Mindfulness Program Research Articles

Post-traumatic stress disorder among flood survivors of Kodagu subdistrict in Karnataka: a cross sectional study

Background: Mental health being a major concern gradually rising from the shadows, post-traumatic stress disorder is triggering as a major public health issue followed by any disaster. Hence, we aimed to determine the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and its associated factors among the flood survivors.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the flood survivors who resided on the banks of river Kaveri and river Harangi in Somwarpet Taluk of Kodagu district, Karnataka, India. A semi structured questionnaire was administered by interview method to capture the data from 331 participants who were sheltered at the relief camps during the flood in the year 2019. Association of sociodemographic variables with PTSD was analyzed using the Chi-square test and Logistic regression.Results: The mean (SD) age of the participants was 42.94 (±14.10) years and 141 (42.6%) were males. The prevalence of high severity symptoms of PTSD was 28.4%. Poor social support was perceived by 87.3% of the participants. Age, Loss of official documents, owning agricultural land and distance to river from the house were significantly associated with PTSD.Conclusions: PTSD after the disaster was 28% in the population and the majority perceived poor social support. Post flood, employment of support programs and mindfulness programs are the needs of the hour.

Supporting Teens’ Professional Identities and Engagement in Mindfulness Practices Through Teens-as-Teachers Programming

This study was situated in the context of the University of California 4-H Positive Youth Development Program. A convenience sample of teen teachers (N = 11) represents variation in age (11–17), gender, ethnicity, and geographic location. All teens delivered the 4-H Mindful Me curriculum from the University of California 4-H Program. Qualitative analysis provides evidence of positive developmental outcomes that support teen teachers’ personal professional identity and engagement in mindfulness. Teens described how involvement in the teens-as-teachers program provided the context in which they could explore their personal professional identity, build on self-efficacy as an instructor, and develop an improved understanding of mindfulness-based practices and mindful-based skills. Results inform the delivery of teens-as-teachers programming, specifically, an integrated approach to teen mindfulness programming.

Efficacy and Feasibility of the Minimal Therapist-Guided Four-Week Online Audio-Based Mindfulness Program 'Mindful Senses' for Burnout and Stress Reduction in Medical Personnel: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Previous online mindfulness-based interventions for burnout and stress reduction in medical personnel had limited effect size and high dropout rate, so we developed a new online mindfulness program 'Mindful Senses (MS)' with aims to increase effect size and lower dropout rate. To test its efficacy and feasibility, ninety medical personnel with moderate or high levels of burnout and stress from across Thailand were recruited and randomly allocated into Group A and Group B equally. Group A read psychological self-help articles (PSA) and attended MS program through smartphone application during weeks 1-4. Group B read PSA during weeks 1-4 and attended MS program during weeks 9-12. Burnout, stress, anxiety, depression, mindfulness, and quality of life were measured at baseline, week 4, and week 8 for both groups, and at weeks 12 and 16 for Group B. Group x time interaction was analyzed by repeated-measures ANOVA. The results showed that, compared to PSA only, MS + PSA had statistically significant improvement of burnout, stress, anxiety, depression, mindfulness, and quality of life with moderate-to-very large effect sizes at week 4 (d = 1.33, 1.42, 1.04, 1.14, 0.70, and 1.03, respectively) and moderate-to-large effect sizes at week 8 (d = 0.84, 0.98, 0.73, 0.73, 0.66, and 0.94, respectively). The dropout rate was 4.4%. In conclusion, the MS program has potential to be an alternative intervention for medical personnel suffering from burnout and stress.

A Novel Framework for Inner-Outer Sustainability Assessment

Calls for systemic transformations have become prevalent throughout sustainability discourse. Increasingly, these calls point towards consciousness expanding practices and interventions, such as mindfulness, to support the development of individual understandings, skills, and capacities that are conducive to more sustainable ways of being and doing. The growing interest in leveraging inner capacities, including mindsets, worldviews, values, and beliefs for sustainability transformations emerges from concerns that conventional approaches are failing to align social and ecological systems towards long-term viability. Interest in these consciousness-driven transformations is spreading, particularly in governments and prominent organisations. Tempering this enthusiasm are concerns that untethered from moral and ethical guidelines as well as caring understanding of local and global prospects for lasting wellbeing, mindfulness programs, workshops, and interventions for inner transformation can inadvertently strengthen unsustainable systems and deepen inequities. Accordingly, this paper presents an exploratory assessment framework to increase understandings of how events focused on interventions for inner transformation align with broad sustainability requirements. Findings from application of the framework should help to elucidate how these offerings can disrupt normative ways of thinking and doing, and in turn, positively influence multi-scalar transformations. Furthermore, use of the assessment process to plan and/or evaluate inner development offerings is anticipated to help strengthen progress towards sustainability and reduce adverse trade-offs that might undermine positive systemic transformations.

Students experiences of an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention at a college of opportunity: a qualitative investigation of the mindfulness-based college program

BackgroundMindfulness-based programs have the potential to improve the well-being of undergraduate students by reducing anxiety, depression, and isolation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore lived experiences of undergraduates in a mindfulness-based program at a “college of opportunity” that has high proportions of first-generation college students. Specifically, we sought to: (1) explore the application of mindfulness practices in students’ daily lives; (2) explore how participants believe mindfulness training affected their health and well-being; (3) learn participants’ recommendations and suggested changes for mindfulness-based interventions in future iterations.MethodsStudents were recruited from XXX and consented to participate in semi-structured digitally conducting interviews after the completion of the 8-week intervention in the Fall/Spring 2020 academic year. Data were analyzed using Applied Thematic Analysis and a codebook was constructed using a consensus-driven process using both a priori and emergent coding. All transcripts were double-coded, and concordance was achieved for all interviews.ResultsQualitative results indicated that the most applied practices were those that could be easily incorporated into a daily routine. Furthermore, students reported an increased ability to cope with a variety of stressors, decreased reactivity, and enhanced resilience specifically concerning mental health challenges. Additionally, engaging in mindfulness training improved students’ ability to navigate social distancing measures, other COVID-19-specific stress, and enhanced motivation for self-care practices to sustain well-being. Concerning preferred intervention delivery modality, participants stated that due to multiple, growing responsibilities (e.g., pressures of commuting to class) they preferred in-person delivery, shorter sessions over a longer period, with classes in the morning or early afternoon.ConclusionsFindings provide pragmatic and psychosocial insights into students’ application of mindfulness training across personal, professional, and academic domains enhancing their well-being. This work builds on qualitative work concerning students’ perceptions and applications of mindfulness while offering insights into the future of mindfulness programs among undergraduates.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT03124446.

The Dark Side of Mindfulness

Purpose: The aim of our paper is to analyze the role of mindfulness in organizational socialization, particularly how these techniques are mobilized by corporations to reshape employees’ subjectivities.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: Mindfulness is a process of awareness to moment-to-moment experience, allowing subjects to deal with emotions, sensations and thoughts in a non-judgmental way (Kabat–Zinn, 1991). Mindfulness has been characterized as the new opiate of the masses (Dawson and Turnbull, 2006) and the flagship technology of the self of neoliberal capitalism (Zizek, 2005), adjusting individuals “to the very conditions that cause their problems” (Purser, 2019, p.5). Over the past decade, several mindfulness interventions, such as MBSR (Mindfulness-based-stress reduction), have been implemented in corporate settings, aiming to improve employees’ resilience, flexibility, well-being and self-control. Recognizing that neoliberal selfhood requires individuals to rely on self-regulation devices to enhance their health and happiness, mindfulness interventions are emblematic examples of organizational socialization, as workers should undergo a set of performances to control, manage and regulate their affective states, thus increasing their productivity. By the “dark side of mindfulness”, we refer to the ways in which these practices are promoted, disseminated and applied to reconfigure workers’ subjectivities, leading to new articulations of neoliberal governmentalities coupling technologies of the self, affect and efficiency. Mindfulness becomes a disciplinary tool of self-control that aims at maximizing productivity through the moment-to-moment management of affect. Our paper draws on a qualitative methodology, including the thematic analysis of 44 papers published in the Harvard Business Review, and the examination of a specific mindfulness program carried out by the big tech corporation Amazon, which generated controversy.
 Findings: Our empirical findings are organized around four main themes: corporate mindfulness as an expansion of neoliberal selfhood; mindfulness and the ability to turn inner work into a driver of productivity; corporate mindfulness as an epiphenomenon of late capitalism; mindfulness as a technofix.
 Research Limitations: Our paper relies on a relatively limited data set, and by extending our research into a wider range of journals it would have been possible to identify alternative themes. Moreover, our theoretical framework (stemming from the neoliberal critique) may overshadow relevant phenomenological and embodied aspects.
 Theoretical and practical implications: This paper contributes to scholarship within Social Studies of Mindfulness and Organization Studies, unpacking the contemporary articulations of mindfulness, neoliberalism, affect and governmentality.

Effects of a trauma-informed mindful recovery program on comorbid pain, anxiety, and substance use during primary care buprenorphine treatment: A proof-of-concept study.

A mindfulness-based intervention that reduces comorbid pain, anxiety, and substance use during office-based opioid treatment (OBOT) could enhance retention and prevent overdose. We conducted a pilot study of the Mindful Recovery OUD Care Continuum (M-ROCC), a 24-week trauma-informed program with a motivationally-sensitive curriculum. Patients prescribed buprenorphine (N = 18) enrolled in M-ROCC. We collected urine toxicology biweekly. At 0, 4, and 24 weeks, participants completed PROMIS-Pain, PROMIS-Anxiety, Mindfulness (FFMQ), Experiential Avoidance (BEAQ), Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), and Self-Compassion (SCS-SF) scales. We estimated changes over time using mixed models. Participants completed qualitative interviews at 4 and 24 weeks. Positive urine toxicology decreased over time for cocaine (β = -.266, p = .008) and benzodiazepines (β = -.208, p = .028). M-ROCC reduced PROMIS-Pain (Z = -2.29; p = .022), BEAQ (Z = -2.83; p = .0005), and increased FFMQ (Z = 3.51; p < .001), MAIA (Z = 3.40; p = .001), and SCS-SF (Z = 2.29; p = .022). Participants with co-morbid anxiety had decreased PROMIS-Anxiety (Z = -2.53; p = .012). Interviewed participants commonly used mindfulness practices for stress and anxiety (12/12, 100%), and to reduce pain catastrophizing and rumination (7/12, 58%). This is the first study to report the effects of a 24-week mindfulness program during buprenorphine treatment on common comorbidities, including pain interference, anxiety, cocaine, and benzodiazepine use. The findings that M-ROCC is associated with reduced experiential avoidance, as well as increased interoceptive awareness and self-compassion, align with proposed mechanisms that are now extended to OUD treatment. Future larger randomized controlled trials are needed before effectiveness can be established and the role of these mechanisms can be confirmed.

Exploring the use and delivery of school-based mindfulness programmes for young children

AimsThis systematic literature review aimed to explore how school-based mindfulness programmes have been adapted for use with young children in education settings, from ages three to nine years old.MethodSchool-based mindfulness interventions were assessed on quality using qualitative and quantitative frameworks. Important attitudinal principles and practical components of the school-based mindfulness interventions were analysed.FindingsThe results revealed vast heterogeneity across programme design and delivery. The majority of programmes used mindful movement, visuals/props, sensory activities, reflection on experiences and the use of metaphorical language to teach young children mindfulness. There appeared to be greater precedence for experiential practices than instructional practices such as attitudinal features. Mindfulness has been used mainly to support cognitive functioning, particularly attentional and executive functioning.LimitationsThe Covid-19 pandemic has delayed submission of this article, meaning that the most recent research findings might not be documented. The heterogeneity of the studies made drawing conclusions difficult.ConclusionsImplications for educational psychology practice and areas for future research are considered, particularly in relation to how educational psychologists can work with teachers to deliver effective and sustainable mindfulness interventions.

Effectiveness of an online short-term audio-based mindfulness program on negative emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic: Latent growth curve analyses of anxiety and moderated mediation effects of anxiety between mindfulness and negative affect.

This pilot study aims to explore the effects and mechanisms of a mindfulness-based intervention on negative emotions in community settings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (N = 100) were randomized into an intervention group (n = 50) and a waitlist control group (n = 50). Participants in the mindfulness group underwent 3weeks (21 sessions) of an online audio-based mindfulness-based intervention program and completed the online measures four times whereas those in the waitlist control group needed to complete the measures twice. Participants completed measures of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The results of the measures of the two groups were compared. Moderated mediation analysis was used to analyze intervention outcomes on negative affect through anxiety. Unconditional quadratic latent growth analysis was used to test the growth trajectories of anxiety. The results showed that this intervention program was effective at improving positive affect and at reducing depression, anxiety, and negative affect. The baseline anxiety moderator was found to be significant, and indirect effects of anxiety post-intervention were found between the mindfulness-based intervention and negative affect. Anxiety levels of participants were not at the same starting point and had similar but non-quadratic growth trajectories. The mindfulness-based intervention program was effective at promoting mental wellbeing and reducing mental problems in community settings in China. Mindfulness practices were beneficial to people with different anxiety levels but had more obvious benefits on anxiety and a negative affect for participants with low anxiety levels. Clinical trial registration: ISRCTN16205138 on 26/02/2021.

Efficacy of Online Mindfulness Program ‘Mindful Senses’ for Depression and Anxiety Reduction in Community Samples: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of the minimal therapist-guided four-week online audio-based mindfulness program titled ‘Mindful Senses’ (MS) for depression and anxiety reduction in community samples. Materials and Methods: This open-label randomized controlled trial enrolled 80 participants from across Thailand. The authors randomly allocated 40 subjects each to the intervention and control groups. The authors included people aged 18 years or older with a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score of 9 or more or Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) score of 10 or more. Both groups received four psychological self-help articles online. Only the intervention group attended the MS program. The outcomes were PHQ-9, GAD-7, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale (PHLMS) scores measured at baseline (T₀), post-intervention (T₁), and one-month follow-up (T₂). Repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze the outcomes. Results: The intervention group showed significantly improved PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSS, and PHLMS scores compared to the controls at T₁ [intention-totreat mean difference (95% CI): –6.97 (–9.23 to –4.72), p&lt;0.001, d=1.38; –5.27 (–7.32 to –3.23), p&lt;0.001, d=1.14; –5.85 (–8.10 to –3.60), p&lt;0.001, d=1.16; 9.15 (5.47 to 12.83), p&lt;0.001, d=1.11, respectively], and T₂ [intention-to-treat mean difference (95% CI): –5.27 (–7.55 to –3.00), p&lt;0.001, d=1.03; –5.20 (–7.29 to –3.11), p&lt;0.001, d=1.11; –5.43 (–8.21 to –2.64), p&lt;0.001, d=0.87; 8.68 (4.90 to 12.45), p&lt;0.001, d=1.02, respectively]. Conclusion: The MS program improved depression, anxiety, stress, and mindfulness in community samples, and those effects were preserved for one-month post-intervention. It has the potential to be another highly effective treatment option for people suffering from depression or anxiety who face barriers to accessing mental health facilities. Keywords: Mindfulness; Online; Depression; Anxiety; Community samples

Beyond All Splits: Envisioning the Next Generation of Science on Mindfulness and Compassion in Schools for Students

ObjectivesThis paper describes the emergence of the scientific study of mindfulness in schools; summarizes findings of experimental research on the impacts of school-based mindfulness programs (SBMPs) on student outcomes in prekindergarten, primary, and secondary school settings (ages 4–18 years); discusses scientific limitations and wider critiques of this work; and offers suggestions for future research.MethodsPublic data are used to describe the emergence of science on SBMPs, the foci of this research, and the academic disciplines contributing to it. A narrative summary of scientific findings regarding the impacts of SBMPs on students, and critiques of this work, is also presented.ResultsResearch is increasing and is primarily psychological and prevention-oriented. Evidence shows SBMPs can enhance students’ self-regulation abilities, but SBMPs’ impacts on other student outcomes at different ages are equivocal. The current research has significant limitations, and these, alongside wider critiques of the work, suggest important directions for research.ConclusionsIn the next generation of science, we suggest (a) improving the experimental research; (b) expanding developmental research; and (c) re-envisioning assumptions, theories, and methods in research to go “beyond all splits” towards a non-dualistic and relationally, culturally, contextually, ethically, and developmentally grounded science on mindfulness and compassion for students in schools.

Mediating effects of emotion regulation between socio-cognitive mindfulness and empathy in nurses: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAcknowledging the under-examined research of socio-cognitive mindfulness and Gross’s emotion regulation strategies in nursing, this study investigated the relationships between socio-cognitive mindfulness, emotion regulation (i.e., reappraisal and suppression), and empathy among nurses. It also explored the mediating effects of emotion regulation.MethodsA cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in a sample of 245 nurses from two university hospitals in South Korea. Convenience sampling was used to collect data between August 3 and September 29, 2020. Participants completed the questionnaire measuring their socio-cognitive mindfulness, emotion regulation, and empathy. Structural equation modeling and path analysis were conducted for data analysis.ResultsSocio-cognitive mindfulness positively influenced emotion regulation of reappraisal (β = 0.404, p < 0.01) and empathy (β = 0.402, p < 0.01), but negatively influenced emotion regulation of suppression (β = −0.149, p < 0.05). Reappraisal positively influenced empathy (β = 0.341, p < 0.01), whereas suppression negatively influenced empathy (β = −0.127, p < 0.05). Importantly, emotion regulation of reappraisal mediated the association between socio-cognitive mindfulness and empathy (a X b = 0.107, p < 0.01).ConclusionThe findings indicate that socio-cognitive mindfulness is effective in improving empathy among nurses by enhancing reappraisal. This study can provide a foundation for developing socio-cognitive mindfulness or emotion regulation programs to improve empathy among nurses, which would ultimately lead to better nursing performance by increasing patient satisfaction.

Feasibility of a brief mindfulness-based program for burnout in pain healthcare professionals.

Stress inherent to health care, which is characterized by work overload and shortage of specialized staff, is associated with decreased quality of life and suboptimal patient care. Mindfulness-based programs have proved to be effective in reducing stress in healthcare providers. This study aims to assess the feasibility of an 8-week mindfulness program to reduce the burnout levels of the staff of a pain clinic in a tertiary public hospital. A longitudinal study with a within subject pre/post-intervention design, consisting of daily face-to-face 10-min sessions and the creation of a virtual group using a social media platform. Variables measured: burnout, mindfulness, empathy, self-compassion, and demographic characteristics. Program feasibility (i.e., reach, adherence, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness) was evaluated in 10 participants (6 physicians, 2 nurse practitioners, 1 nursing assistant, and 1 administrative). The results revealed a high reach (i.e., participation rate of 90%), excellent adherence to the program (daily practice 95% of times), and very good acceptability of the group format and satisfaction with most treatment components. Regarding potential effectiveness, we report the results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and its associated effect size (r). We observed improvements in mindfulness and all its subscales (-2.077 ≤ Z ≤ -2.703, 0.69 ≤ r ≤ 0.90, all p < 0.05) except for non-reactivity and all subcomponents of self-compassion (-2.501 ≤ Z ≤ -2.611, 0.83 ≤ r ≤ 0.87, all p < 0.05) but not on its global self-compassion score. Empathy and burnout did not change. In an exploratory manner, however, we found significant reductions in the burnout component of emotional exhaustion, but only in physicians (Z = -2.201, p = 0.028, r = 0.73). We believe that the 8-week mindfulness-based program described in the present investigation might be a feasible and potentially effective method that can be easily implemented to reduce burnout and promote mindfulness in specialized pain clinics.

Mindfulness Has Parallels to Indigenous Cultural Practices

Mindfulness Has Parallels to Indigenous Cultural Practices

A preliminary neuroimaging investigation of the effects of mindfulness training on attention reorienting andamygdala reactivity to emotional faces in adolescent and adult females.

Adolescence is a time of increased emotional reactivity and improving cognitive control. Mindfulness meditation training may foster adolescents' cognitive control and emotional regulation skills; however little is known about the impact of mindfulness training in adolescents compared to adults. We examined the effect of mindfulness meditation versus a closely matched active control condition (relaxation training) on behavioral and neural measures of cognitive control and emotional reactivity in a small group of adolescents and adults. Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected before and after 8 weeks of training in 26 adolescent (12-14 years) and 17 adult (23-33 years) female participants in the United Kingdom while they completed an n-back task with emotional face distractors and an attentional control task. Participants of each group chose a class date/time and the classes were then randomly allocated to mindfulness or relaxation conditions. Compared to relaxation training, mindfulness training led to an increase in the speed of reorienting attention across age groups. In addition, there was preliminary evidence for reduced amygdala response to emotional face distractors in adolescents after mindfulness training. An 8-week mindfulness program showed similar facilitative effects in adolescent and adult females on the reorienting of attention, a skill that is repeatedly practiced during mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness also reduced left amygdala reactivity to emotional face distractors in adolescents only. Mindfulness meditation practice can therefore have a facilitative effect on female adolescents' attentional control, and possibly attenuate their emotional reactivity.

The Effect of Mindfulness Programs on Collegiate Test Anxiety.

ObjectivesAffecting approximately one-fifth of college students, test anxiety is a source of academic failure that leads to worse exam performance and academic retention. The present study assessed the efficacy of online mindfulness-based interventions at reducing collegiate test anxiety.MethodsUndergraduate college students (N = 71) were randomly assigned to a six-week mindfulness condition (n = 24), a three-week mindfulness condition (n = 21), or a six-week sham mindfulness active control condition (n = 26). Participants in each condition were assigned five weekly meditations and written reflections. Responses to online surveys captured participants’ reported levels of test anxiety and mindfulness pre- and post-intervention.ResultsIncreases in mindfulness were associated with decreased reports of test anxiety, r(69) = − .48. Across all conditions, self-reported mindfulness increased, and self-reported test anxiety decreased from pre- to post-test, F(1, 68) = 19.5 and 28.9, p’s < .001, η2 = .06 and .05 respectively.ConclusionsChanges in the primary variables did not differ by condition, offering no empirical support for greater efficacy of a six-week as compared to a three-week intervention. The sham mindfulness control group also reported increases in mindfulness and decreases in test anxiety, raising questions about what intervention benefits are specific to mindfulness trainings. These findings suggest that online interventions are effective at reducing test anxiety in college students, though more research will inform how intervention length and content lead to changes in test anxiety and mindfulness.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-022-02002-6.

The benefits of a mindfulness program for university students: A qualitative exploration on intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships

AbstractThis study explores the perceived benefits of a mindfulness program for university students, focusing on changes in their intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships. The findings underscore increased self‐compassion and self‐care and diminished levels of self‐judgement. Mindfulness programs could be incorporated into counseling services in higher education to improve students’ well‐being.

Implementation Reporting Recommendations for School-Based Mindfulness Programs

ObjectivesResearch on school-based mindfulness programs (SBMPs) indicates promising, albeit mixed, effects. However, there has been a lack of consistency and completeness in implementation reporting, frustrating efforts to draw causal inferences about the implementation elements that influence program outcomes. To address these issues, we crafted a conceptual framework with an accompanying set of key terms for SBMP implementation elements to guide the development of flexible and practical implementation reporting recommendations for studies of SBMPs.MethodsTo develop the framework and recommendations, we drew insights from the implementation science and school-based prevention literature, explored reporting standards across behavioral science fields, and examined reviews and studies of SBMPs that had an implementation focus.ResultsThe SBMP Implementation Framework (SBMP-IF) is organized by four broad categories (i.e., the program, participants, context, and implementation), which inform the reporting recommendations. The recommendations nudge researchers toward more complete and consistent reporting of school contextual factors, participant characteristics and responsiveness, and teacher training/competence. They also encourage researchers to explicitly identify and incorporate into their theories of change and measurement strategies the Hypothesized and/or Validated Core Components of the program, as well as the key elements of the Implementation Support System. Finally, the recommendations urge researchers to define and operationalize mindfulness in their theories of change and consider child development when implementing and studying SBMPs.ConclusionsThe recommendations offered are novel for the field of SBMPs and represent a bold effort to strengthen the evidence base and help discern for whom SBMPs work best and under which conditions.

An Evidence Based Review Of The Impact Of Mindfulness Meditation On Mental Health Of Children And Preadolescents

The well-being quotient of a child determines the quality of adult life with regard to emotional, social and mental health and professional success. Studies have shown that overall well-being is achieved through enhanced emotional regulation and coping skills. Thus, well-being has been linked to emotional regulation and Mindfulness Meditation has been seen as an effective vehicle for facilitating emotional regulation. Of late mental health has been the key focus area across the globe. There has been a drive to promote well-being of students through management of mental health. Handful of research carried out in this field and has suggested school based mindfulness training to promote well-being. The pre-adolescent age is ideally suited to receive and imbibe mindfulness training for enhancement of overall well-being. However, very limited research in the pre-adolescent age group has been carried out so far. Research based reliable evidence is needed to establish the outcomes of mindfulness meditation training for the pre-adolescents. This article attempts to review the impact of Mindfulness Meditation on children including pre-adolescents and highlight various outcomes. Suggestions for future research in the younger age group are also made so as to help in the development of more effective mindfulness programs in schools.

Effects of the Interculturality and Mindfulness Program (PIM) on University Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Rates of mental health issues have been increasing among university students. This study investigates the effects of the Interculturality and Mindfulness Program (PIM) on academic students on mindfulness, emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, stress, life satisfaction, optimism, positive solitude, and loneliness. A quasi-experimental research was conducted, with pre- and post-test comparative measurements in three groups: in-person (IG), synchronous online (OG), and passive control (CG). A diverse group of students (n = 150; mean age = 25.4 ± 8.31) participated from two universities in Portugal. When compared to the CG, both active groups (IG and OG) demonstrated a beneficial interaction effect in acceptance, positive solitude, optimism, and mindfulness. The IG demonstrated a positive interaction effect in awareness and satisfaction with life, whereas the OG indicated a favorable interaction effect in impulse. When analyzing the intra-group effects, both active groups presented a significant improvement in stress, emotion regulation, mindfulness, positive solitude, and optimism. The OG demonstrated an improvement in awareness and loneliness. The main limitations of this research are that students were not randomly assigned, and groups were heterogeneous in nationality, education level, and sex. Nonetheless, PIM has indicated beneficial results in both IG and OG, and is a promising intervention for the prevention of mental health issues (e.g., stress, difficulties in emotional regulation, and loneliness), as well as for the promotion of well-being (e.g., positive solitude, mindfulness, life satisfaction, and optimism).