Mindfulness Research Research Articles

Examining mindfulness as a strategy to improve the exercise experience

ABSTRACT Mounting evidence shows that positive affective responses to exercise can facilitate continued engagement. Numerous strategies (e.g., mindfulness, music) have been proposed to improve how people feel during exercise. Mindfulness research has primarily occurred in laboratory settings, and the present study sought to examine the effects of listening to a mindfulness recording during a self-paced walk outdoors. It was hypothesized that the mindfulness condition would elicit more positive affective responses during and after exercise and lead to greater associative attentional focus compared to a control condition. Thirty-four participants (M age = 26.62, SD = 3.28 years), divided into two groups (mindfulness recording vs. control), individually completed a self-paced 1.5 mile walk through a park. Participants in the experimental condition listened to a mindfulness recording via headphones during the walk. Feeling Scale scores during exercise indicated greater pleasure (p < .001, ηp 2 = .36), and Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale scores revealed greater enjoyment in the mindfulness group (p < .001, d = 1.50); there were no differences in attentional focus between groups (p = .120, ηp 2 = .07). Both conditions were considered pleasant, and results support the use of mindfulness to further enhance pleasure and enjoyment during a low-to-moderate intensity outdoor walk.

Mindfulness at Work: A Bibliometric Analysis of Key Authors, Themes, and Trends

Background: Mindfulness in the workplace has gained significant attention for its potential to enhance well-being, reduce stress, and improve productivity. As interest in workplace mindfulness has grown, a need arises to systematically analyze the influential studies, key authors, themes, and trends shaping this field. Objectives: This study aims to map the intellectual landscape of "mindfulness at work" through a bibliometric analysis, identifying key contributions, collaboration networks, thematic clusters, and publication trends over time. Methods: Utilizing data from Lens.org, we conducted a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer and WordSift tools to examine co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and citation networks, as well as keyword frequency and thematic trends. Findings: The analysis identifies central figures such as Jochen Reb and Christopher J. Lyddy and highlights prominent themes including well-being, stress management, and engagement, with a peak in publication interest around 2019. The study also reveals isolated research clusters, suggesting limited interdisciplinary integration within the field. Conclusion: While mindfulness research at work is growing, opportunities exist for deeper cross-disciplinary collaboration and broader integration of themes. Novelty: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the field’s development, offering insights into emerging trends, key influencers, and areas for future exploration, making it a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers interested in advancing workplace mindfulness.

Interconnectedness of mindfulness facets and their impact on mental health outcomes in Asian American and European American college students: A network approach.

Despite extensive research supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, the understanding of the dynamic connections between various mindfulness facets, particularly across diverse cultures, remained limited. This study aimed to investigate the networks among mindfulness aspects across different cultural backgrounds and their individual associations with mental health and well-being. Using the data collected from 710 undergraduate students in Hawaii (445 Asian Americans, 265 European Americans), we constructed sparse networks for each group to investigate their centrality index. To compare the overall structures of these networks, we utilized permutation-based tests. In addition, we used relative weight analysis to evaluate the distinct contributions of each mindfulness facet to positive and negative mental health outcomes. The results indicated similar trends in both racial groups, emphasizing the importance of specific mindfulness aspects like describing and acting with awareness within the mindfulness construct. However, notable variations were observed, particularly in how observing and nonjudging facets related among Asian Americans. In addition, acting with awareness and nonjudging showed substantial inverse associations with negative mental health outcomes across groups, whereas the observing aspect displayed positive connections with anxiety and stress among Asian Americans. The findings suggest which aspects are fundamental to mindfulness, aiding in a nuanced understanding of the construct. They also emphasize the importance of acknowledging cultural diversity in both mindfulness research and its clinical applications. Practical implications and directions for future research were discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Validating a Short-Form Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Among Chinese Early Adolescents

Abstract Objectives While an increasing number of mindfulness-based interventions have shown promising effects in improving child and youth well-being, mindfulness research remains challenged by using valid multifaceted measurements to operationalize the complicated concept of mindfulness across cultural contexts. This study examines the psychometric properties of a Chinese version of the short-form Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in Chinese nonclinical early adolescents. Method Participants were 551 Chinese early adolescents (mean age = 10.38 ± 0.80, 41.38% girls). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were conducted to test factor structure and dimensionality of the short-form FFMQ. Measurement invariance was tested by gender and grade. Internal consistency and convergent validity were assessed. Results Our results support the validity of a three-factor, 15-item version of the FFMQ (FFMQ-15) that includes Attention (4 items from the original Actaware subscale, 1 item from the Describe subscale), Observe (4 items from the Observe subscale, 1 item from the Nonreact subscale), and Internal Awareness (3 items from the Nonjudge subscale, 2 items from the Describe subscale). Cronbach’s α for the FFMQ-15 total score was 0.82, and McDonald’s ω was 0.86 (subscales: α = 0.66 to 0.79, ω = 0.71 to 0.82). FFMQ-15 showed acceptable measurement invariance across gender and grade. These findings support the internal consistency and validity of FFMQ-15 among Chinese early adolescents. Conclusions This study validates a short-version FFMQ among Chinese early adolescents. Our findings warrant further cross-cultural research of adolescents’ understanding of mindfulness facets. Preregistration This study is not preregistered.

Be present now, sleep well later: Mindfulness promotes sleep health via emotion regulation.

Despite the popularity of mindfulness in research and interventions, information is missing about how and why mindfulness may benefit employee sleep health. Drawing from emotion regulation theory, we evaluate affective rumination, negative affect, and positive affect as potential mechanisms. We also explore differential effects of trait and state attentional mindfulness on both subjective (e.g., quality and sufficiency) and actigraphy-measured aspects (e.g., duration and wake after sleep onset) of sleep health. Ecological momentary assessment and sleep actigraphy data were collected across two independent samples of health care workers (N1 = 60, N2 = 84). Ecological momentary assessment was also used to collect daily information on state mindfulness, affect, and rumination. Our results support rumination and, to a less consistent extent, negative affect as mediators of the association between mindfulness and sleep health but not positive affect. Trait and state mindfulness demonstrate comparable benefits for employee sleep health, but these benefits largely emerge for subjective sleep dimensions than actigraphy-measured. These findings support emotion regulation as a sound theoretical framework for sleep and mindfulness research and may support more informed workplace mindfulness interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A Bibliometric Analysis on Teacher Mindfulness

With the surge in publications on mindfulness in recent years, there has been a significant increase in studies focusing on teacher mindfulness; thus, teacher mindfulness has emerged as an important research topic and a priority field of study. This bibliometric research employed science mapping tools to analyze Web of Science (WoS) indexed journal publications centered on teacher mindfulness. This review aims to trace the evolution of research in the field of teacher mindfulness over the past two decades. An examination of 165 publications revealed that interest in teacher mindfulness has grown substantially since 2016. The results also provide to the most influential scientists in the field, highlighting the authors' countries of origin, collaborative efforts between countries, and global co-reference networks. A keyword analysis was incorporated into the study to showcase current trends in teacher mindfulness research. Recommendations are provided to inform policy development on teacher mindfulness and to set a direction for future research.

The environmental model of mindfulness

This paper introduces the environmental model of mindfulness, a novel perspective that conceptualizes mindfulness as an adaptive set of cognitive styles influenced by specific socioecological contexts. Extending upon existing conceptualizations of mindfulness as a cultivated trait or practice, the environmental model describes how mindfulness can also result from cognitive adaptations to immediate-return environments. Through an interdisciplinary synthesis of cognitive psychology, anthropology, and environmental studies, four key factors are identified that foster mindful cognitive styles in immediate-return environments: immediate feedback, observational learning, nature exposure, and interconnected self-construal. By examining Indigenous communities living in immediate-return environments, this paper demonstrates how modern, delayed-return environments may inadvertently suppress innate mindful awareness, suggesting that mindfulness practices might be attempts to recalibrate toward more natural cognitive styles. The environmental model bridges Western medical and Eastern ethical perspectives on mindfulness, offering a unifying framework that acknowledges cognitive, environmental, and cultural influences. This approach not only enriches our understanding of human cognitive functioning but also broadens cultural perspectives on mindfulness, highlighting its manifestations across diverse sociocultural contexts. The model has profound implications for mindfulness research and interventions, providing a foundation for more ecologically valid and culturally sensitive approaches to fostering wellbeing. It invites a fundamental reconsideration of the relationship between human cognition and the environment, potentially revolutionizing our approach to mental health and cognitive enhancement in an increasingly complex world. This paper stands as a call to action for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to rethink fundamental assumptions about human cognition and design environments that support our innate capacity for mindful awareness.

Wu Wei in Mindfulness: A Systematic Perspective.

Resuming the theoretical and historical conceptualization of mindfulness research is of utmost importance if we want to transcend the positivistic and instrumental trend in the present field and to understand better what mindfulness is and how mindfulness works. Based on von Fircks (2023)'s introduction of Daosim's wu wei into Meadian Social Psychology, this commentary continues dialoguing the two different traditions for understanding mindfulness's functioning by exploring the systematic principle underlying wu wei. From the systematic perspective, we can distinguish: 1) two focus of meaning in wu wei: (a) not forcing/interfering and (b) the existence of a spontaneously evolving system; 2) two positions a person can take faced with the spontaneous system: (a) as stepping back and not interfering; (b) as actively connecting and cultivating new relations into systems. Based on the two positions, the dynamic emergence of altered I from mindfulness is also approached in two different ways.

Job autonomy and cyberloafing: a mediated moderation model of work engagement and mindfulness

PurposeTo investigate the mediating role of work engagement (WE) between job autonomy and cyberloafing and the moderating effect of mindfulness on the linkage between work engagement and cyberloafing.Design/methodology/approachThis study was conducted using an online questionnaire survey. Data were gathered from 266 full-time working professionals in India. Hierarchical regression analysis and, SPSS PROCESS version 4.0 (model 14) were employed to analyze the mediated moderation effect.FindingsResults showed that job autonomy reduced cyberloafing of employees through WE and the mediation effect was stronger when employees were high on mindfulness.Research limitations/implicationsResults indicate that job autonomy and mindfulness have a considerable impact on employee cyberloafing behavior. Organizations seeking to reduce employee cyberloafing behavior could benefit by considering job autonomy as well as supporting employee mindfulness.Originality/value This study adds to the understanding of cyberloafing antecedents particularly, the role of job autonomy and WE. Additionally, it examines how mindfulness self-regulates with regard to cyberloafing and contributes to the growing body of mindfulness research and its impact on counterproductive behavior at work.

Technology-enhanced mindfulness-based collaborative social reasoning to improve adolescents' social-emotional competencies.

This study reports the preliminary efficacy of an innovative school-based, technology-enhanced social-emotional learning program called "mindfulness-based collaborative social reasoning" (MBCSR) for middle school students. MBCSR was developed by an interdisciplinary team of educational psychologists, mindfulness researchers, computer scientists, and health experts. We integrated the strengths of contemplative approaches, collaborative small group discussions, learning technology, and multidimensional assessments of students' social-emotional outcomes. Using a quasi-experimental design, the study was implemented in four sixth-grade English language arts classrooms (2 experimental and 2 business-as-usual control; N = 74) in a public middle school in the Midwest of the United States. It was co-implemented by researchers and teachers, with sessions occurring for 45 minutes, once per week, for 8 weeks. The MBCSR group showed greater self-efficacy for using Upa-yoga and mindful breathing to regulate their emotions and behaviors ( = .13), and lower externalizing ( = .07) and bullying behaviors ( = .09) at the posttest compared to the control group, after controlling for baseline differences. Students in the experimental group overall showed positive and relaxed emotional and physiological states during the sessions. There were no significant differences between the two groups in mindfulness, emotional regulation, and social skills. This program sets an example for integrating social-emotional learning and academic learning into students' daily content instruction.

A US Fulbright Scholar adventure in the Czech Republic and beyond: Healing through math mindfulness research, collaborative teaching, and visiting lectures

A US Fulbright Scholar adventure in the Czech Republic and beyond: Healing through math mindfulness research, collaborative teaching, and visiting lectures

Mindfulness in education: Critical debates and pragmatic considerations

AbstractMindfulness has all but become a mainstay in modern education. Yet despite the incredible enthusiasm and increased application in schools, there remains significant divergence between advocates and critics. Advocates assert that mindfulness practice promotes individual and societal health and well‐being. Meanwhile, critics question the intention and the social and political implications of promoting these ancient practices in schools, arguing that the Buddhist ethics underlying mindfulness remain incompatible with the neoliberal ideology and instrumentalism of contemporary schooling. As mindfulness has been commodified, instrumentalised and used as a therapeutic tool for acute coping, its broader potential for human growth and development may be undermined. Furthermore, scholars caution that the fledging nature of mindfulness research leaves critical questions unanswered, especially the potential for adverse effects. The work herein examines these critiques, presenting three critical considerations for mindfulness in education, and articulates practical recommendations for educational leaders, policy makers and stakeholders. We aim to empower educators and others to make judgements about the promotion and integration of mindfulness into educational settings, considering context‐specific factors such as developmental needs and capacities, as well as recommendations to support effective and ethical practice of mindfulness in education.

Comparison of mindfulness training and acceptance and commitment therapy in a workplace setting: results from a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Mindfulness interventions have become a common feature of worksite stress management provision. However, the evidence underpinning these interventions continues to attract scrutiny, with unresolved questions surrounding: the generalizability of mindfulness research findings to real-world workplace training applications, comparability of different mindfulness approaches offered in workplace settings, and effects on job performance. The current trial contributes to the literature by exploring effects of mindfulness training (MT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which were delivered to staff in the same healthcare organization. Participants were randomly assigned to a 4-session MT program (n = 63), a 4-session ACT program (n = 67), or a waiting list control group (n = 69). Study measures were administered on five occasions spread across a 6-month period. Results indicated that both MT and ACT reduced perceived stress and improved mindfulness and sleep quality when compared to the control group. ACT showed slight superiority in helping employees align their behaviour with personal values. Neither MT nor ACT was effective in reducing work limitations. We consider explanations for equivocal effects on job performance outcomes, and highlight the importance of testing the effectiveness of worksite mindfulness interventions under ecologically valid conditions.

Mindfulness research and applications in the context of neoliberalism: A narrative and critical review

AbstractThis narrative and critical review outlines the implications of scientific production on Mindfulness and the widespread diffusion of the practice under neoliberal capitalism. This scientific, therapeutic and economic high‐value object is a fruitful research field in medical and social sciences. Since exiting the confines of mental and somatic health it has also flourished as a self‐care and self‐improvement technique. Drawing on a psychosocial perspective where Mindfulness is considered both a psychological and a social phenomenon, we explore the reasons why institutions and corporations have regularly considered Mindfulness as the universal panacea to address mental health, social and environmental problems, and how this contributed to transferring the consequences of structural and systemic issues from the State to the realms of individual management and responsibilization, and fostering social inequalities. We expose the role of Buddhist Modernism, psychology and social psychology into the consolidation of Mindfulness as a product of knowledge and a form of governmentality. The effects on Mindfulness users and researchers of a mainstream neoliberal psychological science, including social psychology, are discussed. Avenues for mindful resistance, such as theoretical and methodological perspectives for a critical social psychology of Mindfulness, are developed.

Mapping the Landscape of Financial Mindfulness Research: A Bibliometric Study

Financial mindfulness is an emerging concept in personal finance that promotes a transformative mindset to encourage rational decision-making and mitigate emotional biases. This study explores the evolution of research on financial mindfulness through a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis of 58 relevant articles. The bibliometric analysis reveals the developmental trajectory of this literature, identifying notable authors, journals, countries involved, and international collaborations. Financial mindfulness originated from integrating finance with mindfulness principles, building on earlier concepts like money attitudes and behavioural finance. The study highlights the interdisciplinary nature of financial mindfulness, with significant contributions from finance, economics, and psychology. This research is novel in that it is the first attempt to systematically analyse the literature on financial mindfulness in this comprehensive manner. It establishes a foundational understanding for future researchers in the field, mapping out the existing landscape and highlighting the interdisciplinary collaboration that characterizes this area of study. By charting the developmental path and identifying key contributors and trends, this research sets the stage for continued exploration and a deeper understanding of financial mindfulness. Ultimately, it encourages further interdisciplinary research and practical applications in personal finance management, ensuring that future studies build on a robust framework of existing knowledge. This research not only explores past developments but also provides a clear direction for future inquiries and innovations in the field.

Cultivating Global Health: Exploring Mindfulness Through an Organisational Psychology Lens

AbstractThe interface of public health and mindfulness as presented in Oman’s review (Mindfulness for Global Public Health: Critical Analysis and Agenda) holds great promise and reveals fertile ground for future research and interdisciplinary exploration. Oman’s framework is supported by compelling arguments, offering a balanced critique of mindfulness that identifies genuine applications and potential. This commentary notes key ideas in Oman’s paper that carry important lessons for organisational research on mindfulness and explores how organisational psychology research and theory can contribute to this proposed integration of mindfulness into global health efforts. It begins by reviewing the close relationships between work, mindfulness, and health, identifying commonalities between mindfulness, health, and organisational research. This is followed by an illustration of organisational psychology’s potential contributions to the alignment of mindfulness and health, focused on 2 of the 14 dimensions proposed by Oman (Concern for Equity and Addresses Attentional Environments). The commentary then draws on recent research and theoretical developments in mindfulness research within the workplace context to discuss the role of resilience and challenges in measuring mindfulness. Overall, this commentary aims to provide insights for organisational research while contributing to the integration of mindfulness and public health.

Twenty years of research on mindfulness at work: A structured literature review

Over the last two decades, mindfulness has become increasingly mainstream in the workplace and has attracted significant scholarly attention. However, there lacks a comprehensive and updated review of mindfulness that identifies historical research trends and establishes the current state of knowledge. To address this gap, we conduct a structured review of 217 articles published in top management and psychology journals between 2003 and 2022. Our findings reveal an uneven development in mindfulness research by topic. For example, while substantial research has examined the associations between mindfulness and both job performance and health outcomes, few studies have considered which factors moderate these associations. We propose five areas for future research that will facilitate a deeper understanding of mindfulness at work: the associations between mindfulness and adaptive performance, the design of mindfulness interventions, the complex nature of mindfulness effects, team mindfulness, and the interactions between different levels of mindfulness.

A Mega-Analysis of the Relationship Between Breath Counting Test Performance and Subscales of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire

ObjectivesThe assessment of mindfulness has relied predominantly on self-report questionnaires, indicating a need for alternative methods based on objective data. The Breath-Counting Task (BCT) has been proposed as a viable candidate by several mindfulness researchers, but has been subject to relatively little scientific scrutiny.MethodWe conducted a mega-analysis using combined data from five separate studies, using multiple linear regression models to examine the relationship between BCT performance and self-reported mindfulness after controlling for age and gender. We examined associations with trait mindfulness as indexed by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).ResultsAccuracy on the BCT correlated only with a combined dataset of z-scores derived from FFMQ-Acting with Awareness and MAAS. We also examined associations with two different types of task errors: miscounts (uncaught errors) and resets (self-caught errors). While reset rates correlated with FFMQ-Acting with Awareness, miscount rates did not correlate with any mindfulness measure.ConclusionsOur analyses provide confirmatory evidence that BCT performance is related to the attentional aspects of trait mindfulness and not its attitudinal aspects – however the relevant correlations are fairly small. In seeking an objective measure of mindful attention, the weak association observed with BCT resets and the lack thereof with BCT accuracy suggests more promise in paradigms based on self-monitoring lapses of attention, while sustained attention tasks such as the present BCT may be of limited application among individuals new to meditation due to their lack of prior practice.

How Service Employees' Mindfulness Links to Task Performance through Psychological Resilience, Deep Acting, and Customer-Oriented Behavior.

This study investigates the specific pathways through which mindfulness influences task performance, focusing on the sequential mediating roles of psychological resilience, customer-oriented behavior, and deep acting. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze data collected from 359 employees in the service industry in Korea. The results confirm that mindfulness has a significant direct and indirect relationship with task performance. Improved resilience through mindfulness can be the basis for fostering customer-oriented behavior and deep acting, which sequentially enhance task performance. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of how mindfulness leads to improvements in task performance and highlights the significance of mindfulness for both customers and service employees. It also expands the existing knowledge of mindfulness by empirically integrating resilience, customer-oriented behavior, and deep acting, which have not been extensively studied in mindfulness research. The findings have practical implications from a managerial perspective, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness resources in the workplace.

The use of mindfulness-based interventions in stroke rehabilitation: A scoping review.

There is emerging evidence for the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to improve health outcomes in the context of stroke rehabilitation. This scoping review identified recently available evidence and possible research gaps regarding how MBIs affect psychological and physical rehabilitation outcomes in individuals poststroke. Electronic searches were performed using the four major databases, CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Sixteen studies out of a total of 404 relevant studies met the selection criteria for inclusion in this review. Our findings indicate diverse results on the benefits of MBIs in individuals poststroke across a range of rehabilitative outcomes. For instance, significant improvements in mental fatigue, cognition, and quality of life were observed for most of the studies while the outcomes for mood and physical functioning were mixed. The available evidence lends qualified support to the view that mindfulness has the potential to be a therapeutic intervention that offers health benefits to individuals poststroke. Yet, the diversity of results highlights the need for a more rigorous examination in further research. We also identified several knowledge gaps in mindfulness research in the stroke population, such as the limited amount of evidence for mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), inadequate evaluations of physical outcomes, and the lack of methodologically robust trials. Further investigations are warranted to strengthen the evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of MBIs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).