Use Of Mindfulness-based Interventions Research Articles

A Component of Mindfulness: Attention

The use of mindfulness-based interventions in many areas is increasing day by day. Having knowledge of the components of mindfulness is also important to know the mechanisms in which mindfulness-based interventions are effective. This study has aimed to examine potential attentional mechanisms of mindfulness. In this context, mindfulness has been defined and attention and attention models have been briefly discussed in the study. Then, the relationship between mindfulness and attention has been examined, and previous research findings examining mindfulness and attention are included. The studies on attention and mindfulness seem to have more inconsistent results when conducted with adults, whereas the studies in adolescents and children seem to have more consistent results revealing that mindfulness-based interventions improve the attentional skills of the youth. Knowing the relationship between mindfulness and attention will aid to maximize the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions and it will be a crucial step in identifying the people that might benefit from mindfulness-based interventions

Psycho-oncology interventions from research to practice: the case of mindfulness-based interventions

Abstract As a past recipient of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) Bernard Fox Memorial Award, on the occasion of IPOS' 40th anniversary, Dr. Carlson reflects on the development, evaluation, and uptake of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) over the past 25 years as an example of a psychosocial oncology intervention that has moved from a complementary therapy generally outside of conventional medicine to a therapy endorsed in mainstream clinical practice guidelines. She summarizes the literature on MBIs for people with cancer and her team's contributions to the body of science now supporting the use of MBIs and reviews recent clinical practice guidelines from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, which include recommendations for the use of MBIs for treating common symptoms in people with cancer including anxiety, depression, and fatigue as an example of a process that IPOS may support for other promising programs.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and debilitating mental health condition characterized by persistent intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). While cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) involving exposure and response prevention (ERP) and pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are first-line treatments, many individuals continue to experience persistent symptoms or achieve only partial remission. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), which aim to cultivate present-moment awareness and acceptance of internal experiences, have emerged as a promising adjunctive or alternative treatment approach for OCD. This review synthesizes the existing literature on the use of MBIs, such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), for OCD. Potential mechanisms by which MBIs may benefit individuals with OCD include improved attentional regulation, enhanced emotion regulation skills, reduced cognitive inflexibility through promoting cognitive defusion, and decreased experiential avoidance of intrusive thoughts and urges. Several studies have demonstrated the efficacy of MBIs in reducing OCD symptom severity, and providing insights into how MBIs can increase acceptance, improve emotion regulation, and foster a greater sense of control over symptoms.

Living your best life: The mindful pursuit of student-athlete thriving

Thriving, or the concurrent experience of healthy well-being and high-level performance, may serve as a valuable construct when studying the optimal student-athlete experience. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to positively impact well-being and performance, yet these interventions rarely use thriving as an outcome variable with athletes. The purpose of the present study began to examine the impact of an MBI for improving student-athlete experiences of thriving via a quasi-experimental longitudinal design. College athletes from the United States (n = 55) from three sports were randomly assigned to either a control or a 7-session MBI. While comprehensive measures of thriving did not yield significant change for those in the MBI relative to the control, multiple thriving characteristics and outcomes were improved after the intervention compared to the control group. MBI participants reported significant improvement for subjective performance satisfaction, mindful awareness, and the use of mindfulness to regulate emotions. Exploratory analysis revealed those in the MBI, relative to the control, experienced improvements of optimism and a sense of meaning and purpose. Student-athletes qualitatively reported sport and life benefits related to thriving (e.g., self-regulation, focus, awareness, vitality, intentional actions) while also suggesting improving MBIs with systematic reminders to meditate, more meditation opportunities within the sport environment, and autonomy-supportive instruction. These preliminary data support the use of MBIs to facilitate characteristics and outcomes of thriving, while also offering suggestions for practical improvements when implementing MBIs with student-athletes.

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

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

Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on psychological outcomes in college and university students during COVID-19 pandemics: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

We synthesized the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on psychological outcomes in college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ten electronic databases were searched from inception to December 2021. We reviewed studies with college and university students receiving MBIswith psychological outcomes. We only reviewed studies written in English. A random-effects model was used to compute the effect size. Overall, MBIsshowed a significantly moderate improvement in anxiety (g = 0.612, 95%CI: 0.288-0.936, I2 = 77%); depression (g = 0.372, 95%CI: 0.032-0.713, I2 = 72%); and mindfulness (g = 0.392, 95% CI:0.102-0.695, I2 = 64%) compared with control groups, while these interventions had a small effect in reducing stress, but not a significant one (g = 0.295, 95%CI: -0.088 to0.676, I2 = 77%) compared with control groups. MBIssignificantly improved psychological outcomes among college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinicians and health providers should consider using MBIs as alternative complementary treatment for improving and preventing anxiety and depression in college and university students during COVID-19. The use of MBIs for college and university students is an effective method to decrease anxiety, depressive symptoms, and increase mindfulness. MBIs would become a very useful means of alternative complementary treatment in mental health and clinical psychiatry.

Validation of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire scale in medical students and doctors in Chile

The increasing use of Mindfulness-based interventions requires standardized construct-based measurement instruments for clinical and research purposes. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire scale with five factors was developed in the United States and validated in Spain. There are versions of 39, 24 and 15 items (FFMQ-39, FFMQ-24 and FFMQ-15). To validate the FFMQ-24 and FFMQ-15 scale in Chile. Six experts performed a linguistic adaptation of the Spanish version of the FFMQ-24. The adapted instrument was applied to a sample of 795 physicians. Internal validity was analyzed by calculating Cronbach's alpha (α) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Finally, 15 items were retained, and the 5-factor solution was maintained. The FFMQ-15 scale was applied to a sample of 365 medical students and analyzed by calculating (α) and CFA. The external validity of FFMQ-15 was evaluated with the Mental Health Continiuum-14 (MHC-14) scale. Linguistic changes were made. The CFA of FFMQ-24 obtained a lower-than-expected fit for a 5-factor solution. The (α) value varied between .68 and .86 in all dimensions. The FFMQ-15 had an adequate fit for five factors for physicians (c2 = 216.17, df = 80, p < .01; CFI = .96; TLI = .94; RMSEA = .05 [.04, .06]; SRMR = .04) and students (c2 = 163.61, df = 80, p < .01; CF = .96; TLI = .94; RMSEA = .05 [.04, .07]; SRMR = .05). External validity with MHC-14 was adequate. The FFMQ-15 scale has acceptable internal consistency and adequate internal and external validity in Chile.

Mindful Educators: Compassion, Community, and Adaptability Are Key

K-12 teachers encounter numerous stressors in their profession, placing them at risk of job-related stress and burnout. While the concept of mindfulness has made inroads in teacher professional development, there are few qualitative studies of teachers’ experiences in this area. This study examined a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) known as Cultivating Awareness and Resilience in Education (CARE). Employing a qualitative case study methodology, this study investigated three teachers’ experiences, perceptions, and utilization of MBI with a five-month follow-up. This examination was guided by the collection of data from participant interviews, observations, and document analysis, and data were analyzed using inductive analysis. Findings revealed that participants experienced both short- and long-term benefits of compassion, community, and adaptability. Specifically, compassion directed towards others proved most powerful to the participants from the initial retreat. Moreover, the ability to sustain a mindfulness practice required two components: community support and the ability to adapt mindfulness protocols to one’s specific circumstances. This research also highlights two additional questions for further consideration: whether mindfulness impacts a teacher’s actual teaching efficacy and to what extend is mindfulness a precursor to relational trust. The study concludes with recommendations on strengthening the use of MBIs as an element of professional development. It also identifies future research on how MBIs might further influence teacher performance in the classroom and beyond.

Mindfulness and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: An Umbrella Review.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) disorders are a leading cause of disability globally, affectingup to one in three people. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have become a popular treatment for CMSP. The aim of this umbrella review was to synthesise the best available research evidence for the effectiveness of MBI for adults with CMSP. Eight databases were searched from inception to 30th June 2021 for systematic reviews that examined the use of MBI in CMSP (pain experienced >3 months) in adult populations. Two reviewers independently conducted screening and selection, data extraction, and assessment of methodological quality using The Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews tool (AMSTAR 2). Outcomes examined were pain, sleep quality, depression, quality of life, physical functioning, and mindfulness. Furthermore, definitions of mindfulness, and intervention parameters (mindfulness practices used, length, frequency of sessions, duration) were also reported. Nineteen systematic reviews (n = 1 rated high quality, n = 1 moderate quality, n = 2 low quality and n = 15 critically low quality) examining 194 primary studies met the review criteria. Although some promising evidence was identified for the use of MBI in CMSP, the general low quality and widespread heterogeneity of included SRs and made it difficult to reach a definitive conclusion. Differences in results and outcomes amongst systematic reviews that, in many cases, had a high overlap of included RCTs, suggests fundamental differences in critical design elements that make data difficult to compare. This umbrella review found mixed results on the effectiveness of MBI for the management of CMSP across a range of outcomes (pain, sleep quality, depression, quality of life, physical functioning, mindfulness). Definitions of MBI varied as did parameters, which may have contributed to these mixed results. More rigorous research with stringent MBI protocols is required.

From Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Mindfulness-Based Interventions.

The U.S. Department of Justice indicates that 83% of individuals released from state prisons in 2005 were arrested at least once during a 9-year follow-up period. With only 17% of released individuals not rearrested, it could be argued that correctional facilities fail to provide the necessary resources that individuals need for proper rehabilitation and reintegration. Thus, there is a need for alternative jail and prison programming. This article reviews the leading program, cognitive behavioral therapy, and advocates for the integration and use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in carceral settings. Specifically, this article reviews the literature on MBIs and their significance in corrections.

Evaluation of an Intervention to Promote Self-Management Regarding Cardiovascular Disease: The Social Engagement Framework for Addressing the Chronic-Disease-Challenge (SEFAC).

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are predominantly lifestyle related. Mental health issues also influence CVD progression and quality of life. Self-management of lifestyle behaviors and mental well-being may play a significant role in reducing the CVD burden. Previous studies have shown that mindfulness practices are associated with psychological well-being, but their effects on CVD self-management are mainly unknown. Methods: The study had a before–after design and included adults over 50 years with CVD and/or one or more risk factors from three European countries. Follow-up was six months. The intervention was a 7-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in a group setting focusing on chronic disease self-management. Outcomes were measured with validated self-report questionnaires at baseline and follow-up: self-efficacy, physical activity, nutrition, smoking, alcohol use, sleep and fatigue, social support, stress, depression, medication adherence, and self-rated health. Results: Among 352 participants, 324 (92%) attended ≥4 of the 7 group sessions and completed follow-up. During follow-up, self-efficacy, stress, social support, depressive symptoms, and self-rated health significantly improved. No significant changes were detected for other outcomes. Conclusions: A 7-week MBI focusing on chronic disease self-management was conducive to improved self-efficacy, emotional well-being, social support, and self-rated overall health during six months. These findings support the use of MBIs for improving self-management in cardiovascular care. ISRCTN registry-number ISRCTN11248135.

Mindfulness Based Intervention for 21-Year-Old with Substance Use

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are a global psychiatric problem associated with a high mortality and morbidity rate. Consequently, contemporary advances in addiction have generated the potential for assessing the efficacy of Mindfulness Based Interventions (MBIs) for treating those with SUDs and their Relapse Prevention. The current case study focuses on a 21-year-old married man referred with the presenting complaints of intake and withdrawal of Heroin. His symptoms fulfilled the criteria of Heroin Withdrawal Disorder and he is currently in a controlled environment. The assessment was carried out through a clinical interview with the client, behavioral observation, Mental Status Examination (MSE) and the subjective rating of symptoms. Formal assessments were also carried out. The management plan was devised to build and maintain an excellent therapeutic alliance. The psychotherapeutic intervention was applied, primarily focusing on the use of MBI that improved symptoms.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Surgical Patients and Impact on Postoperative Outcomes, Patient Wellbeing, and Satisfaction.

Several psychosocial factors can impact surgical outcomes and overall patient wellbeing following surgery. Although advances in surgical interventions and pain management protocols can reduce surgical trauma and enhance recovery from surgery, additional intervention is warranted to optimize surgical outcomes and patient quality of life (QoL) in the short- and long-term. Research on mindfulness techniques suggests that mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) effectively promote health behaviors, reduce pain, and improve psychological wellbeing and QoL. Thus, there has been an increase in research evaluating the use of MBIs to improve postoperative outcomes and wellbeing in surgical patients. The authors provide a brief overview of psychosocial outcomes of surgery and MBIs and review the literature on the impact of MBIs on postoperative outcomes. The extant literature indicates that MBIs are feasible and acceptable for use in surgical patient populations and provides preliminary evidence of the benefits of mindfulness across a range of surgical patient populations. However, more research is needed to assess the long-term efficacy of MBIs delivered online and in-person across the perioperative continuum.

Research in Mindfulness Interventions for Patients With Fibromyalgia: A Critical Review

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common causes of widespread chronic pain. It has a huge impact on the quality of life, namely because it appears earlier in life than most of the chronic pain conditions. Furthermore, emotional-cognitive distress factors, such as depression and anxiety, are a common feature in patients with fibromyalgia. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying fibromyalgia remain mostly unknown. Among non-pharmacological treatments, cognitive-behavioral therapy has been used during the last decade, namely with the enrolment of patients in programs of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and in mindfulness-based interventions (MBI). We critically analyzed the literature to search for scientific evidence for the use of MBI in fibromyalgia. The studies were evaluated as to several outcomes of fibromyalgia improvement along with aspects of the study design which are currently considered relevant for research in mindfulness. We conclude that despite the sparsity of well-structured longitudinal studies, there are some promising results showing that the MBI are effective in reducing the negative aspects of the disease. Future design of studies using MBI in fibromyalgia management should be critically discussed. The importance of active controls, evaluation of sustained effects along with investigation of the subserving neurobiological mechanisms and detailed reports of possible adverse effects should be considered.

Use of mindfulness-based interventions for parental stress in relation with ASD: A review

IntroductionChildren with ASD may present their parents with several challenges, most notably aggressive and destructive behaviors. Parents of children with ASD typically experience more stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms than other parents. Mindfulness-based interventions are reported to be effective in reducing parental stress along with improving the challenging behaviors of their childrenObjectivesThe current review aimed to investigate if the use of mindfulness-based interventions is beneficial to reduce parental stress when caring for children with ASD.MethodsThe databases of PsycINFO and PubMED were used. The variables studied in this systematic review were Autism, Parental stress, and Mindfulness. Inclusion criteria were that all articles should be academic journals, and with a full text available in English during the last 20 years.ResultsCompared to other behavioral approaches, mindfulness-based interventions showed statistically significant results in reducing the stress levels of parents as well as improving their children’s challenging behaviors.ConclusionsMost of the studies in the current review indicated that mindfulness-based interventions are beneficial in improving the stress level of parents.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Online Mindfulness Intervention for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Adherence and Efficacy.

The impact of stress and other psychological variables on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) prognosis, treatment response, and functional level is well-established; however, typical IBD treatment focuses on the physiological pathology of the disease and neglects complementary stress-reducing interventions. Recent pilot studies report the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in people living with IBD, but are limited by small sample sizes. Recruitment challenges to in-person studies may be in part due to the difficulty IBD patients often have adhering to fixed schedules and travel as a result of IBD symptoms such as pain, fatigue, and incontinence. The current study aimed to address this barrier by offering participants access to online mindfulness training, allowing individuals to engage with intervention materials to fit their own schedule. Online mindfulness programs have gained popularity in recent years, as they increase access and flexibility and decrease cost to the user; however, the dropout rate tends to be high. The current study compared the rate of adherence and efficacy of mindfulness training as a function of level of support: self-guided versus supported. Analysis revealed no significant difference in the benefits received between participants in the two groups; however, a significant difference group (χ2 = 15.75; p = 0.000, r = 0.38) was found in terms of rate of completion, with 44.1% of the supportive group completing the protocol compared to 11.7% of the self-guided. Common challenges to meditation were measured, but did not significantly predict adherence to the intervention, and experience of these challenges did not significantly change (increase or decrease) over the duration of the study. Implications of the current research, future directions for the use of MBI for IBD patients, and a discussion of methodological considerations are provided.

Using Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Support Self-regulation in Young Children: A Review of the Literature.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rise in stress, mental health concerns, and externalizing behaviors in children and their caregivers across the globe and illuminated the need to reduce stress levels and support self-regulation skills in even the youngest of children. The goal of this literature review is to describe what research has shown about the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to support young children’s self-regulation in early childhood settings. A total of 18 research studies conducted between 2010 and 2021 were identified. The main purposes of the studies reviewed were to examine the effects of MBIs on the development of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive self-regulation. Results showed that teachers generally found mindfulness practices feasible, acceptable, and effective in their classrooms. Although MBIs were found to have mixed effects on self-regulation in young children, positive effects on self-regulation were significantly greater for children in need of additional support, including those with difficulties or delays in developing self-regulation skills. The current review found a wide variety of MBIs used in early childhood settings globally. The results of this review suggest that teaching mindfulness practices to young children and their caregivers can both support the development of self-regulation of young children and foster socially and emotionally healthy environments in which this development can occur.

A Conceptual Model of the Influence of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Stress and Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Conditions.

Individuals with chronic conditions are susceptible to stress-related health complications. Left unattended, chronic stress exacerbates inflammation, diminishes quality of life (QOL), and increases all-cause mortality. Here, we suggest a theoretical framework promoting the use of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in patients with chronic conditions and a conceptual model of how MBIs may influence stress and QOL.

Impact of Mindfulness Training on Spanish Police Officers\u2019 Mental and Emotional Health: a Non-Randomized Pilot Study

ObjectivesThe purpose of this exploratory non-randomized controlled study was to determine the acceptance and effectiveness of an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) co-designed by a police officer.MethodsA pretest-posttest control group design was followed. Participants (MBI group = 20; control group = 18) answered baseline and post-training self-reported measures. In addition, the weekly emotional state of the MBI group was collected. Paired-samples t-test and analysis of covariance were performed for pre-post within-group and between-group differences, respectively, as well as linear mixed effects analysis of repeated measures for week-by-week data.ResultsHigh acceptance and attendance rates, as well as significant pre-post within-group differences in the MBI group in mindfulness (η2 = 0.43), self-compassion (η2 = 0.43), depression (η2 = 0.54), anxiety (η2 = 0.46), stress (η2 = 0.51), difficulties in emotion regulation, sleep quality (η2 = 0.57), and burnout (η2 = 0.31–0.47), were identified. Moreover, police officers who underwent the MBI experienced a week by week decrease of anger, disgust, anxiety, sadness, and desire. Finally, after adjusting for pre-test scores, significant between-group differences were found in the way of attending to internal and external experiences (observing mindfulness facet; ηp2 = 0.21), depression symptoms (ηp2 = 0.23), general distress (ηp2 = 0.24), and the degree of physical and psychological exhaustion (personal burnout; ηp2 = 0.20).ConclusionsThe preliminary effectiveness of this MBI on psychopathology and quality of life outcomes in Spanish police officers was discussed. Previous evidence regarding the promising use of MBIs in this population was supported.

Mindfulness Practices for Children and Adolescents Receiving Cancer Therapies.

Background: Mindfulness is our innate capacity to pay full, conscious, and compassionate attention to something in the moment. It is also a skill that can be strengthened by mental practice. More recently, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are identified within clinical practice guidelines as an intervention in the treatment of certain symptoms for children with cancer. However, there is little guidance available on the practice of using MBIs in the pediatric oncology population. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of mindfulness, highlights symptoms where mindfulness practices may be of benefit, identifies trauma-sensitive considerations, and provides examples of MBIs that may be considered in the context of pediatric oncology. Methods: Collaboration of expert opinion, which included The Mindfulness Project Team, has enabled this collective informative paper. Results: Mindfulness has been recommended to help with the symptom of fatigue in children with cancer. Emotional symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, and anger may also benefit from the use of MBIs. Ideal MBIs for this population may include mindful movement, mindfulness of the senses, mindfulness of breath, mindfulness of emotions, and the body scan. These approaches can easily be adapted according to the age of the child. Many approaches have been administered with minimal training, with very few requiring a facilitator. However, hospitals have started to incorporate mindfulness experts within their care provision. Conclusion: Future research should continue to investigate the use of MBI programs for children with cancer.