Total Mindfulness Research Articles

Are long-term meditators more psychologically resilient, more mindful, less psychologically distressed and have enhanced perceived quality of life? <em>A comparative preliminary analysis from Sri Lanka</em>

Background: Meditation practices are currently being incorporated in psychotherapeutic interventions to address globally increasing rates of psychopathology. Meditation has been a common practice in Sri Lanka since early times. However, the integration of meditation as practiced in a Sri Lankan context, into psychotherapeutic interventions require rigorous empirical exploration. Objectives: The primary objective of this preliminary study was to explore the differences between meditators and non-meditators in terms of several psychological parameters. This study aimed to understand patterns, trends, and relationships in psychological variables such as mindfulness, psychological resilience, perceived quality of life, and psychological distress (namely, depression, anxiety, and stress)Methods: This study involved 15 long-term meditators (with a practice of 5-25 hours per week and 3.5-25 years of experience) from Sri Lankan meditation centers headed by Buddhist monks/nuns, and a matched control group of 15 non-meditating participants from a Sri Lankan community sample. Participants were matched for their age, gender and education. Self-reported levels of mindfulness, psychological resilience, perceived quality of life, and psychological distress were assessed using culturally adopted and validates psychometric measures.Results: The long-term meditators showed significantly higher scores on three dimensions of mindfulness (observing, non-reactivity, and acting with awareness) and total mindfulness, as well as higher psychological resilience and perceived psychological and environmental quality of life. Furthermore, the meditators reported significantly low levels of depression compared to their non-meditating controls.Conclusion: These findings suggest that a meditation-based lifestyle in a Sri Lankan context may be characteristic of higher levels of mindfulness, psychological resilience, and quality of life, as well as lower levels of depression, when compared to individuals who do not engage in regular meditation. The results provide direction for further empirical investigation and potential integration of meditation practices into psychotherapeutic interventions.

An exploratory study of blind spot bias in psychiatrists: The value of mindfulness and ethical skills’

IntroductionPsychiatry is an area of medicine that is particularly exposed to the risks of cognitive bias, notably because diagnosis is subjective. However, psychiatrists may develop psycho-cognitive skills that protect against bias, as the reflective approach to their patients favors the activation of system 2 (logical) as opposed to system 1 (intuitive) processes. Furthermore, the collegial practices found in psychiatry, a consequence of the ethical questions psychiatrists must address, can also mitigate the impact of bias. On the other hand, clinical ethics committees have adopted structured deliberation practices that aim to improve collective decision-making and limit the cognitive biases associated with groupthink. ObjectiveThe primary aim was to compare blind spot bias in a group of psychiatrists and a group of ‘ethicists’, experts in group deliberation. The secondary objective was to study the distribution of skills influencing the balance between systems 1 and 2 (notably, ethical deliberation, feeling of efficacy, mindfulness, and values) in both groups. The general hypothesis is that psychiatrists are less prone to blind spot bias and are more competent in the skills studied. MethodsThis descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2022 to May 2023. Thirty-two psychiatrists were recruited from several French hospitals, along with 20 ‘ethicists’. All participants completed the following self-administered questionnaires: the Bias Blind Spot Scale (French version), the Euro Moral Case Deliberation (Euro-MCD, ethical skills), Bandura's self-efficacy scale (self and collective efficacy), the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (mindfulness), and the Schwartz Value Survey (values). ResultsThe ratio of self/other blind spot bias was lower in the ‘ethicists’ group than the psychiatrists’ group (P<0.001). Euro-MCD scores were higher (P<0.001) and psychiatrists tended to have a better sense of collective efficacy (P=0.08). No significant difference was found between the two groups for total mindfulness or presence and acceptance sub-scores. Scores for hedonic value were higher among psychiatrists (P<0.02). ConclusionThe results do not confirm our hypotheses. There is less evidence of blind spot bias among our sample of ‘ethicists’, who are experts in group deliberation, than psychiatrists, who have experience of the patient/physician dyad. The ethical skills that are developed within the formal deliberation process seem particularly interesting in terms of reducing cognitive bias.

Making it Short: Shortening the Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences Using Ant Colony Optimization

ObjectivesThe Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences (CHIME) comprises 37 items over eight domains and was validated in German and English languages using Rasch methodology. However, the length of the scale might limit its application due to the response burden it places on participants, especially in studies that examine additional constructs. This study aimed to develop a short but comprehensive CHIME version using cutting-edge methodology.MethodAnt colony optimization was applied to optimize and reduce item content of individual CHIME facets and create 24-item (CHIME-S) and 16-item (CHIME-XS) versions. We used data collected in New Zealand (n = 512), and in the USA, which included two independent samples (n = 605 and n = 210). The construct validity of the newly developed CHIME-S and CHIME-XS was established by correlating its scores with measures of mindfulness, affect, and distress.ResultsOverall, the ant-colony algorithm identified a stable solution which included 3 best fitting items per facet CHIME short form (CHIME-S) and the 2 best-fitting items CHIME-XS (16 items). This solution was successfully replicated across all samples and the scale demonstrated acceptable confirmatory factor analysis fit and good internal consistency, and correlated with measures of mindfulness, distress, and affect in expected directions.ConclusionsThe CHIME-S and CHIME-XS are reliable and valid short-scale versions that can be used for assessment of total mindfulness and its facets in a comprehensive way. Future research efforts are invited to validate the CHIME-S and CHIME-XS across different cultures and sample populations, aiming at establishing robustness of the measure.

25 Specific Facets of Trait Mindfulness Show Differences in Associations with Affective and Cognitive Measures in Older Adults

Objective:Trait mindfulness is associated with reduced stress and psychological well-being. However, evidence regarding its effects on cognitive function is mixed and certain facets of trait mindfulness are associated with higher negative affect (NA). This study investigated whether specific mindfulness skills were associated with cognitive performance and affective traits.Participants and Methods:165 older adults from the Maine Aging Behavior Learning Enrichment (M-ABLE) Study completed the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center T-Cog battery, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-SF.Results:All five facets of trait mindfulness were associated with higher Positive Affect and lower NA, with the exception that Observation was not associated with trait NA. Partial correlations adjusting for age indicated that better episodic memory was associated with Observation, Describing, and Nonreactivity. Verbal fluency performance was associated with Observation, while Working Memory was associated with Nonjudgment. Executive Attention/Processing speed was associated with total mindfulness scores and showed a trend relationship with Nonreactivity.Conclusions:Mindfulness skills showed specific patterns with affective traits and cognitive function. These findings suggest that the ability to maintain awareness, describe, and experience internal and external states without reacting to them may partly rely on episodic memory. Mindful awareness skills also may depend on frontal and language functions, while the ability to experience emotional states without reacting may require Executive Attention. Global mindfulness and a non-judgmental stance may require auditory attention. Alternatively, mindfulness skills may serve to enhance these functions. Hence, longitudinal research is needed to determine the directionality of these findings.

Age and sex-specific differences of mindfulness traits with measurement invariance controlled in Chinese adult population: A pilot study

ObjectivesTo examine the relationships of age and sex with mindfulness traits among Chinese adults with controlling for measurement invariance. MethodsA total of 1777 participants completing the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire were included for analysis. Their age and sex information were also collected. Descriptive analysis, Pearson's Chi-Square test and analysis of variance were performed to test the age- and sex-specific differences, measurement invariance was examined by confirmatory factor analysis. ResultsExcellent data fit to the model indicated configural, metric, and scalar invariance across age and sex. Participants aged 60 or above scored significantly higher in dimensions of acting with awareness, nonjudging of inner experience, nonreactivity to inner experience, and the total scores than younger individuals, who had higher scores in the observing domain. In addition, females scored higher in describing and observing than males, while the latter had higher score in nonreactivity to inner experience. ConclusionsThe Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Mindfulness showed acceptable measurement invariance across age and sex in Chinese adult population. The old and the young differs in the traits of awareness, observing, nonjudging of inner experience, nonreactivity to inner experience and the total mindfulness level, while males and females varied in describing, observing and nonreactivity to inner experience. Individual differences should be considered and well addressed in future studies on mindfulness.

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.

Exploring impaired self-awareness of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease: Resting-state fMRI correlates and the connection to mindfulness.

To further explore the phenomenon of impaired self-awareness of motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's Disease by using an evaluated measurement approach applied in previous studies, while also examining its connection with dispositional mindfulness and possible correlates of functional connectivity. Recently, the phenomenon of impaired self-awareness has been studied more intensively by applying different measurement and imaging methods. Existing literature also points towards a possible connection with mindfulness, which has not been examined in a cross-sectional study. There is no data available concerning correlates of functional connectivity. Non-demented patients with idiopathic Parkinson's Disease without severe depression were tested for impaired self-awareness for motor symptoms following a psychometrically evaluated approach. Mindfulness was measured by applying the German version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. A subset of eligible patients underwent functional MRI scanning. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to examine clinical data. Whole-brain voxelwise regressions between seed-based connectivity and behavioral measures were calculated to identify functional connectivity correlates of impaired self-awareness scores. A total of 41 patients with Parkinson's Disease were included. 15 patients successfully underwent resting-state fMRI scanning. Up to 88% of patients showed signs of impaired self-awareness. Awareness for hypokinetic movements correlated with total mindfulness values and three facets, while awareness for dyskinetic movements did not. Three significant clusters between scores of impaired self-awareness in general and for dyskinetic movements were identified linking behavioral measures with the functional connectivity of the inferior frontal gyrus, the right insular cortex, the supplementary motor area, and the precentral gyrus among others. Impaired self-awareness for hypokinetic movements did not have any neural correlate. Clinical data is comparable with results from previous studies applying the same structured approach to measure impaired self-awareness in Parkinson's Disease. Functional connectivity analyses were conducted for the first time to evaluate neural correlates thereof. This data does not support a connection between impaired self-awareness of motor symptoms and dispositional mindfulness.

Are Mindfulness and Mind-Wandering Opposite Constructs? It Depends on How Mindfulness is Conceptualised.

This study investigated if trait mindfulness and its components, mindful attention, acceptance, and non-judging correlate negatively with self-reported and indirect markers of mind-wandering. The 552 participants of the study completed an anonymous online questionnaire consisting of trait mindfulness and mind-wandering scales. They also completed the computer-based Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART), an objective measure of mind-wandering. The total mindfulness score and acceptance and non-judging subscale scores were strongly negatively correlated with both self-reported trait mind-wandering (TMW) and SART indices of mind-wandering. In contrast, attention was significantly positively correlated with both. These findings suggest that trait mindfulness conceptualised as a multi-component construct, but not a uni-component one, is probably an opposing construct to trait mind-wandering. Furthermore, mindfulness and its components, acceptance and non-judging, are associated with a reduction in the more common form of SART errors. However, only the acceptance component made a unique contribution to the variance in TMW and SART performance. Therefore, it is advisable for researchers to specify whether they investigated mindfulness as a uni-component or multi-component construct. Furthermore, it would be beneficial if future research investigates the relationship of mindfulness and its components with mind-wandering further by also incorporating a measure of state mindfulness.

Promoting Mindfulness And Resilience Through Web-based Weactive And Wemindful Interventions During The Covid-19 Pandemic

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an aerobic-resistance training exercise intervention (WeActive) and a mindful yoga exercise intervention (WeMindful) in improving mindfulness and resilience among college students. Methods: 74 students from a major public university participated in either the WeMindful group or WeActive group. WeActive participants engaged in two 30-minute Zoom-based aerobic-resistance training sessions per week, while WeMindful participants engaged in two 30-minute Zoom-based mindful yoga exercise sessions per week over the course of eight weeks. Before and after the 8-week interventions, the participants completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15) and Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) through Qualtrics. The FFMQ-15 has five subscales: Observing, Describing, Acting with Awareness, Non-Judging of inner experience, and Non-Reactivity to inner experience. Results: Regarding mindfulness, ANOVA repeated measures yielded a significant main effect of time for the total mindfulness score (F = 5.177, p < .05, η2 = .070), Acting with Awareness (F = 7.321, p < .05, η2 = .096), and Non-Judging of Inner Experience (F = 5.467, p < .05, η2 = .073). These results indicated that both groups experienced an increase in total mindfulness, Acting with Awareness, and Non-Judging of Inner Experience. No significant main effect of group or interaction effect of group with time were observed for any sub-scale or the total scale of mindfulness, indicating no differences between the groups at any time point. Regarding resilience, no significant main effects of time and group, and no significant interaction effects of time with group were observed for resilience. Conclusion: Both aerobic-resistance training and mindful yoga exercise are effective in increasing mindfulness, especially the acting with awareness and non-judging of inner experience in college students. This study shows that universities may benefit from adopting a web-based method to promote mindfulness as they seek to improve the mental health of college students.

Mindfulness in Relation to Diet Quality in Adults with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: Results from Diabetes MILES-The Netherlands

ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to investigate the associations of dispositional mindfulness and its facets with diet quality in Dutch adults with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes and to evaluate the potential mediating role of emotional distress in these associations.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study using data from the Diabetes MILES-The Netherlands. In total, 296 adults with type 1 diabetes and 364 with type 2 diabetes completed questionnaires. We assessed dispositional mindfulness by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form, including total mindfulness and five facets: observing, describing, acting with awareness, being non-judgmental, and being non-reactive, and diet quality by the Dutch Healthy Diet 2015-index. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association. Mediation effects of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and diabetes-related distress were evaluated using the PROCESS macro with bias-corrected bootstrapped confidence intervals.ResultsHigher scores on the total mindfulness (β = 0.14, p = 0.02) and the observing facet (β = 0.15, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with higher diet quality in people with type 1 diabetes only, after adjustment for demographic factors. These associations were not mediated by depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or diabetes-related distress. In adults with type 1 diabetes (but not type 2), higher dispositional mindfulness levels were associated with more optimal diet quality.ConclusionsHigher mindfulness in general and observing in particular were related to a healthier diet with higher quality in Dutch adults with type 1 diabetes. Further longitudinal studies are warranted to understand the temporal relationship between mindfulness and diet quality.

Mindfulness based cognitive therapy for youth with inflammatory bowel disease and depression - Findings from a pilot randomised controlled trial

BackgroundMindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a promising adjunctive treatment for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and comorbid depression. ObjectivesThis pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed to evaluate feasibility and efficacy of an adapted MBCT program for AYA, aged 16–29, with IBD. MethodsSixty-four AYAs were randomly allocated to MBCT (n = 33) or treatment as usual (TAU) (n = 31). Primary outcome measure was the depression score on Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, stress, IBD-related quality of life, coping, mindfulness, post-traumatic growth, medication adherence, IBD activity, inflammatory markers, microbiome characteristics and brain functional connectivity. ResultsStudy recruitment rate was 75%, retention rate 70%, and session attendance 92%. Intention to treat analyses revealed that, compared to TAU group, MBCT group had significantly lower depression (∆ = −6.0; 95%CI = -10.8 to −1.2; P = 0.015) and stress (∆ = −5.1; 95%CI = -10.1 to −0.0; P = 0.049), higher active coping (∆ = 1.0;95%CI = 0.1–1.9; P = 0.022), and total mindfulness scores (∆ = 10.9;95%CI = 1.1–20.8; P = 0.030) at 8 weeks (post-therapy), and improved coping by positive reframing (∆ = 1.1;95%CI = 0.0–2.2; P = 0.043) and planning (∆ = 0.9;95%CI = 0.0–1.9; P = 0.045), mindful awareness (∆ = 5.2.;95%CI = 2.0–8.5; P = 0.002) and total mindfulness scores (∆ = 10.8.;95%CI = 0.4–21.1; P = 0.042) at 20 weeks. On per protocol analysis, MBCT group had significantly lower depression (∆ = −6.3; 95%CI = -11.4 to −1.2; P = 0.015), stress (∆ = −6.0; 95%CI = -11.2 to −0.5; P = 0.032), increased active coping (∆ = 0.9;95%CI = 0–1.7; P = 0.05) at 8 weeks, and mindful awareness (∆ = 5.4; 95%CI = 2.1–8.6; P = 0.001) at 20 weeks. ConclusionIn AYAs with IBD, MBCT is feasible and beneficial in improving depression, stress, mindfulness and adaptive coping. It holds promise as an important component of integrated IBD care. Trial registration number ACTRN12617000876392, U1111-1197-7370; Pre-results.

Effects of Mindfulness practice on work stress: a study with professionals in Primary Health Care

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of a Mindfulness-based program on mindfulness levels and in the risk of illness associated with stress at work in primary health care (PHC) professionals in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. This is a quasi-experimental study, with 26 PHC professionals, using quantitative methods and an analytical before and after approach of an 8-week Mindfulness Program. The intervention was evaluated applying the instruments: Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and Job Stress Scale. There were significant differences in six Mindfulness facets after the intervention: Observe (p = 0.002); Describe (p = 0.01); Act with awareness - autopilot (p = 0.01) and distraction (p = 0.05); Non-reactivity to inner experience (p = 0.0005); Non-judgement of inner experience (p = 0.01); and in total Mindfulness scores (p = 0.0000018). Regarding the stress levels at work, the reduction of the organizational mode in high job strain was observed (before: 35%, after: 19%). It is concluded that interventions based on Mindfulness applied to PHC professionals can improve the levels of mindfulness and modify the modes of organization at work, reducing the risk of illness associated with stress in these professionals.

Assessment of Mindfulness among Head Nurses, and its Effect on Staff Nurses’ Emotional Regulation and Quality of Work Life

Abstract Background: Mindfulness as being aware of present experience with acceptance. Emotion regulation as the process by which individuals influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express these emotions. Also quality of nursing work life is the degree to which nurses are satisfied with their personal needs; while achieving their organizational goals, which in turn, leads to an increase the productivity. The aim of the study: Was to assess mindfulness among head nurses, and its effect on staff nurses’ emotional regulation and quality of work life. Subject and method: A study design: a descriptive correlation design was used. Setting: The study was conducted at Health Insurance Hospital, Minia. Egypt. Subjects: The present study includes all head nurses (n= 26) and all staff nurses (n= 222) who is working at the previous Hospital. Tools of data collection: 1st Personal data sheet, 2nd Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, 3rd Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and 4th Quality of Nursing Work Life Survey. Results: Revealed that half of the head nurses were rated low regarding total mindfulness, less than half of staff nurses were rated moderate regarding total emotional regulation. Nearly to half of staff nurses were rated low regarding the total quality of work life. Also, there was a positive correlation between mindfulness and emotional regulation, and mindfulness with quality of work life. Conclusion: The present study concluded that mindfulness among head nurses affect positively staff nurses’ emotional regulation and quality of work life. Recommendations: Develop and deliver a training course to enhance the mindfulness of nurses who in turn have a positive impact on emotional regulation and work life quality.

Reliability and Validity of the Malay Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ-M) among Overweight and Obese Adults.

The Mindful Eating Questionnaire is a reliable tool for the assessment of mindful eating behavior among the general population. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of The Malay Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ-M) in a sample of overweight and obese adults. This is a cross-sectional survey which involved 144 overweight and obese adults in a selected public university. After linguistic validation of the Malay version of the MEQ, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with varimax rotation was performed on the scale constructs. The psychometric properties of the MEQ were assessed through Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis. The EFA of the MEQ produced a seven-dimensional model (58.8% of overall variances). The concurrent validity analysis between total MEQ scores and total Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) scores indicated a weak non-significant correlation (p = 0.679). The internal consistency reliability of the MEQ was reasonable (Cronbach’s α = 0.64). The agreement stability of the MEQ over eight weeks was poor (ICC = 0.10). In conclusion, the psychometric properties of the Malay-translated MEQ are acceptable through construct validity and internal consistency reliability tests. This instrument may be used for assessing mindful eating habits in the Malaysian population, especially among overweight and obese adults.

The Daily Dose-Response Hypothesis of Mindfulness Meditation Practice: An Experience Sampling Study.

Because of fast-growing interest in the applications of mindfulness to promote well-being and mental health, there are field-wide efforts to better understand how mindfulness training works and thereby to optimize its delivery. Key to these efforts is the role of home practice in mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) outcomes. Despite its centrality in MBIs, recent reviews have documented limited and mixed effects of home practice on MBI outcomes. However, methodological issues regarding monitoring and quantifying home practice and focus on cumulative or additive effects may limit our understanding of it. Temporally proximate, more transient, and contextually circumscribed effects of mindfulness mediation practice have not been examined. We applied intensive experience sampling to measure daily practice and levels of targeted proximal outcomes (state mindfulness, decentering, emotional valance, and arousal) of training over the course of a 21-day MBI among a community-based sample of 82 meditation-naive adults. Despite intensive experience sampling, we found no evidence of cumulative or additive effects of total mindfulness meditation practice on outcomes at postintervention for mindfulness, decentering, emotional valence, or emotional arousal. However, we found that that daily dose of mindfulness meditation home practice significantly predicted same-day levels of state mindfulness (B = 0.004, SE = 0.001, t = 3.17, p = .000, f2 = 0.24), decentering (B = 0.004, SE = 0.001, t = 2.757, p = .006, f2 = 0.05), and emotional valence (B = 0.006, SE = 0.003, t = 2.015, p = .044, f2 = 0.01) but not daily levels of emotional arousal. Daily dose-response practice effects did not carry over to next-day levels of monitored outcomes. Findings show that effects of daily home mindfulness meditation practice dose on state mindfulness, decentering, and positive emotion are reliable but transient and time-limited. Findings are discussed with respect to the proposed daily dose-response hypothesis of mindfulness meditation practice.

Relationship between mindfulness and maternal stress and mother - Infant bonding in neonatal intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND:Having a baby admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is so stressful, has a negative impact on mother well-being, and also disrupts mother-infant bonding process because the infant spend the first several weeks or months in the NICU. Previous studies have shown the positive association of the mindfulness and various health conditions. This study investigated the relationship between mothers’ dispositional mindfulness and level of stress and bonding in mothers with infants in the NICU.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A cross-sectional study was performed during 2019 on 140 mothers with newborns admitted to the NICUs in two hospitals in Qom city in Iran. The self-report measures of dispositional mindfulness, Parental Stressor Scale: NICU, and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire were administered to mothers on the 2nd–5th day after birth. The data analysis was carried out by using a stepwise multiple regression model.RESULTS:The mean scores of mindfulness, stress, and bonding were 3.32 ± 0.52, 2.32 ± 0.77, and 0.47 ± 0.37, respectively. There was a statistically significant inverse relationship between total mindfulness score and stress (P < 0.001). Furthermore, high scores of mindfulness were associated with better bonding (P = 0.04).CONCLUSIONS:Improvement in mindfulness helps mothers to reduce stress and make better bonding with infants. It is recommended that mindfulness interventions use during pregnancy also after birth, especially for mothers that their infants admitted to in the NICUs.

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of an App-Based Mindfulness-Meditation Program Among Older Adults.

Few studies have focused on the utility of mindfulness-meditation for well-being in older adults. The present study investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an app-based mindfulness-meditation program among older adults. A community-based sample of 46 participants aged between 63 and 81 (M = 70.85, SD = 4.70) engaged with a 30-day app-based mindfulness-meditation program for 10 min daily on their smartphones. Each meditation session comprised focusing on the breath, mentally scanning the body, monitoring the mind's activity, and cultivating a nonjudgmental orientation toward experiences. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline, day 10, and day 30. On average, participants completed 25 sessions and almost 4 h of application use across the 30 days. Results of linear mixed effects models showed significant improvements in positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction across the study interval, but no meaningful change in total mindfulness or perceived stress. Furthermore, relative to high levels of smartphone efficacy, low smartphone efficacy was associated with higher perceived stress and negative affect, and less life satisfaction at baseline; and steeper improvements on these outcomes across the study interval. On average, older adults rated the app-based mindfulness-meditation training as interesting, enjoyable, valuable, and useful. The findings provide preliminary support for the feasibility and acceptability of an app-based mindfulness-meditation program with community-dwelling older adults and demonstrate potential benefits for well-being. Results suggest the value of further research investigating the efficacy of digital mindfulness-meditation interventions for older adults via larger randomized controlled trials.

How is Mindfulness Linked to Negative and Positive Affect? Rumination as an Explanatory Process in a Prospective Longitudinal Study of Adolescents.

Research shows greater mindfulness is associated with less negative affect and more positive affect. Fewer studies have examined the mediating psychological processes linking mindfulness to these outcomes in adolescents. This three-wave, prospective longitudinal study examines rumination-the tendency to engage in repetitive and negative self-focused thinking-as one potential explanatory process. High school students (N = 599, Mage = 16.3 years; 49% girls) completed a short-form version of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, in addition to self-report measures of rumination and negative and positive affect three times over the course of a school year. Autoregressive, cross-lagged panel models tested reciprocal, prospective associations between mindfulness, rumination, and negative and positive affect, while accounting for prior levels of each construct, within-wave covariances, and gender and grade level. The results showed that the nonjudgment mindfulness facet (and the total mindfulness score) predicted cross-wave reductions in rumination, that in turn predicted cross-wave reductions in negative affect. No evidence for mediation was found for positive affect, or for any of the other mindfulness facets (describe, acting with awareness, and nonreactivity). This study provides suggestive evidence that individual differences in mindfulness, and in particular nonjudgmental acceptance, prospectively predict less negative affect through lower rumination.

Effect of Educational Program about Authentic Leadership and Mindfulness Factors on Head Nurses Practice Self – Evaluation

Authentic leadership is an emerging perspective in the field of leadership focuses on leaders values and beliefs . Components of authentic leadership were self-awareness, balanced processing, relational transparency, and an internalized moral perspective. Mindfulness perspective permits head nurses to be fully present, aware of themselves and their impact on other people, and aware of their reactions in stressful situations. Mindfulness include five factors; observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging of inner experiences and non-reactivity to inner experiences. Authentic leadership and their mindfulness if combined together create head nurses that have clearer, extra focused thinking, and growth mindset that help subordinates improve and grow . So , the aim of present study is to determine the effect of educational program about authentic leadership and mindfulness factors on head nurses practice self – evaluation. Study was conducted at two hospitals affiliated to Ministry of Health namely Elmenshawy General Hospital and Kafer El sheikh General Hospital. All (70) head nurses working at different clinical departments. Three tools were used including head nurses self-evaluation for authentic leadership, head nurses self evaluation for mindfulness factors and structured questionnaire to assess head nurse knowledge. The result of present study revealed that preprogram half (50%) of head nurses had high level of total authentic leadership, improved statistically significant immediate post program to be ( 65.7% ). Preprogram low percent 8.6% of head nurse had high level of total mindfulness level improved to be 98.6% immediately post program. Preprogram no one had good level of total knowledge, changed to be all and 98.6% of head nurses got good level respectivelyimmediate and three months post program. Recommendation : Authentic leadership and mindfulness educational training programs should be provided periodically for head nurses to keep them updating their essentials knowledge and practis regarding authentic leadership and mindfulness

Relationship Between Mindfulness, Psychopathological Symptoms, and Academic Performance in University Students.

It has been shown that a mindfulness construct involving five component skills (observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging of inner experience, and nonreactivity to inner experience) is related to well-being and lessens depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. This study investigates the relationship between mindfulness, academic performance, and psychopathological symptoms in a sample of Swiss university students during preparation for examinations. A total sample of 150 university students from the psychology department at the University of Geneva were invited to report their mindfulness skills and academic performance, as well as anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms, through self-report measures. Results indicated that the total mindfulness score and the nonreactivity facet of mindfulness were associated with depression scores. Furthermore, mindfulness skills were positively correlated with students' academic performance. Finally, certain demographic variables, such as gender, were linked to the presence of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in our sample. The clinical implications of these results are discussed.