Mindfulness Meditation Practice Research Articles

Beyond breathing exercises: rethinking mindfulness through a Buddhist lens to combat unethical decision-making in organizations

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the intersection of mindfulness practices and ethical decision-making within organisational leadership. Drawing from ancient Buddhist principles and contemporary neuroscience, this study aims to illuminate how mindfulness can enhance cognitive and emotional regulation, thereby fostering ethical behaviour and improved decision-making among leaders and employees. By examining the theoretical and practical implications of mindfulness in the context of organisational behaviour, this research seeks to contribute to the development of more compassionate, ethical and effective leadership practices, ultimately promoting a more mindful and sustainable business environment. Design/methodology/approach This concept paper explores the integration of mindfulness meditation practices with decision-making, particularly its influence on ethical choices, through a comparative study of modern techniques and the ancient teachings of the Tripitaka. Using a methodology that spans literature review in organisational behaviour and leadership, alongside in-depth analysis of the Tripitaka and contributions from scholars like Bhikkhu Bodhi, the paper examines the potential of mindfulness in enhancing ethical decision-making. It incorporates a range of sources, including peer-reviewed journals and seminal books across various disciplines, to underscore the transformative potential of mindfulness in addressing contemporary challenges and guiding leadership practices. Findings This discussion explores how mindfulness, rooted in ancient Buddhist philosophy and aligned with modern neuroscience, can significantly enhance managerial decision-making by fostering a balance between cognitive and emotional factors. It delves into the transformative potential of mindfulness in refining thought processes, promoting ethical decision-making and mitigating cognitive biases. By bridging traditional wisdom with contemporary scientific insights, the analysis underscores mindfulness as an active, dynamic process crucial for personal growth and effective leadership in complex environments. Research limitations/implications One limitation of this research is its reliance on theoretical frameworks and literature reviews, which may not capture the full range of practical challenges in implementing mindfulness practices within organisations. Additionally, the diversity in mindfulness methodologies and the subjective nature of mindfulness experiences may affect the generalisability of the findings. Future research should include empirical studies to validate the proposed benefits of mindfulness in organisational settings and explore the most effective strategies for integrating mindfulness practices into leadership and decision-making processes. This would help in understanding how mindfulness can be tailored to suit different organisational cultures and individual preferences. Practical implications The practical implications of applying mindfulness in organisational settings include enhanced decision-making abilities, improved leadership effectiveness and increased employee well-being. Mindfulness training can equip leaders and employees with the skills to manage stress, navigate complex ethical decisions and maintain focus amidst distractions, leading to more thoughtful and responsible business practices. Organisations might see a reduction in conflict, enhanced creativity and better teamwork, contributing to a more harmonious and productive workplace. Implementing mindfulness programmes could also support talent retention and attraction by promoting a workplace culture that values mental health and ethical behaviour. Social implications The social implications of integrating mindfulness into organisational decision-making and leadership, as suggested by the document, include promoting ethical behaviour, enhancing emotional regulation and improving team dynamics. Mindfulness practices can lead to more informed and conscious decision-making, reducing cognitive biases and fostering a culture of ethical awareness within organisations. This shift towards mindful leadership could potentially transform organisational cultures, encouraging greater compassion, ethical responsibility and collective well-being, thereby contributing positively to broader societal values and norms. Originality/value The originality and value of this research lie in its novel integration of mindfulness concepts derived from ancient Buddhist teachings with contemporary neuroscience and organisational behaviour studies. By exploring the deep-rooted philosophical underpinnings of mindfulness and their applicability to modern ethical decision-making and leadership practices, this work offers a unique perspective that bridges historical wisdom with current scientific understanding. It provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the transformative potential of mindfulness in organisational settings, highlighting its capacity to foster ethical leadership, enhance decision-making processes and contribute to a more mindful, compassionate and sustainable business environment.

Sleep hygiene measures combined with mindfulness meditation in the management of sleep bruxism in children: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Sleep hygiene measures and meditation may reduce stress and improve sleep quality, but their effect on the occurrence of sleep bruxism in children has not yet been investigated. To explore the effects of sleep hygiene measures combined with mindfulness meditation (relaxation audio) in the management of probable sleep bruxism (SB) in children. This clinical trial (no. NCT04501237) randomized 36 children with 3-8 years of age. Probable SB detection was performed according to the criteria established by the International Consensus on The Assessment of Bruxism-2018. Intervention group was instructed to practice sleep hygiene measures and mindfulness meditation (i.e., the use of a digital app to broadcast audio relaxation) each night before bedtime for 5 weeks; control group did not receive guidance for therapies. Parents completed a bruxism diary for 5 weeks, and the outcome was the number of SB episodes-day reported in the week (ranging from 0 to 7) in each period. A multilevel mixed-effects Poisson regression model was performed. A total of 32 children (mean age: 6.1 years) completed the study. The children who received the therapies related to sleep hygiene measures and mindfulness meditation had a reduction in the SB incidence rate ratio (IRR)of 46% (IRR = 0.54 [Confidence Interval 95%, 0.45-0.65]) during a 5-week observation period. The sensitivity analyses did not show relevant changes in the measure of the effect. Sleep hygiene measures combined with mindfulness meditation reduced the SB in children.

Frequent Lucid Dreaming Is Associated with Meditation Practice Styles, Meta-Awareness, and Trait Mindfulness

Lucid dreaming involves becoming aware that one’s current experience is a dream, which has similarities with the notion of mindfulness—becoming aware of moment-to-moment changes in experience. Additionally, meta-awareness, the ability to explicitly notice the current content of one’s own mental state, has also been proposed to play an important role both in lucid dreaming and mindfulness meditation practices. However, research has shown conflicting strengths of associations between mindfulness, meditation, and lucid dreaming frequency, and the link between lucid dreaming and meta-awareness has not yet been empirically studied. This study evaluated the associations between lucid dreaming frequency and different meditation practice styles, mindfulness traits, and individual differences in meta-awareness through an online survey (n = 635). The results suggest that daily frequent meditators experience more lucid dreams than non-frequent meditators. However, weekly frequent meditators did not have a higher lucid dreaming frequency. A positive association was observed between open monitoring styles of meditation and lucid dreaming. The findings also indicate that meta-awareness is higher for meditators and weekly lucid dreamers. Furthermore, frequent lucid dreaming was commonly associated with a non-reactive stance and experiencing transcendence. Overall, the findings suggest a positive relationship between specific meditation practices and lucid dreaming as well as the importance of meta-awareness as a cognitive process linking meditation, mindfulness, and lucid dreaming.

Mindfulness, social evaluation anxiety, and self-regulation: exploring their association on impulsive behavior among athletes

Mindfulness, social evaluation anxiety, and self-regulation: exploring their association on impulsive behavior among athletes

Exploring the Role of Mindfulness Meditation in Facilitating English Learning and Optimizing Classroom Teaching

Mindfulness meditation is a technique for regulating attention and emotions, which can help individuals enhance self-awareness and reduce stress. This paper aims at review the positive effects of mindfulness meditation on English learners and teachers, including improving English learning abilities and enhancing motivation, confidence, and enjoyment in English learning. Through systematic literature searches and screening methods from databases such as CNKI, Wan fang, Pub Med, and Web of Science, relevant papers on mindfulness meditation and English learning from the past decade were selected. Their research purposes, methods, innovations, and conclusions were analyzed. This paper specifically explores the literature review on the impact of mindfulness meditation on English learning, summarizing both the theory and practice of mindfulness meditation, and proposing future research directions and suggestions. Mindfulness meditation has a positive impact on English learning and classroom teaching, but its specific effects are influenced by various factors such as the type, duration, and frequency of mindfulness meditation. More empirical research is needed to validate its effects on English learning and to explore the optimal integration methods.

Effects of brief mindfulness meditation training on attention and dispositional mindfulness in young adult males

This study examined the impact of brief mindfulness meditation (BMM) training on attention function and dispositional mindfulness in young males. 126 male participants aged 18–26 from the security industry were recruited, with 66 participants (M = 22.84, SD = 2.41) undergoing 4-week mindfulness meditation training and 60 participants (M = 23.07, SD = 2.29) in the active control group. The intervention was integrated into the participants' schedules. Measures included Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaires (FFMQ), concentration and assignment attention tasks, Attention Network Test (ANT), and saliva cortisol concentration. Findings indicate that brief mindfulness meditation training led to significant improvements in participants' FFMQ scores), with marginally significant enhancements in the executive control network. However, it had no discernible effect on alertness and orientation networks. Additionally, brief mindfulness meditation training enhanced attention allocation to light stimulation and prolonged individual attention. Surprisingly, there was no observed decrease in saliva cortisol concentration among meditation training participants. However, this study did not find a decrease in saliva cortisol concentration in the brief mindfulness meditation group. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of a 4-week brief mindfulness meditation training program to enhance dispositional mindfulness and specific aspects of attention function in young men, offering practical insights into the benefits of mindfulness meditation practices for this demographic.

The effects of a mindfulness meditation program on enhancing musical perception of time: A pilot study

Mindfulness meditation practices have garnered a lot of popularity in recent years. Various psychological benefits of mindfulness meditation have been documented in a myriad of literature. In this pilot study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a short-term mindfulness training program on time-based musical perceptions of pre-service music teachers. Here, time-based perception entails the accurate perception of pattern, meter, and tempo. A one-group pretest–posttest design was implemented as a model. Pre-service music teachers ( n = 8) completed the rhythm, rhythm-to-melody, and tempo subscales of the modular-PROMS before and after undergoing an 8-week-long mindfulness training program. Whereas significant enhancements of rhythm and rhythm-to-melody perceptions were observed, a similar kind of enhancement was not detected with respect to tempo perception.

Experience of Mindfulness Meditations Based on Stress Reduction among Undergraduate Nursing Students, Chitwan, Nepal.

Undergraduate nursing students are frequently vulnerable to stress during their education with a high rate of attrition. Mindfulness Mediations based on Stress Reductions have been found to promote psychological well-being and mental health among nursing students. Therefore, the objective of the study was to explore the experiences of Mindfulness among undergraduate nursing students. Qualitative Hermeneutic Phenomenology research design was adopted. Data were collected from under graduate nursing students from Chitwan Medical College, Institute of Medicine who had been practicing Mindfulness Meditation for 6 weeks. The duration of data collection was January to June 2022. Data were collected after obtaining ethical approval from Nepal Health Research Council. Focused Group Discussions were conducted to collect data by the researcher using the Focused Group Discussion guide in Nepali language. A total of three Focused Group Discussions was carried out among 12 participants in each Focused Group Discussion with a total of 36 participants. Data were analyzed by thematic analysis technique based on Giorgi's qualitative data analysis technique. Five developed themes were stress managed well in daily life and during examination time, present moment awareness and positivity, self-realization of inner peace and more self-acceptance, and feeling of developed future role for advocating mindfulness meditations. Mindfulness-based mediations have been found effective strategies among undergraduate nursing for the management of stress during daily living and during examinations, development of self-realization, increase inner peace, self-acceptance and developed skills for future role for advocating mindfulness meditations.

Mindfulness and Yoga

More recently, counselors have been interested in mindfulness meditation and yoga practices. Although these practices may seem unconventional or alternative in some cultures, they actually fall under the umbrella of behavior therapy. Given the emphasis on skill building in behavior therapy, minfulness and yoga fit the the goal of reducingin distressing symptoms. To better understand these practices within the behavior therapy lens, this article reviews research concerning these interventions. Before synthesizing current trends in mindfulness meditation and yoga practices across contexts, we summarize the foundations and history of behavior therapy. Yoga, or physical activity, seems to be a great complement to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) therapy, as well as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Mindfulness-based approaches are effective in reducing depressive symptoms, anxiety, dysphoria, burnout, and rumination. Furthermore, these interventions support the social and emotional skills associated with self-regulation. Of course, the therapy chosen depends on the client’s goals and the therapist’s training experience. If the client wants these outcomes and is open to mediation and yoga, a counselor trained in these modalities should not hesitate to implement this facet of behavior therapy. Implications for helping clients increase wellbeing through skill building are offerred.

Mindfulness and Religiosity: Four Propositions to Advance a More Integrative Pedagogical Approach

AbstractIn this commentary article, we critically discuss the need for greater understanding of intercultural and interreligious competence when teaching and applying the practice of mindfulness and contemplative meditation. We start by considering the predominant religious and belief systems that exist worldwide, how each system utilises meditation, and how this meditative practice can be linked to the experience of mindfulness. We then consider how mindfulness can be discussed when taught, through the cultivation of intercultural and interreligious competence. To create a clearer direction in the teaching of mindfulness within the context of interreligious competence, we present four propositions or considerations. We have also put forward a model that suggests mindfulness is a means to achieving greater understanding of self and, thus, more than a clinical tool for ameliorating observable malaise. Moreover, we assert that mindfulness and contemplative meditation practices lie on a continuum that provides the opportunity for self-realisation and optimal states of wellbeing. Our aim is to extend previous discussions on intercultural and interreligious competence as this relates to the practice of meditation. In addition, we continue the philosophical and pedagogical debate to enable teachers and students to optimise the full potential of meditation. In doing so, we create an expansive dialogue to enable teachers and students to engage in a richer and more accepting learning landscape.

Mindfulness meditation styles differently modulate source-level MEG microstate dynamics and complexity.

The investigation of mindfulness meditation practice, classically divided into focused attention meditation (FAM), and open monitoring meditation (OMM) styles, has seen a long tradition of theoretical, affective, neurophysiological and clinical studies. In particular, the high temporal resolution of magnetoencephalography (MEG) or electroencephalography (EEG) has been exploited to fill the gap between the personal experience of meditation practice and its neural correlates. Mounting evidence, in fact, shows that human brain activity is highly dynamic, transiting between different brain states (microstates). In this study, we aimed at exploring MEG microstates at source-level during FAM, OMM and in the resting state, as well as the complexity and criticality of dynamic transitions between microstates. Ten right-handed Theravada Buddhist monks with a meditative expertise of minimum 2,265 h participated in the experiment. MEG data were acquired during a randomized block design task (6 min FAM, 6 min OMM, with each meditative block preceded and followed by 3 min resting state). Source reconstruction was performed using eLORETA on individual cortical space, and then parcellated according to the Human Connect Project atlas. Microstate analysis was then applied to parcel level signals in order to derive microstate topographies and indices. In addition, from microstate sequences, the Hurst exponent and the Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) were computed. Our results show that the coverage and occurrence of specific microstates are modulated either by being in a meditative state or by performing a specific meditation style. Hurst exponent values in both meditation conditions are reduced with respect to the value observed during rest, LZC shows significant differences between OMM, FAM, and REST, with a progressive increase from REST to FAM to OMM. Importantly, we report changes in brain criticality indices during meditation and between meditation styles, in line with a state-like effect of meditation on cognitive performance. In line with previous reports, we suggest that the change in cognitive state experienced in meditation is paralleled by a shift with respect to critical points in brain dynamics.

TOTAL SELF‐TRANSFORMATION USING MINDFULNESS

AbstractThe author is a longtime corporate leader with extensive experience running executive development programs. He writes about the effective use of mindfulness for personal and professional development, including demystifying the term itself. He wants readers to “understand, explore, practice, get into the habit of and own the full extent of the amazing power of the dual approach of mindfulness meditation and of living mindfully.” He explains a “simple, practical, and powerful framework. It blends ancient Indian and Buddhist wisdom with current findings of neuroscience and my work in leadership development with corporate America. My dual approach has two key components. First, practicing 10 minutes of deep breathing every day to settle the mind, immediately followed by mindfulness meditation for 20 minutes, for a total of 30 minutes.” Noting that most of us take our minds for granted, he claims that “practicing mindfulness meditation every day is the equivalent to physical exercise, in terms of keeping the mind calm and functioning at its very peak. Living mindfully in the moment by observing our thoughts and feelings on an ongoing basis creates constant awareness. This awareness becomes sharper over time and is a prerequisite for personal change.”

A prevention program for binge drinking among students based on mindfulness and implementation intention (ALCOMEDIIT): a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe emergence of new problematic alcohol consumption practices among young people requires new dynamics in prevention strategies. In this context, the ADUC project (Alcohol and Drugs at the University of Caen) aims to develop a better understanding of alcohol consumption, and in particular the practice of binge drinking (BD) in students, in order to develop relevant and adapted prevention tools. The ALCOMEDIIT study (Rin Normandie and IRESP funding; Agreement 20II31-00 - ADUC part 3) is a randomized controlled trial that focuses on the specific determinant of impulsivity. The main objective of this experiment is to assess a program for the prevention of BD practices based on motivational interviewing (MI) associated with implementation intention (II) and mindfulness meditation (MBM) in a student environment.MethodsThis study will include 170 healthy subjects who will be students at the university, alcohol users, with a BD score > 1 in the month preceding the inclusion but not presenting any specific disorder. The trial will be proposed by e-mail and students who meet the inclusion criteria will join either a control group which will benefit from a MI or an experimental group which will additionally benefit from an initiation to MBM with II (initial visit T0). In order to measure the effectiveness of the prevention program in terms of BD decrease, a follow-up at 1 month (T1) as well as a follow-up at 6 months (T6; exploratory) will be proposed to all participants. The total duration of this research protocol is 21 months.DiscussionThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the interest of associating mindfulness meditation practices and implementation of self-regulation strategies to optimize their use, with a motivational interview in an innovative prevention program aiming at reducing alcohol use and BD practice in the student population.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05565989, September 30, 2022.https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05565989Protocol version 2.0 (September 2022)No. ID-RCB : 2022-A00983-40

Mindful police leadership: Opening essential new pathways to 21st-century police leadership and culture

Canadian police managers are facing a series of daunting new challenges that will require significant personal resources to address. Growing research suggests mindfulness training, meditation, and other related contemplative practices appear to benefit leaders in other professions; however, little is known about how these practices may, or may not, be helpful for police leaders. This article contributes to this understanding by sharing results from an exploratory qualitative study that asked senior police leaders who self-identified as regular meditators to discuss how their practices might influence their leadership. Guided by a reflective thematic analysis approach and utilizing NVivo Qualitative Data Analysis Software, data from semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 11 Commissioned Officers from a large Canadian police service were analyzed for themes. Broadly organized by influence on job performance, relationships, and well-being, eight distinct themes were developed: enhanced calmness and self-control; better clarity and decision making; improved focus and efficiency; enhanced presence with others; improved conflict resolution practices; greater compassion and empathy; reduced harmful stress; and enhanced resilience and work/life integration. These results begin to extend the literature on mindful leadership from other workplace contexts into the realm of police leadership and suggest that meditation and mindfulness are beneficial practices that may open new and essential pathways towards 21st century police leadership and culture.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We aimed to investigate the intervention effect of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in patients with postpartum depression. The method of computer and manual keyword retrieval was used to search PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library. Literature included in the study was assessed for quality and meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Twelve articles were finally included in the study and the meta-analysis showed that 6 articles used the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to compare MBIs with conventional therapy, and the statistical heterogeneity between the combined results was low (P=0.18, I2=32%). The level of depression in postpartum depression patients was lower in the MBIs group than in the conventional group [MD=3.13, 95%CI (2.57, 3.70), P<0.00001]. Based on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the comparison between MBIs and conventional therapy had low statistical heterogeneity between the combined results (P=0.56, I2=0%). The level of depression in patients with postpartum depression who received MBIs was significantly lower than in the conventional care group [MD=5.89, 95%CI (4.88, 6.91), P<0.00001]. Subgroup analysis showed that the best intervention duration for MBIs for postpartum depression was within 4 weeks (SMD=-1.785), each session ≦60 minutes (SMD=-1.435), and participants had to complete the best three times per week (SMD=-2.185). MBIs can alleviate depression in women, thereby facilitating their adjustment to new life. It is recommended to practice mindfulness meditation for 30 minutes per day.

The Effects of Meditation on Test Anxiety Levels Among High School Students

Important exams often cause increased test anxiety in high school students, which further negatively affects their learning and academic performance. The practice of mindfulness meditation guides one to focus on the present moment, allowing them to calm their mind and concentrate at the same time. Although several studies have previously been done on meditation, mental health, and test anxiety, there has been no research that specifically examines the effect of meditation on reducing test anxiety for high school students. This study analyzes the effects of meditation on mindfulness and test anxiety among students in two honors (accelerated) Algebra 2 classes (n = 60). Over the course of two weeks leading up to the final exam, all students followed a guided meditation program, requiring them to practice five-minutes of meditation during every class period and every night before they went to sleep. A pre-post survey design was adapted from the Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale, Westside Test Anxiety Scale Validation, and the Test Anxiety Inventory for Children and Adolescents. After participating in the meditation program, 75% of all the results comparing the pre-meditation survey to the post-meditation survey depicted significance (p ≤ 0.05). These results reveal that there was a significant improvement in the students’ mindfulness, as well as a significant reduction in test anxiety. Furthermore, those who meditated both in-class and before-bed tended to exhibit better and more significant results than those who only meditated in-class.

The impact of brief mindfulness meditation on anxiety, cognitive load, and teamwork in emergency simulation training: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundEmergency simulation training may impose a heavy psychological burden on health professions students (HPS), evoking anxiety, and overwhelming their cognitive load. Mindfulness may have a positive impact on HPS’ anxiety, cognitive load, and teamwork during simulation training. The effects of integration of a brief pre-briefing mindfulness meditation (MM) practice into emergency simulation training, on anxiety, cognitive load, and teamwork remain understudied. MethodsFrom November 2021 to June 2022, 70 undergraduate HPS participated in this pilot randomized controlled study. Participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG, n = 24) that completed a brief in-person mindfulness meditation training program (MMTP) (2 h/week during 4 weeks) or a control group (CG, n = 46). Each group was comprised of teams (2 medical students and 1–2 nursing students). Measures of anxiety, mindfulness, cognitive load, and teamwork were collected at 4-time points: baseline, after the completion of the brief MMTP (for the EG only), at the first simulation assessment within one month later, and the second (6-month follow-up) simulation assessment. Student's t and Wilcoxon Mann-Whiney tests were used to compare the groups' measures and changes over time. A one-way repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to assess anxiety and mindfulness scores' changes over time among EG participants. Results52 participants completed all time-point assessments. EG participants recorded better state-anxiety, cognitive load, and teamwork scores than the CG participants in both simulation assessments. However, no statistically significant differences were recorded between the EG and the CG in trait-anxiety and mindfulness at the 6-month follow-up assessment. ConclusionBrief pre-briefing MM practice mitigates HPS' state-anxiety, and promotes cognitive load, and teamwork during emergency simulation training. Simulation instructors should consider MM practice in the emergency healthcare simulation instructional design.

Longitudinal associations between psychedelic use and meditation practices in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Previous research has proposed that there may be potential synergies between psychedelic and meditation interventions, but there are still knowledge gaps that merit further investigation. Using a longitudinal observational research design with samples representative of the US and UK adult population with regard to sex, age, and ethnicity (N = 9732), we investigated potential associations between self-reported psychedelic use and meditation practice. The follow-up survey was completed by 7667 respondents (79% retention rate), with 100 respondents reporting psychedelic use during the 2-month study period (1.3% of follow-up respondents). In covariate-adjusted regression models, psychedelic use during the study period was associated with greater increases in the number of days of mindfulness meditation practice in the past week (B = 0.40, p = 0.004). Among those who reported psychedelic use during the study period, covariate-adjusted regression models revealed that the subjective experience of insight during respondents' most intense psychedelic experience in that period was also associated with greater increases in the number of days of mindfulness and loving-kindness or compassion meditation practice in the past week (B = 0.42, p = 0.021; B = 0.38, p = 0.017). Notably, more days of loving-kindness or compassion meditation practice in the past week at baseline was associated with less severe subjective feelings of death or dying during respondents' most intense psychedelic experience in the study period (B = -0.29, p = 0.037). Psychedelic use might lead to greater engagement with meditation practices such as mindfulness meditation, while meditation practices such as loving-kindness or compassion medication might buffer against certain challenging experiences associated with psychedelic use.

Training the Moral Self: An 8-Week Mindfulness Meditation Program Leads to Reduced Dishonest Behavior and Increased Regulation of Interoceptive Awareness

ObjectivesRecent meta-analyses suggest that mindfulness meditation may enhance prosocial behavior, while evidence regarding moral behavior is still scarce. We combined a randomized controlled mindfulness training design with an ecologically valid moral decision-making task (Temptation to Lie Card Game; TLCG), in which participants were tempted to deceive an opponent to increase their monetary payoff.MethodTLCG and self-report measures (in the domains of attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation, and change in the perspective of the self) were administered to participants who underwent the mindfulness meditation training (experimental group, n = 44) or were waitlisted (control group, n = 25) twice: before and after the 8-week training.ResultsConcerning moral decision-making, we observed a significant effect involving condition, time, and group. Trained participants deceived significantly less in the post-training as compared with the pre-training phase (p = 0.03), while untrained ones showed no significant change (p = 0.58). In the self-reports, significant effects involving time and group were found for the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2) in Self-Regulation, Attention Regulation, Body Listening, and for the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in Non-Reactivity to inner experience. Trained participants showed a time-related increase in all subscales scores, while untrained ones did not. Finally, a moderation analysis revealed a significant interaction between weekly mindfulness meditation training minutes and MAIA-2 Attention Regulation (post-training) on moral behavior change.ConclusionsOur preliminary results suggest that mindfulness meditation practice decreases self-serving dishonest behavior and increases awareness of one’s bodily and emotional state. In particular, the amount of mindfulness meditation practice predicted moral behavior change in practitioners who reported the highest regulation of attention towards internal bodily signals.PreregistrationThis study is not preregistered.

Student perceptions of mindful reflection as a media law teaching tool

Graduates’ failure to pause, reflect and draw on their learning to predict the legal consequences of their publishing can result in fines, damages and even jail terms. This article reports upon a survey of more than one hundred media law students in courses at an Australian university over two years where mindfulness-based cognitive reflections were used as a teaching tool. The author and colleague developed a conceptual map to explain the potentialities of mindfulness-based meditation in journalism education. In this action research project, mindfulness-based reflections were offered regularly during a media law course, with a strong emphasis upon emotional and situational analysis of media law dilemmas, as a complement to a traditional style of teaching media law cases, legislation and topics. Basic mindfulness meditation practices can equip students with a toolkit of techniques for inward reflection which they can use to assess their thought processes, emotional states, workplace situations, legal dilemmas, ethics and learning. The approach is in accord with the research on metacognition in psychology and education. The study reports a variety of student responses to the mindfulness reflection experience, ranging from some who objected to its use or who reported it to be of no value to their media law studies through to others who found it invaluable for their learning and lives. Students responded to a series of both Likert and open-ended questions covering their previous meditation exposure, frequency of participation, perceived benefits and shortcomings, extent of assisting learning and suggestions for improvements in the technique.