Stress Reduction Program Research Articles

Features of Self-Organization during the Process of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A Single Case Study.

Compared to the extensive evidence of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, there is only a limited understanding of their mechanisms of change. The three aims of this study are (1) to identify features of self-organization during the process (e.g., pattern transitions), (2) to obtain an impression of the effects of continuous self-assessments and feedback sessions on mindfulness-related stress reduction, and (3) to test the feasibility of high-frequency process monitoring and process feedback. Concerning aim (1), the specific hypothesis is that change will occur as a cascade of discontinuous pattern transitions emerging spontaneously in the sense of not being a reaction to external input. This single case study describes changing patterns of multiple time series that were produced by app-based daily self-assessments during and after an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program. After this MBSR program, the participant (a female nurse) continued the self-assessment and the mindfulness practice for a further 10 months. The results confirm findings on the positive effects of mindfulness programs for healthcare professionals, especially on coping with work-related stress. The analysis of the time series data supports the hypothesis of self-organization as a possible mechanism of change manifesting as a cascade of phase transitions in the dynamics of a biopsychosocial system. At the end of the year, the participant reported a beneficial impact of daily monitoring and systematic feedback on the change process. The results underline the feasibility and usefulness of continuous high-frequency monitoring during and after mindfulness interventions.

Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Program on Perceived Stress, Internalized Stigma, and Psychological Well-being in Psychiatric Inpatients

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program on the perceived stress, internalized stigma, and psychological well-being of psychiatric inpatients. Methods: A non-equivalent control group study with a pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were obtained from the closed wards of a psychiatric hospital in K-city. A total of 45 people were included in this study, 22 in the experimental group and 23 in the control group. The pre, post, and follow-up scores of both the experimental and control groups were obtained using the Korea Perceived Stress Scale, the Korea Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale, and the Korea Psychological Well-Being Scale to validate the effectiveness of the program. A 45 minute program was performed twice weekly for three weeks. Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in perceived stress (F=6.92, p=.002) and internalized stigma (F=22.76, p<.001), and a significant improvement in psychological well-being (F=38.34, p<.001) in the experimental group. Conclusion: A mindfulness-based stress reduction program could be implemented as an intervention to reduce perceived stress and internalized stigma and enhance psychological well-being in psychiatric inpatients.

Mind-body practices in chronic inflammatory arthritis

Mind-body practices are complementary approaches recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO). While these practices are very diverse, they all focus on the interaction between mind and body. These include mindful meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, sophrology, hypnosis and various relaxation techniques. There is growing interest in incorporating these strategies in the management of chronic rheumatic diseases including rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this review is to describe the main mind-body practices and analyze the existing evidence in chronic rheumatic diseases. In rheumatoid arthritis, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, yoga, Tai Chi and relaxation may improve patient-reported outcomes, but the benefit on inflammation and structural progression is unclear. In spondyloarthritis, very few studies are available but similar evidence exist. Further evaluations of these practices in chronic rheumatic diseases are needed since their risk/benefit ratio appears excellent.

Integrative Stress Reduction Program for Family Caregivers of Persons With Advanced Dementia: A Randomized-Controlled Trial.

Older adults with advanced dementia require significant care, leading to high stress levels in caregivers. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of an Integrative Stress Reduction Program on Thai caregiver's outcomes of stress, sleep quality, and caregiver-assessed neuropsychiatric symptoms of persons with dementia. A single-blind randomized-controlled trial was conducted. A sample of family caregivers of people with dementia was recruited from memory clinics at outpatient community health centers in Thailand and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. Participants in the experimental group were enrolled in 5 intervention sessions over 4 weeks, while the control group received usual care. Outcome variables were collected at baseline, 4 weeks postintervention, and 8 weeks of follow-up. Compared with the control group, caregivers in the experimental group (n = 27) had significantly decreased stress (p < .01) and better sleep quality (p < .01), and caregivers reported that their family members with dementia (n = 27) had decreased neuropsychiatric symptoms (p < .01) after the intervention (week 4) and at the 8-week follow-up. The Integrative Stress Reduction Program improved outcomes for caregivers and decreased neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with dementia.

Repurposing a Peer-Reviewed Publication to Engage Students in Statistics: An Illustration of Study Design, Data Collection, and Analysis

Engaging and motivating students in undergraduate statistics courses can be enhanced by using topical peer-reviewed publications for analyses as part of course assignments. Given the popularity of on-campus therapy dog stress-reduction programs, this topic fosters buy-in from students whilst providing information regarding the importance of mental health and well-being as it impacts learning. This article describes how instructors can use a study on the benefits of human–dog interactions to teach students about study design, data collection and ethics, and hypothesis testing. The data and research questions are accessible to students without requiring detailed subject-area knowledge. Students can think carefully about how to collect and analyze data from a randomized controlled trial with two-sample hypothesis tests. Instructors can use these data for short in-class examples or longer assignments and assessments, and throughout this article, we suggest activities and discussion questions. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.

Self-transcendent states during a modified mindfulness-based stress reduction program predict improvements in mood.

Self-transcendent states during a modified mindfulness-based stress reduction program predict improvements in mood.

Mindfulness training and exercise differentially impact fear extinction neurocircuitry.

The ability to extinguish a maladaptive conditioned fear response is crucial for healthy emotional processing and resiliency to aversive experiences. Therefore, enhancing fear extinction learning has immense potential emotional and health benefits. Mindfulness training enhances both fear conditioning and recall of extinguished fear; however, its effects on fear extinction learning are unknown. Here we investigated the impact of mindfulness training on brain mechanisms associated with fear-extinction learning, compared to an exercise-based program. We investigated BOLD activations in response to a previously learned fear-inducing cue during an extinction paradigm, before and after an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR, n = 49) or exercise-based stress management education program (n = 27). The groups exhibited similar reductions in stress, but the MBSR group was uniquely associated with enhanced activation of salience network nodes and increased hippocampal engagement. Our results suggest that mindfulness training increases attention to anticipatory aversive stimuli, which in turn facilitates decreased aversive subjective responses and enhanced reappraisal of the memory.

Lifestyle Medicine Interventions to Manage Hypertension in Brazilian Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Hypertension and type 2 Diabetes (T2D) are highly associated and can promote an additive risk of mortality and hospitalization, as well as a significant burden on the Brazilian Unified Healthcare System. Despite this, blood pressure and glycemic control are still suboptimal and remain a significant challenge in Brazil. As it will be reviewed in this paper, current evidence supports the effectiveness of various dietary, exercise, and lifestyle interventions for hypertension and T2D. Among dietary interventions, the DASH diet appears to be particularly effective in reducing blood pressure and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular mortality, with a moderate effect on glycemic control. Regular physical activity, including aerobic, resistance, or combined exercise programs, is also recommended to reduce blood pressure, improve glycemic control and also reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Stress reduction programs have also been shown to be effective in reducing blood pressure. However, although numerous lifestyle interventions are effective for hypertension and T2D, factors such as personal preferences, motivation, and cultural background should be considered to ensure the long-term sustainability of these interventions. In addition, there is a need for further research to determine the cost-effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in the Brazilian population to encourage the development of evidence-based health policies.

Stress among Nursing officers during Covid-19 in Govt Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram

Nursing officers caring Covid-19 patients are experiencing mental and emotional distress during duty time. Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Stress can be defined as any type of change that causes physical, emotional, or psychological strain. Stress is your body's response to anything that requires attention or action. Everyone experiences stress to some degree. Healthcare workers, particularly nurses, are at risk for developing psychological distress as a result of direct contact with patients and the increasing work demand during the pandemic. The objective of this study was to assess the stress among Nursing officers during Covid -19 in Government Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. Non experimental descriptive design was used. A sample of 140 nursing officers were recruited using convenience sampling technique. Data was collected using Socio personal data sheet and a standardized scale, Perceived Stress Scale by Cohen. The scale consists of 10 items with score ranging from 0 to 40. The study was conducted after getting IRC and IEC clearance and informed consent was obtained from study participants. More than half of nurses surveyed were belonged to the age group of 31-40 years (56.4%) with female nurses constituting 83%. Nearly half of the samples were BSc Nursing degree holders (46.4%). More than half of the samples (51.4%) are having an experience between one and five years. The study has found that 76% of the study participants has moderate stress, where as 12% are having mild stress and 12% are having severe stress. The present study showed a significant relationship between stress among nursing officers during Covid -19 and in service training on care of patients with Covid -19. The findings of the study showed the need for stress reduction programmes for nursing officers and ongoing in service training on Covid -19 care.

WISE (Workplace Investigation of Stress and Elimination)

Stress isn’t always bad. A little stress can help you meet the new challenges and stay focused at your workplace. But in today’s hectic world, tight deadlines and long work hours can leave you feeling exhausted. When stress exceeds your ability to cope, it stops being helpful and causes damage to your mind and body and your job satisfaction. In a recent global survey by The Regus Group it was found that 6 (six) in every 10 workers in significant global economies experienced increased workplace stress. The paper aims at establishing an analytical process using sentiment, text and voice analysis that will help an organization understand the mental wellbeing of their employees and develop a healthy work-life balance by recommending company-based stress reduction programs according to their stress levels. Keywords: workplace stress management, text analytics, sentiment analysis, acoustic analysis, recommendations.

A pilot evaluation of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program for people with pre-symptomatic Huntington's disease.

People with Huntington's disease (HD) face difficult emotional and practical challenges throughout their illness, including in the pre-symptomatic stage. There are, however, extremely limited psychosocial interventions adapted to or researched for HD. We adapted and piloted an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program in people with pre-symptomatic HD to determine if the program (i) was feasible and acceptable to participants, (ii) resulted in increased mindfulness understanding and skills, and (iii) led to improved psychological adjustment. Quantitative measures of mindfulness, emotion regulation, mood, and quality of life were administered pre and post the MBSR program and at 3-month follow-up. Measures of mindfulness practice and session clarity were administered weekly. Qualitative participant feedback was collected with a post-program interview conducted by independent clinicians. Seven participants completed the 8-week course. The program's feasibility and acceptability was supported by excellent retention and participation rates and acceptable rates of home practice completion. In addition, qualitative feedback indicated participant satisfaction with the program structure and content. Two core mindfulness skills (observing and non-judgment) showed significant improvement from pre- to post-assessment. Participant qualitative feedback indicated increased confidence and capacity to use mindfulness techniques, particularly in emotionally challenging situations. Participant questionnaire data showed good psychological adjustment at baseline, which did not change after treatment. Psychological benefits of the program identified in qualitative data included fewer ruminations about HD, reduced isolation and stigma, and being seen by others as calmer. These findings justify expansion of the program to determine its efficacy in a larger, controlled study.

Feasibility of a Stress Reduction Program Among Foster Youth in College

Feasibility of a Stress Reduction Program Among Foster Youth in College

The Effects of MBSR Programme on Prenatal Comfort and Fetal Health Anxiety in Pregnant Women

ABSTRACT Objective This study was conducted to examine the effect of the online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme applied to pregnant women on their prenatal comfort and foetal anxiety levels. Material and Method This randomised controlled study was conducted between July and October 2022, with 89 pregnant women registered in a Family Health Centre of Adiyaman, located in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey. In the study, a total of eight sessions of MBSR programme, one session per week for eight weeks, were applied to the pregnant women in the experimental group. Data of the study was collected with the ‘Personal Information Form’, ‘Prenatal Comfort Scale (PCS)’, and ‘Fetal Health Anxiety Inventory (FHAI)’. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and t-test for independent and dependent samples were utilised in the analysis of the data. Results It has been determined that the PCS total mean score after the intervention is 58.91 ± 7.18 in the experimental group and 50.56 ± 15.78 in the control group; the post-test FHAI total mean score is 4.52 ± 1.66 in the experimental group and 9.76 ± 5.00 in the control group, and the difference between the groups is statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusion It has been determined that the MBSR programme applied to pregnant women has increased the prenatal comfort levels of pregnant women and has decreased foetal health anxieties. In line with these results, it is recommended that the MBSR programme may be used as an alternative method to relieve pregnant women.

Application of Mindfulness Practices in Work on Stress Reduction during the War

The mindfulness practice involves working with internal mental states based on awareness and the ability to be present in the here and now, contributing to stress reduction. Implementing a stress reduction program is highly relevant in the context of the war in Ukraine. Our research focused on internally displaced persons in Ukraine (20 persons) affected by the war's consequences (loss of loved ones, property, housing, and employment). The program spanned 8 weeks and consisted of 8 sessions in a group therapy format. The structure of the group sessions comprised three main components: working with personal emotions, cognitive processing, and using meditation. It was necessary to alleviate emotional tension by helping participants become aware of their feelings and cognitions and prepare them to enter a meditative state effectively. The results of our work showed that before the start of the therapy group, the stress level of the 20 persons, as measured by a subjective introspective scale, was 9 points (ϭ = 0.45; ϭ2 = 0.2), while after its completion, it reduced to 6 points (ϭ = 0.22, ϭ2 = 0.05). Our research results demonstrated that mindfulness practice has a beneficial impact on reducing stress reactions in individuals during times of war and can be successfully applied in the work of clinical psychologists and psychotherapists as a practical approach to addressing and overcoming stressful situations, particularly during the war.

The Effect of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Premenstrual Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is an important health problem that affects women of childbearing age. Mindfulness, a meditation practice that cultivates the acceptance of events as they occur in the moment without judgment, is a promising strategy to help women cope with PMS. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program in decreasing premenstrual symptoms compared with a control group. This study was a prospective, single-masked randomized controlled trial conducted between February and April 2022 with 90 university students. Participants were women between 20 and 30 years of age, scored at least 45 on the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS), and were not receiving other treatments for PMS. Participants were randomized into experimental (MBSR) and control groups in a 1:1 allocation. MBSR was provided in 8 weekly sessions lasting 2.5 hours and a 6-hour silence retreat during week 6. Symptoms of PMS were evaluated with the PMSS at baseline and postintervention. Differences between groups were compared postintervention using analysis of covariance to correct for baseline scores. The study was registered at www. gov before the data collection process was initiated (NCT05191108). Of the 90 enrolled participants, 74 participants completed the study and postintervention assessment (37 in each group). Immediately postintervention, the women in the experimental group had significantly lower PMS symptoms than women in the control group (PMSS total score, 96.35 vs 123.02; P < .001). The effect size for the change in premenstrual symptoms was large (partial η2 , 0.510). Specific symptoms measured by the PMSS subscales all showed significant reductions in scores in the MBSR group compared with the control group. A mindfulness stress reduction program was effective in reducing premenstrual symptoms. MBSR programs may be used as a therapy for PMS. Future studies should test MBSR in larger and more diverse groups of women with PMS.

Stress Alleviation Methods for community-Based Health ActiVists (SAMBHAV): Development of a digital program for stress reduction for community health workers in rural India

BackgroundCommunity health workers (CHWs) face high levels of stress (both professional and personal) and risk of burnout, highlighting the need for efforts to promote their mental health and well-being. This study seeks to develop a digital stress reduction program for CHWs in rural India. MethodsA stepwise design process was employed to adapt and digitize the evidence-based World Health Organization's Self-Help Plus (SH+) intervention for addressing psychological distress among CHWs in Madhya Pradesh, India. This involved participatory design workshops with CHWs to ensure that the digital stress reduction intervention would be relevant for their needs and the local culture and context. Small groups of CHWs reviewed the adapted program content, allowing the research team to make refinements such as simplifying language, tailoring content to the local setting, and ensuring that program materials are both interesting and relevant. Simultaneously, the research team digitized the content, leveraging a combination of video and graphical content, and uploaded it to the Sangath Learning Management System, a digital platform accessible on a smartphone app. ResultsIn total, 18 CHWs contributed to the adaptation of the SH+ content and digital intervention development. Participants commented on finding some terms difficult to follow and recommended simplifying the language and providing detailed explanations. Participants offered positive feedback on the adapted content, expressing that they found the examples covered in the material both relatable and relevant to their own personal experiences at home and in the workplace. By combining participants’ insights and comments with feedback from content experts, it was possible to finalize a digital Hindi version of the SH+ intervention for CHWs in rural India. ConclusionsThis study is timely given the continued detrimental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers a promising and potentially scalable digital program to alleviate psychological distress among frontline health workers.

Efficacy of a Brief Mindfulness Intervention in Underserved Individuals Receiving Inpatient Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: A Pilot Study.

Introduction A mindfulness intervention is a mind-body complementary health approach that focuses on the relationships between mind, body, brain, and behavior. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and similar mindfulness programs have been shown to decrease drug craving and relapse and improve emotional regulation, stress, pain, and anxiety. To our knowledge, a very limited number of studies have examined its efficacy in individuals from underserved populations.Underservedpopulations experience disparities in healthcare access, and as a result, see poorer addiction-related outcomes.The goal of this pilot study was to utilize an evidence-based, neuroscience-informed brief mindfulness intervention to improve mental health and decrease substance use behavior in a vulnerable, underserved population in New Jersey suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD). Methods Weimplemented a brief MBSR intervention in 15 underserved individuals undergoing inpatient medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD.Individuals received weekly intervention sessions lasting one hour over six weeks.Furthermore, they practiced mindfulness for 10 minutes daily.Participants completedpre-and post-mindfulness intervention surveys to examine their mental well-being, drug craving, perceived stress, and emotional regulation. Results Within-subjects t-test results showed that compared to pre-intervention, participants showed significantly decreased perceived stress (t(14)=2.401,p=.015) and significantly decreased difficulty in emotional regulation (t(13)=3.426,p=.002 ) at post-intervention.They also showed significantly decreased drug craving post-intervention (t(14)=5.501,p=.<001).Anxiety decreased post-intervention but was not statistically significant (t(14) =1.582,p=.068). Conclusion This pilot study demonstrates that a brief mindfulness intervention can be effective for underserved individuals with OUD.Consistent with our hypothesis, results showed that a six-week mindfulness intervention could reduce everyday stress, drug craving, and difficulties in emotional regulation.In the future, a large-scale randomized control trial should be conducted with a control group to demonstrate the efficacy of this useful intervention.

The Effect of a Modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program on Symptoms of Stress and Depression and on Saliva Cortisol and Serum Creatine Kinase among Male Wrestlers.

The aims of the present study were two-fold: to investigate whether, compared to an active control condition, a modified mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program could (1) reduce symptoms of stress and depression, and (2) regulate salivary cortisol and serum creatine kinase (CK) concentrations, two physiological stress markers. Thirty male wrestlers (Mage = 26.73 years) were randomly assigned either to the MBSR intervention or the active control condition. Both at the beginning and at the end of the intervention, the participants completed questionnaires on perceived stress and depression; in parallel, salivary samples were collected to measure cortisol in saliva, while blood samples were collected to assess serum CK. The study lasted for eight consecutive weeks. The intervention consisted of 16 group sessions (90 min each); the active control condition had an identical schedule, though without bona fide interventions. During the study period, the participants kept their sleeping, nutritional and exercising schedules unaltered. Over time, symptoms of stress and depression decreased; the level of decrease was more prominent in the MBSR condition than the active control condition (significant p values and large effect sizes of interaction). Further, cortisol and creatine kinase concentrations also decreased more in the MBSR condition compared to the active control condition (large effect sizes of interaction). The present study's findings suggest that among male wrestlers, a modified MBSR intervention have the potential to reduce both psychological (stress and depression) and physiological (cortisol and creatine kinase) indices as compared to an active control condition.

Professional quality of life, resilience, posttraumatic stress and leisure activity among intensive care unit nurses.

Nurses working in the intensive care unit (ICU) often experience posttraumatic stress due to being exposed to pain, death, disease and surrogate trauma. Thus, it is necessary to investigate ways to enhance their coping abilities and improve their professional quality of life. This study explores factors related to professional quality of life, resilience and posttraumatic stress of ICU nurses and provides basic data for the development of psychological support programmes to address. The participants in this cross-sectional study consisted of 112 ICU nurses working at a general hospital in Seoul, Korea. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires on general characteristics, professional quality of life, resilience and posttraumatic stress and analysed using IBM SPSS for Windows version 25. Professional quality of life showed a significant positive correlation with nurses' resilience, whereas posttraumatic stress was significantly negatively correlated with professional quality of life. Among participants' general characteristics, leisure activity showed the strongest positive correlation with professional quality of life and resilience and a significant negative correlation with posttraumatic stress. This study explored the correlations among resilience, posttraumatic stress and professional quality of life of ICU nurses. Further, we found that leisure activities are associated with their higher resilience and lower posttraumatic stress. Policy development and organisational supports are required to promote various club activities and stress reduction programmes for clinical nurses in order to increase their professional quality of life and resilience as well as prevent posttraumatic stress.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for autistic adults: A feasibility study in an outpatient context.

Autistic adults report high stress levels and difficulties dealing with everyday stressors. Mindfulness-based stress reduction groups aim to help regulate stress responses. We asked 50 autistic adults, without intellectual disability, to participate in a study of mindfulness-based stress reduction. The group program was made accessible through clear group leader communication and good program predictability, as well as reduced exposure to disturbing sensory stimuli. The mindfulness and yoga based exercises from the original mindfulness-based stress reduction program were included. The participants were positive and would even recommend an autistic friend to participate in a mindfulness-based stress reduction group. They reported that mindfulness-based stress reduction could lower symptoms of stress and improved stress coping. We still need to investigate these effects further in larger studies. The findings of this work show that mindfulness-based stress reduction groups can be adapted for autistic adults and that the participants overall were positive to the intervention and the group format.