State Mindfulness Research Articles

Mindfulness Practice Is Associated With Improved Well-Being and Reduced Injury Risk in Female NCAA Division I Athletes.

Injury in sport is an inherent risk to participation, and it can have devastating consequences for the athlete, both mentally and physically. Previous research has found that impairments in well-being can increase the risk of injury, and that various forms of mindfulness training and practice can improve well-being and mental health in various populations. Mindfulness would be associated with greater well-being and lower risk of injury. Cohort study. Level 3. A total of 21 female Division I athletes underwent a formal 6-week mindfulness training program and were encouraged to continue mindfulness exercises. The athletes completed daily surveys on their smartphones in relation to mood, muscle readiness (soreness), readiness to train, energy level, daily training load, and whether they had participated in mindfulness training that day. Linear mixed effects models were used to evaluate well-being variables and mindfulness state, and separate mixed effects logistics regression models were used to evaluate injury incidence and wellness variables. On days with mindfulness practice, athletes reported higher mood (19.6 [18.8-20.3] vs 19.4 [18.6-20.1, P = 0.03), muscle readiness (18.9 [17.8-20.0] vs 18.6 [17.5-19.6], P = 0.03), readiness to train (78.7 [75.9-81.5] vs 77.4 [74.7-80.2], P < 0.01), and energy level (19.3 [18.6-20.1] vs 18.8 [18.1-19.5, P < 0.01) than on the days when they did not participate in mindfulness training. Mindfulness practice was associated with significantly reduced likelihood of suffering an acute injury the following day (odds ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.42-0.43; P < 0.01). On an individual level, participation in mindfulness by female collegiate athletes was associated with a dramatic reduction in injury risk the following day. In addition, mindfulness was associated with significantly improved mood, muscle readiness, readiness to train, and energy level. These findings suggest that mindfulness training in athletes may improve well-being and reduce the risk of injury among high-level athletes.

Parsing state mindfulness effects on neurobehavioral markers of cognitive control: A within-subject comparison of focused attention and open monitoring.

Over the past two decades, scientific interest in understanding the relationship between mindfulness and cognition has accelerated. However, despite considerable investigative efforts, pervasive methodological inconsistencies within the literature preclude a thorough understanding of whether or how mindfulness influences core cognitive functions. The purpose of the current study is to provide an initial "proof-of-concept" demonstration of a new research strategy and methodological approach designed to address previous limitations. Specifically, we implemented a novel fully within-subject state induction protocol to elucidate the neurobehavioral influence of discrete mindfulness states-focused attention (FA) and open monitoring (OM), compared against an active control-on well-established behavioral and ERP indices of executive attention and error monitoring assessed during the Eriksen flanker task. Bayesian mixed modeling was used to test preregistered hypotheses pertaining to FA and OM effects on flanker interference, the stimulus-locked P3, and the response-locked ERN and Pe. Results yielded strong but unexpected evidence that OM selectively produced a more cautious and intentional response style, characterized by higher accuracy, slower RTs, and reduced P3 amplitude. Follow-up exploratory analyses revealed that trait mindfulness moderated the influence of OM, such that individuals with greater trait mindfulness responded more cautiously and exhibited higher trial accuracy and smaller P3s. Neither FA nor OM modulated the ERN or Pe. Taken together, our findings support the promise of our approach, demonstrating that theoretically distinct mindfulness states are functionally dissociable among mindfulness-naive participants and that interactive variability associated with different operational facets of mindfulness (i.e., state vs. trait) can be modeled directly.

State mindfulness mediates relation between brief mindfulness training and sustained engagement with social stressor across social anxiety levels

State mindfulness mediates relation between brief mindfulness training and sustained engagement with social stressor across social anxiety levels

Forced shift to teleworking: how abusive supervision promotes counterproductive work behavior when employees experience COVID-19 corporate social responsibility

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic necessitated teleworking, which inadvertently led to an impaired communication between supervisors and employees, resulting in abusive supervision. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory and the social identity theory, this study aims to address this negative association by examining the mediating role of state mindfulness and the moderating role of COVID-19 corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the relationship between abusive supervision and counterproductive work behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThis research employs both qualitative and quantitative research designs. Data collection involved an experimental design with 117 participants (Study 1), a cross-sectional survey with 243 participants (Study 2) and semi-structured interviews with 24 full-time employees (Study 3).FindingsThe results reveal that state mindfulness acts as a mediator in the positive relationship between abusive supervision and counterproductive work behaviors (CWB). Furthermore, COVID-19 CSR mitigates the relationship between abusive supervision and CWB within the organization, but not with the supervisor. Additionally, COVID-19 CSR moderates the impact of abusive supervision on state mindfulness.Practical implicationsThe results emphasize the crucial role of CSR when employees encounter abusive supervision during the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations and managers should adopt appropriate strategies to enhance employees' perception of CSR. Prioritizing the cultivation of state mindfulness is also recommended, and organizations can provide short-term mindfulness training to improve employees' state mindfulness.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the understanding of abusive supervision and CWB in the context of forced teleworking.

Essential elements in evidence-based interventions to improve employee mindfulness

The use of mindfulness skill promises a bevy of positive outcomes at work, increasing organizational interest in designing interventions for boosting it. To create these interventions, organizations need more information on key elements that support mindfulness and deeper understanding about how each element mechanizes deployment of mindfulness skill. This manuscript addresses these needs. We articulate how the micro mindfulness skills of self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (identified as the “S-ART framework” by neuropsychologists) emerge and combine to create a state of mindfulness. We then provide an example to demonstrate how including each of these elements in a mindfulness intervention provides employees with a stepwise self-management technique for better interacting with distressing or uncomfortable cognition. In all, we demonstrate how mindfulness interventions that incorporate self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence create a more robust state of mindfulness.

Effects of Brief Mindfulness Training on Basketball Free-Throw Shooting Performance Under Pressure: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Dosage Response

Studies have indicated that as little as 15 min of mindfulness training (MT) positively affects sport performance under pressure, but the minimum amount of MT required to induce effects is unclear. The current experiment tested the effects of MT of different lengths on free-throw shooting under pressure. Forty-six participants (78% men) with competitive basketball experience completed pretest mindfulness and anxiety surveys and shot under low pressure. Using performance-based matched assignment, participants were randomly distributed into groups. On another day, participants completed audio trainings (6-min MT, 15-min MT, or control) and then shot under high pressure. Under high pressure, anxiety and mindfulness states did not differ among groups, nor were there group differences in average shooting percentage. However, only the control group performed worse on the second shot under high pressure compared with low pressure, suggesting possible protection effects of MT. Findings are discussed regarding application and possible interactions between traits, motivation, and incentive values.

Mind Your Heart: A Mindful Eating and Diet Education eHealth Program

ObjectiveExamine user perceptions of the Mind Your Heart (MYH) program, a mindful eating and nutrition education program delivered via an eHealth system. MethodsSixteen participants (41.5 ± 13.1 years) completed sample MYH lessons over 3 weeks. We examined changes in mindfulness from the State Mindfulness Scale via text messages sent 3 times per week. We assessed MYH user perceptions in a semistructured interview after 3 weeks. Analyses included Spearman's correlation, repeated measures ANOVA, and thematic analysis. ResultsState Mindfulness Scale scores were significantly improved (F[1,15] = 5.35, P = 0.01) from week 1 (M = 2.28 ± 0.80) to week 3 (M = 2.75 ± 1.04). Four themes emerged: (1) MYH is supportive of health goals, (2) text messages act as an intervention, (3) facilitators or inhibitors of use, and (4) enhancing engagement. Conclusions and ImplicationsBased on participant feedback, the final version of MYH should include example-based learning to translate abstract concepts like mindful eating into action.

Feasibility and effectiveness study of applying a hallucinogen harm reduction and integration model to a mindfulness thinking intervention using virtual reality: A randomized controlled trial.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a virtual reality (VR) program designed and developed based on the hallucinogenic harm reduction and integration (PHRI) clinical model could be more effective in guiding positive thinking training, improving positive thinking awareness and ability, and, to some extent, facilitating personal efficacy and emotional state compared to a traditional VR program that places users in a virtual natural ecological environment to guide positive thinking training. We also sought to understand the factors that may influence the effectiveness of VR interventions and user experience. Seventy-six randomly recruited participants were divided into a control group and an experimental group of 38 participants, each according to a random number table, and were trained in VR meditation for eight weeks. The experimental group used a PHRI-based mindfulness program, while the control group used a traditional mindfulness meditation program. We used The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and the PAD emotional three-dimensional scale to assess the level of state mindfulness and changes in the emotional state before and at the end of the experiment. The Immersive Tendencies Questionnaire measured the user's sense of presence and immersion in the virtual environment. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaires and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were used at the baseline assessment stage before and at the 4-week follow-up after the experiment to assess the change in trait mindfulness levels due to the mindfulness training. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaires and the DASS-21 were used to assess changes in mindfulness and mental health trait levels. At the end of the experiment, the MMSQ score was significantly lower in the control group than in the experimental group, while the ITQ score was significantly higher than in the experimental group, and both scores were statistically significant (p < 0.05). In the follow-up assessment four weeks after the end of the experiment, the FFMQ-15 score and the DASS-21 were significantly and statistically higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Since the scores of the PAD scale did not obey a normal distribution, we used the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to assess the results, which proved that the experimental group had higher levels of emotional activation and arousal. The VR positive thinking program developed based on PHRI can significantly increase the positive thinking state and emotional arousal and activation of the general population participants but does not directly lead to the growth of positive emotions. Moreover, this detached psychedelic scene brings users a weaker sense of presence and presence than traditional natural space scenes. Furthermore, it does not bring any intense simulator motion sickness symptoms. These findings suggest that VR programs developed based on PHRI have a more positive facilitation effect on the positive state and that this increase lasts longer than conventional VR-positive programs.

A biosemiotic approach to landscapes: Alois Riegl’s theories of Kunstwollen and Stimmung revisited in the contexts of cognitive and evolutionary aesthetics

This study explores the art historian Alois Riegl’s heuristic terms ‘Kunstwollen’ and ‘Stimmung’ in the contexts of cognitive and evolutionary aesthetics. To begin with, the author draws on notions of instinct theorized by George Romanes, Charles Darwin and Charles Peirce. They are shown to have embraced instinct and associated it with states of mindfulness, good reasoning and intelligence of survival. Another art historian, August Schmarsow, is also shown to have favoured instinctive attitudes and mental trials and errors as the sophisticated approach to art. These rigorous theorizations of instinct serve to expand Riegl’s idea that Kunstwollen suggests a relatively strong human will and desire for art. Further, to verify how viewers may attain states of Kunstwollen and Stimmung, the author draws on two landscapes (Landscape with Roman Ruins, 1536; The Heart of the Andes, 1859) to broaden viewers’ horizons. Viewers are advised to take full advantage of the medium made up by light, air and space so as to work out perspectives that favour their mental wellbeing and the reception of artworks. Finally, the author integrates Riegl’s theories into current research and emphasizes the necessity of unifying biological and cultural factors for the attainment of knowledge or original thinking in inquiries. In brief, Riegl’s theories appear fairly biosemiotic when we consider the rich evolutionary, psychological and semiological contexts surrounding the birth of his insights.

Impact of Coastal Walking Outdoors and Virtual Reality Indoor Walking on Heart Rate, Enjoyment Levels and Mindfulness Experiences in Healthy Adults.

Outdoor exercise is beneficial for psychophysical well-being. Limited studies have compared outdoor and virtual reality (VR) indoor physical activities, especially in coastal settings. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of outdoor coastal walking and indoor walking in a VR simulation with a similar environment on physiological and psychological variables in healthy adults. A total of 26 subjects (14 M and 12 F, age 25.2 ± 2.5 years) voluntarily participated in this crossover randomized controlled and counterbalanced study and were allocated under three conditions: VR indoor walking (INVR), outdoor walking (OUT) and standard indoor walking (IN). IN and INVR conditions were performed on a treadmill (speed 4.5 km/h) and the OUT was performed on a seaside pedestrian road. The same outdoor environment was displayed in the visor during the INVR. Heart rate (HRmean/max), physical activity enjoyment (PACES-It) and state of mindfulness for physical activity (SMS-PA) were assessed at the end of each condition. The OUT condition showed significantly greater PACES-It scores and HRmean than IN and INVR (p < 0.001) and greater SMS-PA scores and HRmax than IN (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). No significant differences were found between OUT and INVR regarding HRmax and SMS-PA scores (p > 0.05). Findings suggest that physical activity in an immersive technology may lead to physiological loads comparable to the outdoor environment. OUT is more enjoyable than IN and INVR but exhibits a mindfulness response comparable to INVR. Therefore, INVR could be an alternative to OUT for those who cannot engage in outdoor activities for various reasons.

Effects and acceptability of virtual reality to facilitate mindfulness practice in university students

AbstractMindfulness practices have proven to be effective for improving the mental health of many populations, including university students. However, these practices can be challenging for naive meditators. Virtual reality (VR) can create virtual scenarios that facilitate the practice of mindfulness. This study presents secondary data from a randomized controlled trial on the effects and acceptability of mindfulness-based VR environments conducted with a sample of university students. Specifically, it involved a single condition (n = 93) receiving an intervention that comprised six short mindfulness sessions in VR. Measurements were taken of participants’ state mindfulness and emotional state immediately before and after the implementation of each VR environment. Sense of presence was measured subsequent to each VR environment. Furthermore, participants were asked to rate their expectations for at baseline and satisfaction with the experience after the intervention. Participants significantly improved both state mindfulness and emotional states, and they reported a moderate-to-strong sense of presence in each of the VR environments. Moreover, participants reported high expectation and satisfaction scores for the intervention. This study shows the potential of VR in mindfulness, although there is a need for more research in this area and, in particular, more sophisticated trial designs.

After COVID-19 lockdown: an exploratory study about the influence of mindfulness-feelings toward an individual’s outdoor lifestyle and empowerment

PurposeThis study aimed to detect the relationships between mindfulness and events participation, and then between the later and psychological empowerment.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model's underlying hypotheses were empirically tested with data collected through an online survey addressed to a convenience sample of frequent leisure participants (n = 199). The authors applied the structural equation model (SEM) to confirm the aforementioned relationships. To assess the adequacy of the psychometric properties of the measures, the authors performed a confirmatory factor analysis of the measurement model, with a maximum likelihood estimation method.FindingsUnder the effects of the lockdown period environment, the results express a positive relationship between a mindful state of mind – related to observation/attention – and the yearnings and perceptions about the participation in events. This relationship for consistency was proven to be moderated by the perception of the participation importance to the individual subjective well-being/mental health. Due to participation insights, there was a positive effect on psychological empowerment, supporting the relationship that had been hypothesized.Originality/valueThe authors propose and test a new model that contributes to the theory and examines how mindfulness behavior can effect more alluring and intense participation in events and what are the anticipated outcomes in terms of psychological empowerment.

Association between time perspective and metacognition among Lebanese adults: the mediating role of mindfulness

BackgroundMindfulness may serve as a component of metacognitive beliefs and can also be viewed as a form of time perspective. The interplay between time perspective and metacognitive beliefs remains understudied. Both aspects, however, display considerable stability over time and significantly influence an individual’s life and well-being. Lebanon, marked by its diverse and complex history, struggles with various political, social, and economic challenges. This study offers a valuable and unprecedented opportunity to examine these connections within a distinct cultural context, shedding light on the unique experiences of the Lebanese population. Therefore, our research aims to investigate the connection between time perspective and metacognition, with a focus on the role of mindfulness as a mediator.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2022 and involved participants from various regions of Lebanon. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data and scales such as the Arabic versions of the 15-item Short Form of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, the Metacognitions Questionnaire, the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-2).ResultsOur investigation recruited 423 participants. The analysis showed that individuals with a positive stance on their past, a hedonistic present, or a future-oriented outlook exhibited heightened levels of mindfulness. This elevated state of mindfulness, in turn, demonstrated a significant link to augmented cognitive self-consciousness (An increased introspection into one’s own thoughts). We also observed a direct association between a future-focused time perspective and high scores of cognitive self-consciousness. Furthermore, mindfulness emerged as a crucial mediator in the relationships between time perspectives and negative beliefs about the danger of worry. Similarly, individuals with a positive view on their past, a hedonistic present orientation, or a future-focused mindset demonstrated elevated levels of mindfulness, which was correlated with less negative beliefs about the danger of worry. Notably, a positive past perspective was directly associated with less negative views on worry and the subsequent loss of control, whereas higher future focused time perspective scores was significantly and directly associated with more negative beliefs about worry, whereas more future focused time perspective was significantly and directly associated with more negative beliefs about worry.ConclusionOur findings found several meaningful associations between our variables, but it primarily underscored the significance of considering distinct subcomponents within mindfulness and psychopathological metacognition that may overlap, shedding light on their differential impacts on psychological well-being. We were also able to mirror the dual pathway theory of time perspective suggested in previous studies. These insights carry notable implications for the development and refinement of mindfulness-based and metacognitive interventions, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches that consider varying time perspectives. Continued investigation in this area promises to advance our understanding of these constructs and refine their practical applications in mental health interventions and well-being enhancement strategies.

A Mindful Alternative to Screen Time: The Short-Term Effects of a Breath-Focused Mindfulness Exercise vs. Unstructured Smartphone Screen Time on Heart Rate Variability and Relaxation

Introduction: Many smartphone users spend hours daily on unstructured screen time leisure activities including social media, games, and videos. Given that many users express a desire to cut back on this habit, it is important to test the relative physiological and emotional benefits of alternative activities, such as mindfulness meditation, as daily practices for relaxation and restoration. Methods: This study tests the immediate effects of unstructured mobile phone screen time vs. practice of a brief mindful breathing meditation exercise on heart rate variability (HRV, a common measure of healthy resting physiological activity) and self-reported states of relaxation. Participants (171 female university students) were randomly assigned to 15 minutes of unstructured screen time (i.e., use phones in a manner consistent with typical daily use) or a mindfulness induction (i.e., a guided meditation recording focused on mindfulness of breathing). Results: Consistent with hypotheses, HRV showed greater increases relative to baseline in the mindfulness condition than the screen time condition (High-frequency HRV, partial η2 = .14, p &lt; .001; Root Mean Square of Successive Differences, partial η2 = .053, p = .002). Subjective relaxation increased in both conditions (partial η2 = .47, p &lt; .001); however, mindfulness produced greater increases in relaxation over time than unstructured screen time (partial η2 = .089, p &lt; .001). Conclusions: Mindfulness was superior to unstructured screen time at increasing physiological and subjective markers of relaxation. Results suggest that repurposing smartphones to facilitate mindfulness practice though guided meditation apps may be a more effective method of promoting physiological and emotional well-being than more ubiquitous unstructured smartphone use.

The effect of ten versus twenty minutes of mindfulness meditation on state mindfulness and affect

We aimed to elucidate the effects of “dose” of a single-session of mindfulness meditation on state mindfulness and affect as well as moderators of effects. 372 adults recruited remotely via Amazon’s MTurk platform were randomly assigned to either a: 10-min mindfulness meditation, 20-min mindfulness meditation, 10-min control, or 20-min control. Control conditions were recordings of a National Geographic article. Primary outcomes were changes in state mindfulness, anxiety, and negative and positive affect. Moderator variables included neuroticism, trait mindfulness, and prior meditation experience. Collapsing across doses, participants in mindfulness conditions reported greater increases in state mindfulness than in control conditions. There was a greater increase in state mindfulness in the 10-min mindfulness condition versus 10-min control condition. There were no differences between 10- and 20-min mindfulness conditions. Exploratory moderation analyses indicated that meditation (10 or 20) versus control (10 or 20) predicted increased state mindfulness among participants with lower trait mindfulness. Additionally, 20-min versus 10-min meditation predicted greater decreases in state anxiety among individuals with high trait mindfulness. Dose–response relationships were minimal, suggesting that 10 and 20 min of meditation may improve state mindfulness comparably. Findings support the benefits of brief mindfulness meditation and suggest that trait mindfulness moderates certain outcomes.

Electrophysiological effects of smartphone notifications on cognitive control following a brief mindfulness induction

Smartphone use is nearly ubiquitous, with 93% of adults among economically developed countries, including the United States, Canada, Israel, and South Korea owning a smartphone (Taylor & Silver, 2019). Multiple studies have demonstrated the distracting effects of smartphone notifications on behavioral measures of cognition. Fewer studies have examined the effects of notifications on neural activity underlying higher-level cognitive processes or behavioral inductions to reduce smartphone-related distraction. Using EEG spectral frequency power densities, we assessed the effects of smartphone notifications (vs. control trials) on engagement of attentional shifting processes involved in cognitive control during a Navon Letter visual oddball task. Participants were randomly assigned to a brief mindfulness induction (N = 44) or a neutral narration control condition (N = 43). Overall, participants had lower theta-band power, but higher alpha- and beta-band power densities on target letter trials preceded by smartphone notifications. Additionally, participants in the mindfulness (vs. control) condition had a larger attention shifting oddball assessed via theta power density and theta/beta ratio (TBR) values—reflecting increased engagement of cognitive control—particularly on smartphone notification (vs. control) trials. Altogether, these results provide evidence supporting the idea that smartphone notifications can decrease activity of neural correlates of cognitive control, and offer the promise of a brief mindfulness induction to buffer against the effects of smartphone notifications on cognitive control. The findings indicate a need for further research on mindfulness inductiosn as a means to reduce potential distraction caused by smartphones.

Supplemental Material for Chinese Counseling Trainees’ Trait and State Mindfulness and Client Symptom Outcome: A Longitudinal Examination With Multilevel and Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models

Supplemental Material for Chinese Counseling Trainees’ Trait and State Mindfulness and Client Symptom Outcome: A Longitudinal Examination With Multilevel and Random-Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Models

The effect of a mindfulness-based body scan exercise on food intake during TV watching

In some studies mindfulness is associated with reduced food consumption, but the underlying mechanisms are less well researched. One potential mechanism is that mindfulness increases attention toward feelings of fullness. Additionally, experimental research on mindfulness and food intake has primarily been conducted in constrained laboratory settings, where it may be easier for participants to notice their internal bodily signals, as opposed to the real world where individuals are often engaged in other activities while eating. The effect of mindfulness on food intake while participants are distracted remains unexplored. This study therefore aimed to examine whether a mindfulness-based body scan exercise reduced food consumption within a distracted environment by increasing attention toward feelings of fullness. Participants (n = 137) listened to a 10-minute body scan meditation, or a 10-minute visualisation (control) meditation. They were then given a bowl of crisps to consume while watching a 10-minute TV show segment. Participants also completed measures assessing proposed mediators, including state mindfulness, attention to bodily sensations and eating automaticity. The body scan manipulation increased state mindfulness but had no direct effect on the other mediators or on food intake (intervention M = 34.79g, SD = 24.06; control M = 33.16g, SD = 23.88). State mindfulness was positively correlated with attention to bodily sensations while eating. Lower eating automaticity and greater reliance on decreased food appeal and physical satisfaction to stop eating were found to be associated with lower food intake. Contrary to previous studies, we found no evidence that a mindfulness body scan reduces food consumption when participants are distracted. Future research should examine the specific conditions under and mechanisms by which mindfulness may influence food consumption.

Changes in State Mindfulness are the Key to Success in Mindfulness Interventions: Ecological Momentary Assessments of Predictors, Mediators, and Outcomes in a Four-Week Koru Mindfulness Intervention

It is often assumed that changes in state mindfulness coupled with a decrease in intrusive thinking (e.g., rumination or worry) are the crucial ingredients in mindfulness interventions. We investigate this claim by examining within-person day-to-day changes and causal relationships among these changes in state measures of mindfulness, cognitive interference (a measure of intrusive thinking), depression, well-being, stress, sleep, physical activity, and quality of formal and informal mindfulness practice in a four-week randomized controlled mindfulness intervention with a sample of college students using the Koru mindfulness program; n = 55 for intervention, n = 57 for control; mean age = 21.4). The intervention was effective in improving day-to-day state mindfulness, cognitive interference, and sleep (the effects on all three were linear), but the effects on physical activity, depression, and well-being were not significant. Day-to-day mindfulness (the independent variable) was a predictor of change in daily cognitive interference (the mediating variable), which in turn predicted depression and well-being (dependent variables). The beneficial effects of state mindfulness were demonstrable over a lag of four days, suggesting it is indeed a key ingredient in the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions. Physical activity, sleep, and practice quality did not mediate any effects. One clear implication is that maintaining or restoring high levels of mindfulness, for instance by engaging in meditation or in more informal mindfulness exercises, would be of obvious and direct benefit to mental health and well-being.

Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Platform to Train Stress Management Skills for a Defense Workforce: Multisite, Mixed Methods Feasibility Study.

Psychological stress-related injuries within first-responder organizations have created a need for the implementation of effective stress management training. Most stress management training solutions have limitations associated with scaled adoption within the workforce. For instance, those that are effective in civilian populations often do not align with the human performance culture embedded within first-responder organizations. Programs involving expert-led instructions that are high in quality are often expensive. This study sought to evaluate a tailored stress management training platform within the existing training schedule of the Australian Defense Force (ADF). The platform, known as Performance Edge (PE), is a novel virtual reality (VR) and biofeedback-enabled stress management skills training platform. Focusing on practical training of well-established skills and strategies, the platform was designed to take advantage of VR technology to generate an immersive and private training environment. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of delivering the VR platform within the existing group-based training context and intended training population. In this setting, the study further aimed to collect data on critical predictors of user acceptance and technology adoption in education, including perceived usability, usefulness, and engagement, while also assessing training impacts. This study used a mixed methods, multisite approach to collect observational, self-reported, and biometric data from both training staff and trainers within a real-world "on-base" training context in the ADF. Validated scales include the Presence Questionnaire and User Engagement Scale for perceived usefulness, usability, and engagement, as well as the State Mindfulness Scale and Relaxation Inventory, to gain insights into immediate training impacts for specific training modules. Additional surveys were specifically developed to assess implementation feedback, intention to use skills, and perceived training impact and value. PE training was delivered to 189 ADF trainees over 372 training sessions. The platform was easy to use at an individual level and was feasible to deliver in a classroom setting. Trainee feedback consistently showed high levels of engagement and a sense of presence with the training content and environment. PE is overall perceived as an effective and useful training tool. Self-report and objective indices confirmed knowledge improvement, increased skill confidence, and increased competency after training. Specific training elements resulted in increased state mindfulness, increased physical relaxation, and reduced breathing rate. The ability to practice cognitive strategies in a diverse, private, and immersive training environment while in a group setting was highlighted as particularly valuable. This study found the VR-based platform (PE) to be a feasible stress management training solution for group-based training delivery in a defense population. Furthermore, the intended end users, both trainers and trainees, perceive the platform to be usable, useful, engaging, and effective for training, suggesting end-user acceptance and potential for technology adoption.