Mindfulness Scores Research Articles

Investigation of the relationships between mindfulness, emotional eating, weight control self-efficacy, and obesity in adolescents

PurposeThis research was conducted to examine the relationships between mindfulness, emotional eating, weight control self-efficacy, and obesity in adolescents. Design and methodsThe research was conducted with 198 adolescents aged 13–18 years in three high schools in the central county of a province in Türkiye. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale–Adolescents, the Emotional Eating Scale for Children and Adolescents, and the Weight-Efficacy Lifestyle Questionnaire for Adolescents–Short Form. In this study, adolescents' height and weight were measured to determine the effects of the study variables on their body mass indexes (BMIs). ResultsThe variables were analyzed according to BMI. The mean age of the adolescents participating in the research was 15.25 ± 1.01 years; 52% were female, and 85% were ninth-grade high school students. Their mean height was 170.33 ± 8.59 cm, and their mean weight was 62.24 ± 12.84 kg. The adolescents' BMI was found to have a low-level, significant negative correlation with their mindfulness, a low-level, significant positive correlation with their emotional eating, and a low-level significant negative correlation with their weight control self-efficacy. Adolescents' mindfulness, emotional eating, and weight control self-efficacy scores significantly predicted their BMI and explained 14.1% of the variance in their BMI levels. ConclusionsMindfulness, emotional eating, and weight control self-efficacy in adolescents have a facilitating effect on the management of obesity. Implications to practiceMultidimensional programs should be developed that take into account the interaction of parents, children, and the environment, which will pave the way for the development of healthy nutrition behaviors and contribute to the prevention of obesity.

The Mediating Effect of Religious Attitude on the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Covid-19 Fear

The worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, which has significantly affected the entire globe for the past three years, has also influenced daily life and mental well-being in various ways. Many studies have emphasized that the use of religion as a coping mechanism can be an effective factor in improving mental health. Therefore, this study examines the cross-sectional relationship between religious attitude, mindfulness, and Covid-19 fear besides the Covid-19 anxiety levels that individuals are exposed to and evaluates the mediating role of religiosity in this relationship. A survey of 440 participants with most were female (80.2%) and single (68.2%) were obtained online by random sampling. The demographic results indicated that women exhibited a higher level of Covid-19 fear compared to men, showing a significant difference. In religious attitude and mindfulness scores, there was no significant difference observed by gender. The correlational analysis demonstrated that a higher fear of Covid-19 was significantly linked to lower levels of mindfulness and religious attitude, but it did not show any significant association with religious coping. The mediational analysis indicated that religious attitude acts as a partial mediator in the association between trait mindfulness and fear of Covid-19, implying that the impact of mindfulness on fear of Covid-19 was explained by the influence of religious attitude. While limitations of the study design exist, the findings suggest that belief-based behaviors may play an active role in mental health management during crises, and strategies that promote religious attitudes and mindfulness during times of life crises requires further investigations.

FIRECARE: An Evidence-Based Prevention Program to Reduce Burnout among Prehospital Caregivers: Benefits of a Combined Mindfulness, Heart Coherence Training, and Positive Psychology Intervention

Background Burnout among emergency health care professionals is well-described, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prevention interventions, such as mindfulness, focus on the management of stress. Objective To evaluate the effects of the FIRECARE program (a mindfulness intervention, supplemented by heart coherence training and positive psychology workshops) on burnout, secondary stress, compassion fatigue, and mindfulness among advanced life support ambulance staff of the Paris Fire Brigade. Materials and methods We used a non-randomized, two-group quasi-experimental study design with a waitlist control and before-and-after measurements in each group. The intervention consisted of six, once-weekly, 2.5-h sessions that included individual daily meditation and cardiac coherence practice. The study compared intervention and waitlist control groups, and investigated baseline, post-program, and 3-month follow-up change on burnout (measuring using the ProQOL-5 scale) and mindfulness (measuring using the FMI scores). Baseline burnout (measured using the ProQOL-5) was evaluated and used in the analysis. Results Seventy-four 74 participants volunteered to participate; 66 were included in the final analysis. Of these, 60% were classified as suffering from moderate burnout, the ‘burnout cluster’. A comparison of intervention and waitlist control groups found a decrease in the burnout score in the burnout cluster (p = 0.0003; partial eta squared = 0.18). However, while secondary stress fell among the burnout cluster, it was only for participants in the intervention group; scores increased for those in the waitlist group (p = 0.003; partial eta squared = 0.12). The pre-post-intervention analysis of both groups also showed that burnout fell in the burnout cluster (p = 0.006; partial eta squared = 0.11). At 3-month follow-up, the burnout score was significantly reduced in the intervention group (p = 0.02; partial eta squared = 0.07), and both the acceptance (p = 0.007) and mindfulness scores (p = 0.05; partial eta squared = 0.05) were increased in the baseline burnout cluster. Conclusion FIRECARE may be a useful approach to preventing and reducing burnout among prehospital caregivers.

A Mixed-Method Study of Athletes’ Experiences With Mindfulness Across Stages of Readiness

Existing mindfulness literature in sport primarily focuses on manualized mindfulness protocols, while less is known about athlete experiences with mindfulness outside of interventions. The purpose of the present study was to explore student-athlete experiences with and readiness to practice mindfulness. Using convenience and snowball sampling, 205 collegiate athletes completed a mixed-method survey that assessed readiness, trait mindfulness, social support for mindfulness practice, and mindfulness’ perceived effect on performance. Participants were invited to comment on benefits, barriers, or adverse experiences during their practice. Athletes with long-term experience had significantly higher mindfulness scores than those with less experience; they also perceived that mindfulness had significantly greater effects on performance than those not practicing. Various benefits and barriers were expressed across stages of readiness, though roughly 6%–10% of participants reported an adverse effect of mindfulness practice. It is thus important for practitioners to consider readiness levels and previous experiences in implementing mindfulness interventions.

The moderating effect analysis of mindfulness on perceived stress and job burnout of medical staff

Objective: To explore the moderating mechanism of mindfulness on perceived stress and job burnout of medical staff. Methods: From November 2020 to March 2022, 1626 medical staff were investigated by questionnaires. Chinese Version Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey (MBI-HSS) and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were used to evaluate the perceived stress, three dimensions of job burnout[depersonalization (DP), emotional exhaustion (EE), personal accomplishment (PA) ], and mindfulness level of medical staff. The Spearman rank correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between mindfulness and perceived stress, job burnout of medical staff. And the SPSS PROCESS macro program was used to test the moderating effect of mindfulness on perceived stress and job burnout. Results: Among the 1626 medical staff, 57.38% had perceived stress with health risk (933/1626), and 63.84% (1038/1626) had job burnout, among them, with 618 (38.01%), 274 (16.85%), and 146 (8.98%) experiencing mild, moderate and severe job burnout, respectively. The scores of mindfulness among medical staff were significantly correlated with perceived stress and various dimensions of job burnout (EE, DP and PA) (r(s)=-0.155, -0.351, -0.315, 0.307, P<0.001). Mindfulness had a moderating effect between perceived stress and job burnout, which was achieved through three moderating pathways: perceived stress-mindfulness-EE, perceived stress-mindfulness-DP and perceived stress-mindfulness-PA (ΔR(2)=0.073, 0.06, 0.006, P<0.001) . Conclusion: Medical staff have a high level of job burnout, mindfulness plays a moderating role between perceived stress and job burnout. Specific measures can be taken to improve the level of mindfulness in medical staff, so as to prevent and alleviate job burnout of medical staff.

Mindfulness in Persons with Mild Dementia and Their Caregivers: Exploring Trait Rumination as a Clinical Outcome Measure

ObjectivesMindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been successfully applied to persons with dementia (PwD) and their caregivers and may yield beneficial effects on depression and quality of life. However, due to inconsistent results, it may be beneficial to re-examine mindfulness in PwD cross-sectionally to identify further potential therapeutic target variables. Rumination, the maladaptive disposition to excessively think about causes and consequences of symptoms and negative mood, may represent such a target. The current study sought to confirm the validity of trait rumination and the antagonistic relationship between mindfulness, rumination, and depression in PwD and their caregivers, as this may qualify rumination as a potential process and outcome variable in future MBIs.MethodForty patients with mild dementia completed a neuropsychological examination and provided self-report data on trait mindfulness, depression, and rumination. Self-report measures were also obtained from 30 caregivers. Regression analyses were used to examine the relation between mindfulness, depression, and rumination. We used clinical cutoffs for depression and rumination to estimate the practical implications of the opposing relationships between these variables.ResultsFor PwD, mindfulness was significantly negatively correlated with depression and rumination, explaining 37% and 25% of variance, respectively. In PwD with low mindfulness scores, clinical depression and rumination syndromes occurred more frequently than in those with high mindfulness. Caregiver results were compatible.ConclusionMindfulness shows an antagonistic relationship with clinically relevant rumination in PwD. Rumination may represent a relevant clinical outcome variable for future MBIs that can be reliably measured in PwD through validated self-report measures.PreregistrationThis study is not preregistered.

Relating Dispositional Mindfulness and Long-Term Mindfulness Training with Executive Functioning, Emotion Regulation, and Well-Being in Pre-adolescents

The present study examined whether both dispositional mindfulness without mindfulness training and mindfulness resulting from longer-term mindfulness training are positively associated with pre-adolescents’ well-being, via enhanced executive functioning (EF) and emotion regulation. EF was assessed in a GoNoGo task via behavioral performance and event-related potentials. Study 1 (N = 62) investigated associations of dispositional mindfulness without mindfulness training with EF, well-being and emotion regulation; longitudinal Study 2 with an active control group compared the effects of long-term mindfulness training (N = 28) with a positive psychology intervention (N = 15). Dispositional mindfulness without training was associated with lower EF, unrelated to emotion regulation and the relationship with well-being was mixed. Long-term mindfulness training was positively related to EF and well-being (reduced negative affect), but was uncorrelated with emotion regulation and mindfulness scores. Taken together, long-term mindfulness training was found to have mixed effects. Further research is required in this area.

A workplace wellness program protects against COVID-19 effects on mental wellbeing

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had deleterious effects on workers’ mental wellbeing. The current study investigated the impact of an online workplace wellness program on teacher mental wellbeing and mindfulness during the first four months of nation-wide quarantine in New Zealand. Longitudinal data at three time points were examined: baseline, end of program, and 3 months post-program in a sample of 32 teachers. Tests of paired data of baseline versus the later time points found statistically significant improvements in mental wellbeing (Warwick-Edinburg Mental Wellbeing Scale) and mindfulness (The Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire) with large effect sizes. Mindfulness scores were higher at 3 months follow up compared to end-of-program suggesting teachers’ mindfulness ratings continued to improve after program completion. Implications for research and workplace training are discussed.

Evaluation of the Online Sport-Specific Mindfulemotions Program in a Population of Scandinavian Elite Athletes Measuring Psychological Parameters

Professional athletes are often affected by public pressure, choking under pressure, depression, anxiety, stress, or burnout. Mindfulness training seems to be a valuable tool for reducing those symptoms. Due to the general interest in online applications and the constraints of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the future of mindfulness training might be digital, and the expansion of such interventions is inevitable. Therefore, we translated and digitalised the German sports-specific mindfulness program called mindfulemotions (https://mindful-motions.de/) and evaluated it with a psychological randomised controlled trial pilot study in a population of Scandinavian elite athletes making it the first English online mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) for professional athletes. 28 athletes started the involvement, and 12 athletes finished the participation. The athletes completed several self-report questionnaires, a diary at the end of the intervention and follow-up questions after one year assessing psychological parameters before and after the mindfulness practices and website feedback. The results suggest that the web-based online program seems at the first glance feasible, comprehensible, and applicable. The nonparametric post-test analyses eventuated in an increase in mindfulness and self-compassion scores for the intervention group, but not for the control group. Overall, due to the small sample size, it is difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the feasibility of the web-based online program, but the website’s establishment and the program’s implementation were successful. This research supports the need to execute a more extensive and comprehensive investigation of the online mindfulemotion program and its potential for elite athletes.

Mindfulness supports emotional resilience in children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An important aspect of mental health in children is emotional resilience: the capacity to adapt to, and recover from, stressors and emotional challenges. Variation in trait mindfulness, one's disposition to attend to experiences with an open and nonjudgmental attitude, may be an important individual difference in children that supports emotional resilience. In this study, we investigated whether trait mindfulness was related to emotional resilience in response to stressful changes in education and home-life during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. We conducted a correlational study examining self-report data from July 2020 to February 2021, from 163 eight-to ten-year-old children living in the US. Higher trait mindfulness scores correlated with less stress, anxiety, depression, and negative affect in children, and lower ratings of COVID-19 impact on their lives. Mindfulness moderated the relationship between COVID-19 child impact and negative affect. Children scoring high on mindfulness showed no correlation between rated COVID-19 impact and negative affect, whereas those who scored low on mindfulness showed a positive correlation between child COVID-19 impact and negative affect. Higher levels of trait mindfulness may have helped children to better cope with a wide range of COVID-19 stressors. Future studies should investigate the mechanisms by which trait mindfulness supports emotional resilience in children.

Mindfulness and Parents-Adolescent Conflict during Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to see whether there is a relationship between mindfulness and parent-adolescent conflict during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research problem is focused on the impact of the changes that occurred during the COVID-19 Pandemic, especially during the lockdown for parents and adolescents. The impact such as the difficulty of controlling children’s behavior and the emergence of parent-adolescent conflicts, that it interferes with the ability to be mindful in the family. Mindfulness and parent-adolescent conflict are measured using a Likert scale, involved 331 adolescents aged 16-21 years (students) in Medan City. The research method used in this research is quantitative with the type of correlational research and analyzed using descriptive analysis and Pearson correlation. The results showed a negative correlation (r = -0.987), where the higher the level of Mindfulness, the lower the level of Parents-Adolescent Conflict. On the mindfulness score, 32 people (10%) are high category, 288 people (87%) are medium category, and 11 people (3%) are low category. On the parent-adolescent conflict score, 2 people (1%) are high category, 307 people (93%) are medium category, and 22 people (6%) are low category.

The efficacy of Persian Version of Mindfulness-Based Stress Management app (Aramgar) for college’s mindfulness skills and perceived stress

Functional mobile applications are regarded as one of the brand-new approaches to psychological interventions in different areas, including stress. The study aims to analyze a mobile application for Persian users on perceived stress and improve mindful skills. This study was a one-group pretest-posttest design with a quasi-experimental research design. Three instruments were used in this study: the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). Eighty-five students participated in an 8-week mindfulness mobile app (Aramgar) for at least 10 minutes per day intervention. They responded to validated outcome measures of stress and mindfulness at baseline after the 8-week continued access period. The mobile application, Aramgar, was designed based on Mindfulness-based stress reduction. Paired t-tests showed significant differences in general perceived stress (P = 0.03) and total score of mindfulness (P = 0.002) before and after Aramgar. The results of analyzing the quality of Aramgar in terms of engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality showed that specialists assessed the quality of the application appropriately. Using functional mobile apps provides ease of use for mental health services. Therefore, to strengthen and develop the mentioned services, it is recommended that the necessary information technology infrastructures be provided and the existing limitations for designing and running mental health mobile apps be removed.

Reliability of self-reported dispositional mindfulness scales and their association with working memory performance and functional connectivity

We systematically investigated the link between trait mindfulness scores and functional connectivity (FC) features or behavioral data, to emphasize the importance of the reliability of self-report mindfulness scores. Sixty healthy young male participants underwent two functional MRI runs with three mindfulness or mind-wandering task blocks with an N-back task (NBT) block. The data from 49 participants (age: 23.3 ± 2.8) for whom two sets of the self-reported Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and NBT performance were available were analyzed. We divided participants into two groups based on the consistency level of their MAAS scores (i.e., a “consistent” and an “inconsistent” group). Then, the association between the MAAS scores and FC features or NBT performance was investigated using linear regression analysis with p-value correction and bootstrapping. Meaningful associations (a) between MAAS and NBT accuracy (slope = 0.41, CI = [0.10, 0.73], corrected p < 0.05), (b) between MAAS and the FC edges in the frontoparietal network, and (c) between the FC edges and NBT performance were only observed in the consistent group (n = 26). Our findings demonstrate the importance of appropriate screening mechanisms for self-report-based dispositional mindfulness scores when trait mindfulness scores are combined with neuronal features and behavioral data.

The relationship between ethical leadership and nurse well-being: The mediating role of workplace mindfulness.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between nurses' well-being and their ethical leadership, and the mediating role of workplace mindfulness in this relationship. This was a quantitative cross-sectional study. This cross-sectional study was conducted in three tertiary hospitals in central China from May 2022 to July 2022, and the Nurses' Workplace Mindfulness, Ethical Leadership and Well-Being Scale were distributed and collected via the Internet. A total of 1579 nurses volunteered to participate in this study. SPSS 26.0 statistical software was used to analyse the data by Z-test and Spearman's rank correlation; the internal mechanism of workplace mindfulness and ethical leadership on nurses' well-being was completed by AMOS 23.0 statistical software. The scores of nurses' well-being, workplace mindfulness and ethical leadership were 93.00 (81.00, 108.00), 96.00 (80.00, 112.00) and 73.00 (67.00, 81.00) respectively. The professional title, age and department atmosphere affect their well-being. Spearman's analysis showed that nurses' well-being was positively correlated with ethical leadership (r = .507, p < .01) and workplace mindfulness (r = .600, p < .01); workplace mindfulness partially mediated the relationship between ethical leadership and nurses' well-being accounting for 38.5% of the total effect ratio [p < .001, 95% CI = (0.215, 0.316)]. Nurses' well-being was at a medium level, and had a higher score in ethical leadership and workplace mindfulness, and workplace mindfulness played a partial mediating role between ethical leadership and nurses' well-being. This suggests that nursing managers need to pay attention to clinical nurses' well-being experience, actively focus on the relationship among ethical leadership, workplace mindfulness and well-being and integrate core values such as positivity and morality into nurses' daily routines, so as to improve the work enthusiasm and well-being experience of clinical nurses, enhancing the nursing quality and stabilizing the nursing team.

Using a 10‐day mindfulness‐based app intervention to reduce burnout in special educators

AbstractThe field of special education is thought to be a stressful profession due to the complex needs of the students. The current study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a mindfulness‐based smartphone application intervention for reducing burnout in special educators. We used the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory scale (with three subscales; personal, work‐related and student‐related) to measure burnout and the Five Facets of Mindfulness (shortened version) to assess mindfulness. Special educators (n = 29) were assigned to either the experimental group (n = 14) which used the ‘Smiling Mind’ app for guided meditations or the active control group (n = 15) which used ‘Day One’, a note‐taking app, for a list‐making activity. Both groups used their assigned apps for 10 days. The experimental group showed significant reductions from baseline to post‐intervention on the personal burnout subscale while the control group did not, indicating that the intervention affected this domain of burnout. This was maintained at a 2‐week follow‐up. Mindfulness scores did not significantly increase in the experimental condition, meaning that the mechanism of this decrease in personal burnout is unknown. Further research is needed in order to add to the knowledge on preventing and treating burnout in special educators.

Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Duration and Type on Well-being: an Online Dose-Ranging Randomized Controlled Trial

ObjectivesThis multi-arm randomized controlled online trial explored the effects of two key mindfulness characteristics (dose and type) over 2 weeks on mental well-being, along with psychological distress and dispositional mindfulness, in a healthy community sample.MethodParticipants were randomly assigned to one of four mindfulness interventions (~ 10 min or ~ 30 min of sitting or movement meditation) to practice daily for 2 weeks; 161 participants fully completed the study and were included in the final sample. We also explored self-reported adherence through how often participants practiced, along with dropout rate via how many participants fully completed the study.ResultsWell-being and mindfulness scores increased—and distress scores decreased—within all four conditions. However, most importantly, there were no significant differences between the conditions as a function of meditation dose or type. There were also no differences between the conditions on how regularly the meditations were practiced irrespective of type or dose. Additionally, there was no difference on dropout rate regarding meditation dose. However, meditation type had an effect, with a significantly higher dropout rate for participants allocated to a movement meditation irrespective of the dose.ConclusionsBrief mindfulness meditation may offer some benefit to well-being regardless of the meditation type and dose but, fundamentally, no differences in effects were detected between short/long sitting meditations and short/long movement meditations. Moreover, the results indicate that movement meditations may possibly be harder to adhere to, potentially informing the tailoring of mindfulness-based self-help programs. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.PreregistrationThis study was retrospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12619000422123).

Web-Based Physical Activity Interventions to Promote Resilience and Mindfulness Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

College students faced unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementing a physical activity intervention can help support the physical and mental health of college students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an aerobic-strength training exercise intervention (WeActive) and a mindful exercise intervention (WeMindful) in improving resilience and mindfulness among college students. Seventy-two students from a major public university in the Midwest participated in a two-arm experimental study over the course of ten weeks. One week before and after the 8-week interventions, participants completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15), Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and demographic and background questionnaire via Qualtrics. Both groups also participated in bi-weekly Peer Coaching sessions, which utilized reflective journaling and goal-setting exercises. ANCOVA showed a significant main effect of time for total mindfulness score (F = 5.177, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.070), mindfulness Acting with Awareness (F = 7.321, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.096), and mindfulness Non-Judging of Inner Experience (F = 5.467, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.073). No significant main effect of group and interaction effects of time with group were observed for the total mindfulness and the five facets of mindfulness as well as resilience. In addition, no significant main effect of time for resilience was found. We conclude that aerobic-strength exercises and mindful yoga exercises, together with reflective journaling, may be effective in increasing mindfulness in the college population.

Trait mindfulness plays a protective role in the positive relationships between stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal behavior in an at-risk population: Music industry touring professionals

This study aimed to elucidate factors related to suicidality in a high-stress population—music industry touring professionals. It also examined whether trait mindfulness plays a moderating role in relations among these factors and suicidality. Touring professionals ( N = 1,154) responded to an online questionnaire that included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale–Revised (CES-D), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Suicide Behavior Questionnaire–Revised (SBQ-R), and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Mediation and moderated-mediation analyses were conducted on data from completed instruments ( n = 550) with PSS as the antecedent, CES-D as the mediator, MAAS as the moderator, and SBQ-R as the outcome. The indirect effect of stress through depressive symptoms on suicidality was significant. The moderation of this indirect effect by mindfulness also reached significance, with greater mindfulness scores associated with an attenuation of the impact of stress on suicidality through depressive symptoms. Mindfulness was a moderator of stress on depressive symptoms and suicidality. Mindfulness-based interventions for populations under high stress, such as touring professionals, may be an important topic for future research.

Resting State Dynamics in People with Varying Degrees of Anxiety and Mindfulness: A Nonlinear and Nonstationary Perspective

Anxiety and mindfulness are two inversely linked traits shown to be involved in various physiological domains. The current study used resting state electroencephalography (EEG) to explore differences between people with low mindfulness-high anxiety (LMHA) (n = 29) and high mindfulness-low anxiety (HMLA) (n = 27). The resting EEG was collected for a total of 6 min, with a randomized sequence of eyes closed and eyes opened conditions. Two advanced EEG analysis methods, Holo-Hilbert Spectral Analysis and Holo-Hilbert cross-frequency phase clustering (HHCFPC) were employed to estimate the power-based amplitude modulation of carrier frequencies, and cross-frequency coupling between low and high frequencies, respectively. The presence of higher oscillation power across the delta and theta frequencies in the LMHA group than the HMLA group might have been due to the similarity between the resting state and situations of uncertainty, which reportedly triggers motivational and emotional arousal. Although these two groups were formed based on their trait anxiety and trait mindfulness scores, it was anxiety that was found to be significant predictor of the EEG power, not mindfulness. It led us to conclude that it might be anxiety, not mindfulness, which might have contributed to higher electrophysiological arousal. Additionally, a higher δ-β and δ-γ CFC in LMHA suggested greater local–global neural integration, consequently a greater functional association between cortex and limbic system than in the HMLA group. The present cross-sectional study may guide future longitudinal studies on anxiety aiming with interventions such as mindfulness to characterize the individuals based on their resting state physiology.

State Mindfulness and Misinformation Susceptibility.

Two experiments examined whether brief mindful meditation exercises and belief in task utility impacted memory in the misinformation paradigm. Participants watched a fictionalized crime video, received post-event misinformation about the video, and completed a cued recall memory test. They were randomly assigned to complete either a brief mindfulness exercise or unrelated task prior to encoding the video (E1) or prior to the final cued recall test (E2). Further, half of the participants in each group were informed that their assigned task was beneficial to memory performance. In Experiment 1, information about task benefits reduced misinformation reports on the final recall test, regardless of the task. The brief mindfulness exercise increased self-reported mindfulness scores in both experiments. While no group differences in memory were found, correlational analyses across the two experiments suggest that individuals who achieve more intense states of mindfulness may have lower susceptibility to misinformation and better event memory when meditation occurs prior to encoding. The results suggest that brief mindfulness exercises can reliably increase state experiences of mindfulness and have potential for use as experimental manipulations. However, the intensity of a self-guided mindfulness experience can vary across individuals, so it is important to consider individual differences when considering the application of the exercises.