football.PurposeTo evaluate the impact of mindfulness and rest activities on PNS reactivation following training sessions, in a sample of Division-I collegiate, male football athletes.MethodsThis study employed a cross-sectional, pre-post experimental design among 38 football athletes. Following three training sessions, each separated by one week, athletes were exposed to three groups: mindfulness, rest, and no-intervention. Athletes in the mindfulness group laid supine in a darkened room, while performing 15 min of guided breathing and body scans. The rest group remained seated in a lighted room, performing 15 min of restful activities (e.g., talking). The no-intervention group was instructed to perform usual post-training activities (e.g., showering). Heart rate (HR), respiration rate (RR) and two HR variability (HRV) indices were measured via an armband monitor (Warfighter Monitor, Tiger Tech Solutions, Inc, Miami, FL) equipped with electrocardiographic and photoplethysmography capabilities. HRV indices included standard deviation of the N-N intervals (SDNN) and root mean square of successive RR interval differences (rMSSD). Within and between-group differences were determined via analysis of variance (ANOVA) and corrected for multiple comparisons familywise error.ResultsStatistically significant reductions in HR and RR were observed across all groups: −81.6, −66.4, −40.9 bpm and −31.7, −26.9, and −19.0 breaths⋅min−1, respectively. The mindfulness and rest groups exhibited a larger within-group reduction in HR and RR compared to the no-intervention group, p < 0.0000. Additionally, the mindfulness group showed a larger reduction in HR and RR compared to the rest group, p < 0.05. Post-intervention HR and RRs were significantly lower in the mindfulness group relative to the no-intervention group (77.0 vs. 120.1 bpm, respectively). Similar results were observed for RR (15.0 vs. 23.6 breaths⋅min−1, respectively) and HRV indices (SDNN: 46.9 vs. 33.1 ms and rMSSD: 17.9 vs. 13.8 ms, respectively) Athletes in the rest group showed significantly lower post-intervention HR (−30.2 bpm, 89.9 vs. 120.1 bpm, respectively), RR (−4.3 breaths⋅min−1, 19.3 vs. 23.6 breaths⋅min−1, respectively) and significantly higher HRV (SDNN: 42.9 vs. 33.1 ms and rMSSD: 16.7 vs. 13.8 ms, respectively) compared to their no-intervention counterparts.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that athletes engaging in either 15-minute guided mindfulness or rest activities (e.g., sitting) post training, may facilitate PNS reactivation. Implementing these strategies may accelerate recovery, improving performance. Longitudinal, randomized controlled trials among diverse sports are encouraged.

The role of endogenous opioids in mindfulness and sham mindfulness-meditation for the direct alleviation of evoked chronic low back pain: a randomized clinical trial.

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is the most prevalent chronic pain condition. There are no treatments that haven been found to directly assuage evoked cLBP. To this extent, mindfulness-meditation is a promising pain therapy. Yet, it is unclear if meditation can be utilized to directly attenuate evoked chronic pain through endogenous opioids. A double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial with a drug crossover design examined if mindfulness-meditation, as compared to sham mindfulness-meditation, attenuated straight leg-raise test evoked chronic pain during intravenous (0.15 mg/kg bolus + 0.15 mg/kg/hour maintenance) naloxone (opioid antagonist) and placebo-saline infusion. Fifty-nine individuals with cLBP (mean age = 46 years; 30 females) completed all study procedures. After the pre-intervention pain testing session, patients were randomized to a four-session (20-min/session) mindfulness (n = 30) or sham mindfulness-meditation (n = 29) intervention. After the interventions, mindfulness and sham mindfulness-meditation were associated with significant reductions in back pain during saline and naloxone infusion when compared to rest (non-meditation) in response to the cLBP-evoking straight leg-raise test. These results indicate that meditation directly reduces evoked chronic pain through non-opioidergic processes. Importantly, after the interventions, the mindfulness group reported significantly lower straight leg-raise induced pain than the sham mindfulness-meditation group during rest (non-meditation) and meditation. Mindfulness and sham mindfulness-meditation training was also associated with significantly lower Brief Pain Inventory severity and interference scores. The pain-relieving effects of mindfulness meditation were more pronounced than a robust sham-mindfulness meditation intervention, suggesting that non-reactive appraisal processes may be uniquely associated with improvements in chronic low-back pain.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04034004.

Start With the Body or the Mind? Differential Benefits of Mindfulness and Qigong Practices for Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study.

Mindfulness and qigong are 2 distinct forms of mind-body practice that have been well-received by cancer survivors. Although there is evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness or qigong in promoting wellness of cancer survivors, little is known about the differential benefits of these common forms of mind-body practices among survivors. To compare the potential biopsychosocial-spiritual impacts of mindfulness and Baduanjin (BDJ) qigong on colorectal cancer survivors. Sixty cancer survivors who participated in a mindfulness intervention (n = 38) and BDJ qigong (n = 22) intervention were invited to provide qualitative feedback for their experiences. Content analyses were conducted to identify emerging themes from the data, and χ2 tests were conducted to compare the responses of the mindfulness and BDJ groups in the major categories. Both practices positively influenced psychosocial wellness. The practice of BDJ qigong led to more prominent improvements in physical well-being, whereas mindfulness worked best in enhancing spiritual growth and intrapersonal connectedness. Survivors of colorectal cancer who are looking for ways to enhance their vitality and rejuvenate their physical body may find the practice of BDJ helpful, whereas survivors who are looking for spiritual comfort or growth may consider practicing mindfulness as an entry point toward mind-body unity. Mindfulness and BDJ may be helpful for survivors of colorectal cancer to improve their holistic wellness. Oncology nurses can consider prescription of mindfulness and/or BDJ for patients recovering from colorectal cancer.

Mindfulness influences the psycho-social dimension of chronic pain: A randomized controlled clinical trial in Indian context.

In India, the awareness about the psycho-social dimension of chronic pain is minimal among physicians and patients. The research with community-based group therapies (like mindfulness) to address the psycho-social aspects in chronic pain patients remains limited. The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to see the effects of mindfulness on pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, chronic pain acceptance, perceived stress, well-being, and mindfulness characteristics. In this two-site, parallel group, clinical trial, 170 patients attending pain outdoors of two government hospitals in West Bengal, India, were randomized to attend five weekly in-person mindfulness sessions (cases) or usual care sessions (controls) within the hospital premises. Pre-program and post-program data were collected and analyzed using statistical methods like repeated measures analysis of variance. In participants of the mindfulness group, significant changes post session were noted in pain intensity [F(1,326) = 15.0122; P = 0.0001291], pain acceptance [F(1,326) = 4.5311; P = 0.03403], and perceived stress score [F(1,326) = 13.2788; P = 0.0003122] compared to pre-session. The changes in pain catastrophizing, World Health Organization well-being and Freiburg mindfulness inventory scores were non-specific. Mindfulness had a positive influence on pain intensity, pain acceptance, and perceived stress of Indian chronic pain patients. The effects on pain catastrophizing, mindfulness characteristics, and well-being (non-specific) were also encouraging. Further studies will be required to substantiate these results.

Mindfulness traits as potential inhibitor of irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty amongst elite female basketball players

Dispositional mindfulness promotes adaptive responses to pressure situations and reduce anxiety and emotional distress, which are common manifestations in sport. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mindfulness characteristics in the display of irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty amongst a sample of elite female basketball players (N = 67, Mage = 25.73 years, SD = 4.4). An online Qualtrics survey containing demographic items, the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory, and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale was used to collect the study data, which were analysed using SPSS. The results from both Pearson correlation coefficient and simple linear regression analyses indicated that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness are significantly related to elite female basketball players having fewer irrational beliefs about their performance and being more tolerant of uncertain situations in their sport. One-way analysis of variance further indicated a significant difference between low, average, and high mindfulness groups, with Tukey's post-hoc analyses confirming that participants with high mindfulness displayed significantly fewer rigid, extreme, self-defeating performance beliefs in sport, and were less prone to impulsive reactions to uncertain circumstances compared to participants with low mindfulness. Sport psychology practitioners are encouraged to consider the integration of mindfulness assessment and training protocols with traditional cognitive behaviour modification approaches to counter female basketball players’ display of distorted beliefs in sport and adverse reactions to ambiguous experiences.

사회적 고립 청년의 긍정심리자본 배양을 위한 마음챙김기반 집단상담 프로그램의 효과

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a mindfulness-based group counseling program targeting socially isolated youth, a psychologically vulnerable group, on the level of social isolation, mindful self compassion (MSC), and psychological capital.
 Methods For this purpose, a mixed research method was used. The program was conducted once a week for a total of 8 sessions targeting 6 socially isolated youths located in G-gu and J-gu, Seoul. As a quantitative study, social isolation, mindfulness-self-compassion, and positive psychological capital scales were compared before and after, and as a qualitative study, thematic analysis was conducted to find out changes in emotions, thoughts, and attitudes.
 Results As a result, significant differences were shown in the social isolation and positive psychological capital scales, and in the mindfulness-self-compassion scale, significant differences were shown only in the subscale self-kindness. In the qualitative study, 4 main themes and 13 sub-themes were found, and participants found that there were positive changes in emotions, thoughts, and attitudes through the mindfulness program.
 Conclusions Therefore, it was found that the mindfulness group counseling program conducted for socially isolated youths was effective in reducing social isolation, cultivating self-kindness and positive psychological capital, and partially helping to improve their quality of life suggests.

Mindfulness training in swimming: Efforts to reduce burnout and stress in junior athletes.

Purpose. The application of mindfulness training in sports activities showed enhancement, but lack of evidence about the effects of mindfulness associated with burnout and stress in junior swimming athletes through mixed research methods which created a gap in this study. Therefore, this research analyzed the effects of mindfulness on burnout and stress. Material and methods. Mixed method research with 51 junior swimming athletes involved in this study. In this quantitative research, burnout level was measured using the Burnout Scale for University Athletes, while stress level was measured using The Perceived Stress Scale. The instruments in qualitative research involved in-depth interviews. Results. First, the findings of the quantitative research found that there were no differences in burnout and stress scores in the mindfulness and control groups at the baseline stage (p≥0.05), but there were differences at the post stage (p ≤ 0.05). While the results of the qualitative research showed diverse perceptions of participants including the advantage, drawbacks and impact of mindfulness training. Conclusions. Thus, our research confirms and highlights that mindfulness training is proven to be an alternative and solution for athletes in reducing burnout and stress levels intended for junior swimming athletes.

Using Mindfulness to Improve Quality of Life in Caregivers of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder: Agency Outcomes for Caregivers and Clients

ObjectivesResearch suggests that the quality of life of professional caregivers of individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder can be enhanced through mindfulness-based training. The effects of such training have been evidenced in terms of perceived psychological stress, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue (i.e., burnout, secondary traumatic stress), and symptoms of depression. In addition to changes in caregiver personal outcomes, mindfulness-based training may have effects on the quality assurance variables of the agency that employs these caregivers. The aim of the present study was to examine the changes from a systems perspective in terms of quality assurance variables related to caregivers and clients in community-based group homes.MethodsProfessional caregivers (n = 216) were randomized into three experimental conditions based on the training they received: mindfulness, psychoeducation, or inservice training-as-usual (control). The effects of the training were assessed in terms of quality assurance indices pertaining to caregivers (progressive discipline, call-ins, days absent, medical referrals, hospitalizations, and caregiver turnover) and clients (learning objectives, behavioral episodes, use of physical restraints, emergency medications [stat], medical emergencies, hospitalizations, aggression to staff, aggression to peers, and level of supervision).ResultsOverall, caregivers in the mindfulness group exhibited significantly fewer progressive discipline and call-ins when compared to the psychoeducation and control groups. Caregivers in both the mindfulness and psychoeducation groups exhibited significantly fewer days of absence from work, medical referrals, and caregiver turnover when compared to the control group. There was no difference across the three groups in terms of hospitalizations. Clients under the care of mindfulness-trained caregivers showed significantly greater improvement in completing learning objectives, fewer behavioral episodes, reduced need for physical restraints and stat medication for behavioral episodes, fewer episodes of aggression to peers, and lower levels of supervision when compared to those in the psychoeducation and control groups. Clients did equally well in terms of medical emergencies, hospitalizations, and aggression to staff in the mindfulness and psychoeducation groups when compared to those in the control group.ConclusionsDifferential effects of mindfulness training, psychoeducation, and inservice training-as-usual were evident in quality assurance variables related to caregivers and clients. The results suggest that training caregivers in different approaches to self-care may differentially affect not only their clinical status but also at a systems level in terms of quality assurance indices.

Evaluating the Effect of Mindfulness Group Training on Anxiety, Stress, and Depression in Mothers with Children with Learning Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Objective: The present study aimed to determine the effect of mindfulness group training on anxiety, stress, and depression in mothers with children with learning disabilities. Materials and Methods: A clinical trial was performed with the participation of 60 mothers with children suffering from learning disabilities in 2021 in Qazvin City, Iran. The participants were divided into control and intervention groups. The data was collected using a demographic data checklist and the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) questionnaire three times (before the intervention, immediately after the sessions, and two months after the intervention). The intervention group received eight sessions of 90 minutes of mindfulness group training. The gathered data was imported into R software (version 4.1.0) and subjected to repeated measures of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the paired t-test or Wilcoxon test. Results: The results indicated that the average scores of stress, anxiety, and depression before the interventions in the mothers in both groups had no meaningful differences. This intervention could significantly increase the stress, anxiety, and depression in mothers with children with learning disabilities in two months of follow-up after the intervention in the test group, in comparison with the control group, and shows a meaningful statistical difference (P˂0.05). Conclusion: It can be concluded that mindfulness group training is influential on the amount of stress, anxiety, and depression in mothers with children suffering from learning disabilities. Therefore, it is recommended to use the conclusions of the current investigation in designing therapeutic and educational programs to reduce the psychological distress of parents with children suffering from learning disabilities.

An empirical study to evaluate the impact of mindfulness on helpdesk employees

Purpose: Mindfulness is a meditation technique whose main goal involves maintaining a calm mind and training attention by focusing only on a single thing (the support) at a time; this support is usually the practitioner's breathing. The practice of mindfulness aims to improve concentration and attention, which has proven useful in knowledge-intensive and stressful work environments like technological companies. This article aims to find empirical evidence on the positive effect of the practice of mindfulness on a sample of 56 helpdesk employees working for a consulting and information technology company (Accenture) with respect to: i) their attention awareness; ii) a set of key performance indicators (KPIs); and iii) the perceived benefits of mindfulness. Method: Of the 56 recruited employees, 29 worked as managers, and 27 worked as agents answering phone calls to solve software issues of the main information system of the Andalusian Health Service, a public organization with more than 115,000 employees. Mindfulness (the treatment) was applied to 26 subjects, while the other 30 subjects were the control group. For all subjects, their attention awareness was measured using the MAAS scale. Results: Both helpdesk managers and agents significantly improved their attention awareness with respect to the control group. Regarding organizational KPIs, in general, no evidence of significant differences between groups was detected, apart from the fact that the number of phone calls answered was significantly lower in the mindfulness group, probably due to a longer call duration caused by a deliberate better attention to the customer, but without degrading any other KPI. With respect to the perceived benefits of the treatment, the questionnaires show relevant improvements perceived by most employees after practicing mindfulness.Conclusions: We confirm that mindfulness improves attention awareness and benefits the working and personal life of helpdesk employees. However, further research is needed to identify a clear impact on productivity.

The role of mindfulness on theta inter-brain synchrony during cooperation feedback processing: An EEG-based hyperscanning study

Mindfulness appears to improve empathy and understanding in relationships, which are necessary for successful cooperation. However, the impact of mindfulness on cooperation has not been fully studied. This study used hyperscanning technique to examine the effect of mindfulness on the inter-brain synchrony of interacting individuals during the cooperative tasks. Forty-one dyads were randomly assigned to a mindfulness group or a non-mindfulness group. Dyads of the mindfulness group performed a short mindfulness exercise following a 15-minute mindfulness audio guidance. Dyads of the non-mindfulness group were instructed to rest quietly with their eyes closed. Then, simultaneously and continuously EEG was recorded from all dyads when they completed a computer-based cooperative game task. Reaction times (RTs) and success rates were used to indicate the behavioral performance, and phase locking value (PLV) was used to indicate the inter-brain synchrony. The results showed that (1) Greater theta inter-brain synchrony during the cooperative computer game tasks was observed in the mindfulness group than in the non-mindfulness group; (2) Greater theta inter-brain synchrony was observed in the successful cooperation conditions as compared to those in the failure cooperation conditions; (3) Greater theta inter-brain synchrony was observed at the frontal region as compared to those at the parietal-occipital region in the successful cooperation condition. The results expand the neural basis of the effects of mindfulness on cooperation feedback processing.

Interventions to reduce burnout among clinical nurses: systematic review and meta-analysis

Sporadic evidence exists for burnout interventions in terms of types, dosage, duration, and assessment of burnout among clinical nurses. This study aimed to evaluate burnout interventions for clinical nurses. Seven English databases and two Korean databases were searched to retrieve intervention studies on burnout and its dimensions between 2011 and 2020.check Thirty articles were included in the systematic review, 24 of them for meta-analysis. Face-to-face mindfulness group intervention was the most common intervention approach. When burnout was measured as a single concept, interventions were found to alleviate burnout when measured by the ProQoL (n = 8, standardized mean difference [SMD] = − 0.654, confidence interval [CI] = − 1.584, 0.277, p < 0.01, I2 = 94.8%) and the MBI (n = 5, SMD = − 0.707, CI = − 1.829, 0.414, p < 0.01, I2 = 87.5%). The meta-analysis of 11 articles that viewed burnout as three dimensions revealed that interventions could reduce emotional exhaustion (SMD = − 0.752, CI = − 1.044, − 0.460, p < 0.01, I2 = 68.3%) and depersonalization (SMD = − 0.822, CI = − 1.088, − 0.557, p < 0.01, I2 = 60.0%) but could not improve low personal accomplishment. Clinical nurses' burnout can be alleviated through interventions. Evidence supported reducing emotional exhaustion and depersonalization but did not support low personal accomplishment.

Exploring the Benefits of an Arts-Based Mindfulness Group Intervention for Youth Experiencing Challenges in Schooling

Research exploring the benefits of Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) with youth is emerging and promising for the improvement of resiliencies. We developed an arts-based mindfulness intervention to make learning mindfulness accessible for children who had experienced trauma. Arts-based methods are engaging, enjoyable, and developmentally relevant. Previously, we found benefits of participating in this MBI for children aged 8 to 12 years. Herein we discuss research in which we explored the benefits of this MBI for adolescents who were experiencing challenges with schooling; 146 youth completed the program. Our research question asked whether the MBI was beneficial and/or effective for these youth and, if so, what were these benefits and how did these benefits assist youth to cope? Benefits were explored via reflexive thematic analysis (TA) of pre/post-intervention, and follow-up individual interviews with youth. Effectiveness was assessed by analyzing pre- and post-intervention scores on youth self-report inventories measuring mindfulness and resilience, as well as responses from caregiver assessments of behavior/coping. To assess if there were changes in responses across timeperiods, a series of repeated measures ANOVA were employed. Quantitative findings were mixed in that the youths’ self-report scores measuring resilience showed limited improvement while mindfulness showed no significant change. However, parents’ perceptions regarding their child’s behaviors indicated significant improvements in social competence and both internalizing/externalizing behaviors. Similarly, the thematic analysis suggested improvements in youths’ self-awareness, self-judgment, thinking, mood, ability to make choices, social skills, coping, and emotion regulation. The results are promising and warrant further investigation of arts-based approaches to facilitating mindfulness with youth.

The effect of a course mindfulness exercises on working memory indexes in adolescents

Introduction: Research has shown that neglecting psychological skills such as mindfulness leads to a decline in physical and psychological performance in people. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a course of mindfulness exercises on working memory indexes in adolescents. Method: The present study was a semi-experimental study with two experimental and control groups. The statistical population consisted of teenagers aged 14 to 18 years in the first district of Tehran city in 2022. The participants included 20 adolescents (10 girls and 10 boys) who were available, selected, and randomly divided into two 10-member mindfulness and control groups. The mindfulness group exercises lasted 20-45 minutes per session for 6 weeks. Corsi Block software was used to measure working memory indexes. Mixed analysis of variance and independent and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data. All statistical analyzes were performed with SPSS software version 21 at the P&lt;0.05 level. Results: The results for the number of correct responses showed that the main effect of stage (F=26.85, P=0.0001, η2=0.59) and the interactive effect of stage-group (F=10.87, P=0.004, η2=0.37) were significant, but the main effect of group (F=0.23, P=0.59, η2=0.01) was not significant. The results of the paired-samples t test showed that the mindfulness group showed significant progress from the pretest to the posttest (P=0.0001). Conclusion: The results of this study show the effect of mindfulness exercises on working memory indicators in adolescents. This type of intervention can be of great help to professionals in this field to improve people's cognitive and motor performance. Therefore, it is suggested to use mindfulness exercises to improve working memory and its effect on the process of cognitive decisions.

The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Sexual Counseling on Sexual Distress, Attitude Toward Sexuality, and Body Image Concerns in Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Sexual distress during pregnancy can cause a negative attitude toward sexuality during pregnancy, and this can be seen especially in conjunction with body image concerns. This study was conducted to determine the effects of mindfulness-based sexual counseling (MBSC) on sexual distress, attitudes toward sexuality, and body image concerns in pregnant women. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in a sample of women who experienced sexual distress presenting to a Healthy Living Center in eastern Turkey. Women (N = 134) were randomly assigned to receive a 4-week, 8-session counseling program based on mindfulness (experimental group; n = 67) or treatment as usual (control group; n = 67). The primary outcome of the study, sexual distress, was assessed using the Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised. Secondary outcomes included attitude toward sexuality, assessed using the Attitude Scale toward Sexuality during Pregnancy, and body image concerns, using the Body Image Concerns during Pregnancy Scale. Outcomes were compared postintervention, correcting for baseline using analysis of covariance. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04900194). Mean scores for sexual distress (7.69 vs 17.36; P < .001) and body image concerns (57.76 vs 73.88; P < .001) decreased significantly in the mindfulness group compared with the control group. Similarly, mean scores for attitudes toward sexuality significantly improved in the mindfulness group compared with the control group (133.52 vs 105.78; P < .05). MBSC is a promising strategy to help women experiencing sexual distress during pregnancy to reduce their levels of sexual distress, raise their positive attitudes toward sexuality, and lower their body image concerns. Larger clinical trials of MBSC are recommended to support introduction of MBSC into clinical practice.

Mindfulness in sex therapy and intimate relationships: a feasibility and randomized controlled pilot study in a cross-diagnostic group.

Mindfulness facets can be trained with structured mindfulness interventions, but little is known regarding application on a broader level within sex therapy (e.g. men, partners and different sexual dysfunctions). To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an 8-week intervention-specifically, mindfulness for sex and intimacy in relationships (MSIR)-as a supplement to treatment as usual (TAU) as compared with only TAU in a clinical sample of men and women referred for sexual difficulties with or without a partner. In this randomized controlled feasibility pilot study, 34 participants were randomized to MSIR + TAU (n = 15) or TAU (n = 19). Six healthy partners were also included in the study. MSIR was administered as 2 individual evaluations and six 2-hour group sessions of mixed gender and different types of sexual dysfunction. The primary outcome measures were as follows: (1) feasibility, defined as the implementation of recruitment, acceptance, and attendance of intervention in daily clinical practice and the MSIR completion rate; (2) sexual functioning, as measured on a visual analog scale ("bothered by problem") and by validated questionnaires (Changes in Sexual Function Questionnaire for Females and Males, Female Sexual Function Index, Female Sexual Distress Scale, International Index of Erectile Function). MSIR was feasible and well received by patients, with high rates of acceptance and intervention completion. As compared with pretreatment, the MSIR + TAU group and TAU control group were significantly less bothered by their sexual problems at the end of treatment, but the change was significantly larger in the MSIR + TAU group (P = .04). Participants in the MSIR + TAU group did not receive fewer TAU sessions than the TAU group (MSIR + TAU mean,6 sessions; TAU mean,8 sessions). MSIR could be effectively used in a clinical setting as an add-on to TAU in the treatment of female and male sexual dysfunction and healthy partners. The major strength of the study is that it is a randomized controlled study. This study is novel in the sense that it included men and women with different types of sexual dysfunction in the same mindfulness group. Limitations include the pilot nature of the study (e.g. a small sample size), and statistical conclusions should be made with caution. More accurate results may be found in a larger sample. Results from this study support already existing evidence that mindfulness-based interventions are feasible and effective for targeting sexual dysfunctions in men and women.

Effects of mindfulness and fatigue on emotional processing: an event-related potentials study.

Fatigue is a common experience in everyday life. People who experience fatigue will have more intense negative emotions, and at the same time, their positive emotions will decrease, impairing the individual's emotional processing ability. In previous research, mindfulness meditation reduces the intensity of negative emotional stimuli. However, if individuals continue to be affected by negative emotions when they are fatigued, it is unclear whether mindfulness can buffer the negative association between fatigue and emotions. This study examined whether mindfulness meditation affects the association between fatigue and emotions, using event-related potentials (ERPs). One hundred and forty-five participants completed the experiment. They were randomly assigned to the Mindfulness or Non-mindfulness group; and they were presented with positive, neutral, or negative pictures in an emotional processing task before and after mindfulness or rest. Late positive potential (LPP) is an important indicator of emotional stimuli perceived by individuals, and positive or negative pictures can induce an increase in LPP amplitude more than neutral pictures. Our findings suggest that fatigue significantly affected individuals' LPP amplitudes in the early, mid, and late windows in the Non-mindfulness group, specifically, the more fatigued individuals had lower LPP amplitudes, but not in the Mindfulness group. These results suggest that in a state of fatigue, mindful individuals are able to maintain responsiveness to emotional stimuli by maintaining LPP amplitude. Our study has demonstrated that mindfulness meditation, to some extent, offsets the negative association of fatigue with the neural activation of emotions.

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.