Well-being

Mindfulness is Associated with Greater Psychological Well-Being

psyjdc Leave a comment

Mindfulness is Associated with Greater Psychological Well-Being

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”  ― Amit Ray

 

The primary focus of the majority of research on mindfulness has been on its ability to treat negative emotional states such as anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. As such, it has been found to be effective for a large array of medical and psychiatric conditions, either stand-alone or in combination with more traditional therapies. But mindfulness training has also been shown to improve health and well-being in healthy individuals. Indeed, it is possible that the effectiveness of mindfulness training in relieving mental and physical illness may result from its ability to improve positive psychological states.

 

In today’s Research News article “Could mindfulness diminish mental health disorders? The serial mediating role of self-compassion and psychological well-being.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9362435/ )  Tran and colleagues, during the Covid-19 pandemic, sent an online survey to university students and again after 15 days measuring mindfulness, self-compassion, anxiety, depression, stress, and psychological well-being. Students who practiced mindfulness were followed up with structured qualitative reports.

 

They found that the higher the levels of mindfulness the lower the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, and the higher the levels of self-compassion, and psychological well-being. They also report that mindfulness has direct relationships with lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression and also indirect relationships. Mindfulness was associated with higher levels of self-compassion which in turn was associated with higher levels of psychological well-being which in turn was associated with lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The qualitative results corroborated these findiings.

 

These results suggest that the anxiety, depression, and stress that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic are less in mindful students and suggests that these relationships are partially mediated by mindful people having higher levels of self-compassion and psychological well-being.

 

“The way to live in the present is to remember that ‘This too shall pass.’ When you experience joy, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ helps you savor the here and now. When you experience pain and sorrow, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ reminds you that grief, like joy, is only temporary.” – Joey Green

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Tran MAQ, Vo-Thanh T, Soliman M, Ha AT, Van Pham M. Could mindfulness diminish mental health disorders? The serial mediating role of self-compassion and psychological well-being. Curr Psychol. 2022 Aug 3:1-14. doi: 10.1007/s12144-022-03421-3. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35967505; PMCID: PMC9362435.

 

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic clearly has various detrimental psychological effects on people’s mental health, emphasizing the importance of mindfulness in overcoming such repercussions. This is in line with the growing number of studies that have been conducted to assess the effects of mindfulness in diverse settings. However, the role of mindfulness in reducing mental health issues among university students has received little attention. Therefore, the current work seeks to investigate how mindfulness could reduce the anxiety, depression, and stress of university students and how self-compassion and psychological well-being could mediate the links between mindfulness and these mental health disorders. To that end, an explanatory sequential mixed-method design was adopted. Quantitative data collected, through a two-wave survey, from 560 Vietnamese students having an average age of 18.7 years were used to test the hypotheses. To measure the six variables in the research models, we opted for the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS-26), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21–7 items for each subscale), and World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). Additionally, qualitative data from 19 in-depth interviews were utilized to explain the quantitative findings and explore students’ experiences in practicing mindfulness and self-compassion to decrease stress, depression, and anxiety. The results elucidated that self-compassion and psychological well-being serially mediated the relationships between mindfulness (as a predictor) and anxiety, stress, and depression (as outcome variables). The findings demonstrated the key role of mindfulness in increasing students’ self-compassion and psychological well-being as well as reducing anxiety, depression, and stress. This research holds substantial contributions by providing universities and psychotherapists with recommendations to deal with negative psychological consequences caused by COVID-19.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9362435/

 

Increase Hopefulness and Well-Being with Gratitude and Mindfulness

psyjdc Leave a comment

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Gratitude for the present moment and the fullness of life now is the true prosperity.” – Eckhart Tolle

 

Gratitude involves an appreciation of the positive facets of our lives. It is important for well-being as it underlines the good that is in our lives, which are often forgotten or missed. Gratitude also makes us more hopeful. Mindfulness is also important for well-being and would help to amplify gratitude and hopefulness. Gratitude, mindfulness, and hopefulness all work to promote positive emotional states which can improve well-being. There has, however, been little research on the interactions of mindfulness, gratitude, and hopefulness on well-being.

 

In today’s Research News article “Exploring the Nexus Between Mindfulness, Gratitude, and Wellbeing Among Youth With the Mediating Role of Hopefulness: A South Asian Perspective.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9346554/ ) Ali and colleagues recruited adults and had them complete measures of gratitude, mindfulness, well-being, and hopefulness. The data were subjected to analysis with structural equation modelling.

 

They found that when both mindfulness and gratitude were high, so was hopefulness. But only gratitude and not mindfulness was positively associated with well-being. But, they found that both mindfulness and gratitude were related positively to well-being indirectly by being associated with higher hopefulness which in turn was associated with higher well-being.

 

These findings are correlative and as such caution must be exercised in interpreting causation. But it would seem that people who are mindful and have gratitude have greater well-being.

 

“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.” – Brene Brown

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Ali SB, Ahmad MJ, Ramzan I, Ali M, Khan K. Exploring the Nexus Between Mindfulness, Gratitude, and Wellbeing Among Youth With the Mediating Role of Hopefulness: A South Asian Perspective. Front Psychol. 2022 Jul 19;13:915667. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915667. PMID: 35936309; PMCID: PMC9346554.

 

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between mindfulness, gratitude, and psychological wellbeing of young individuals in Pakistan with the potential role of hopefulness as a mediator between mindfulness, gratitude, and wellbeing. Data were collected from young individuals (18–40 years old) from Pakistan. A total sample of 500 participants was collected by employing the online survey questionnaire, and 374 questionnaires were duly filled and returned. The PLS-SEM technique was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The results of the study found that there is a strong direct relationship between gratitude, mindfulness, and hopefulness, and mindfulness is also strongly correlated with wellbeing. However, the relationship between gratitude and wellbeing was not statistically significant. Moreover, the mediation results reveal that the relationship between mindfulness, gratitude, and wellbeing is significantly mediated by hopefulness. This shows that gratitude and mindfulness are crucial in enhancing wellbeing through hopefulness. This study is an important contribution to validating the broaden-and-build theory, which suggests that hopelessness is a significant factor of a depressive state. It can be indicated that inducing hopefulness could be a significant element of the treatment plan of professional clinical psychologists.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9346554/

 

Mindfulness Increases Self-Forgiveness in Prisoners

psyjdc Leave a comment

Mindfulness Increases Self-Forgiveness in Prisoners

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love,” – Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Around 2 ¼ million people are incarcerated in the United States. Even though prisons are euphemistically labelled correctional facilities very little correction actually occurs. This is supported by the rates of recidivism. About three quarters of prisoners who are released commit crimes and are sent back to prison within 5-years. The lack of actual treatment for the prisoners leaves them ill equipped to engage positively in society either inside or outside of prison. Hence, there is a need for effective treatment programs that help the prisoners while in prison and prepares them for life outside the prison.

 

Forgiveness is important to happiness and psychological well-being. It allows one to move beyond anger and resentment. It is an adaptive ability to move beyond a perceived transgression by another, not by ignoring or denying it, but by reframing it so the response moves away from negativity. This is true not only of others but also the self. Self-forgiveness is essential for psychological well-being. This may be particularly important for prisoners. There is emerging research on forgiveness but much has yet to be explored regarding the processes that lead to and improve forgiveness. Mindfulness has been found to be associated with higher levels of forgiveness. So, it makes sense to explore the processes by which mindfulness is associated with forgiveness in prisoners.

 

In today’s Research News article “The relationship between self-forgiveness and psychological wellbeing in prison inmates: The mediating role of mindfulness.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9826273/  ) Paleari and colleagues recruited male prisoners and had them complete measures of years in prison, mindfulness, self-forgiveness for the crime committed, well-being, and severity of the crime committed.

 

They found that self-forgiveness had an indirect effect on well-being in the prisoners mediated by mindfulness such that self-forgiveness was positively associated with mindfulness which was in turn positively associated with well-being. This was particularly true for prisoners who had spent years in prison.

 

So, the ability of self-forgiveness to improve the psychological well-being of prisoners was mediated by mindfulness. Perhaps mindfulness training might amplify this effect.

 

“It’s not an easy journey, to get to a place where you forgive people. But it is such a powerful place, because it frees you.” – Tyler Perry

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Paleari GF, Danioni F, Pelucchi S, Lombrano MR, Lumera D, Regalia C. The relationship between self-forgiveness and psychological wellbeing in prison inmates: The mediating role of mindfulness. Crim Behav Ment Health. 2022 Oct;32(5):337-349. doi: 10.1002/cbm.2260. Epub 2022 Sep 2. PMID: 36056526; PMCID: PMC9826273.

 

Abstract

Background

Previous research with general population samples has consistently shown that forgiveness and mindfulness facilitate coping with distressing experiences and significantly promote mental health. No study, however, has examined their unique contribution to prisoners’ psychological wellbeing nor has considered the different forms of self‐forgiveness among prisoners.

Aims

Our aim was to investigate the role of mindfulness in mediating any association between prisoners’ self‐forgiveness and psychological wellbeing and to test whether any such links are moderated by years spent in prison. In this study self‐forgiveness was conceptualised as a multidimensional construct, including presence of genuine self‐forgiveness, absence of pseudo self‐forgiveness and/or absence of self‐punitiveness.

Methods

Participants were recruited from a prison in Northern Italy. Consenting men were asked to complete an anonymous self‐report questionnaire with only a researcher present.

Results

104 male prisoners (mean age 46.63 years, SD 11.38) took part. Findings were that self‐punitiveness was inversely related to well‐being, with mindfulness mediating this relationship, this while controlling for the other dimensions of self‐forgiveness and the perceived severity of the crime committed. Contrary to expectation, we found no direct relationship between genuine self‐forgiveness and well‐being, but the moderated mediation models showed that genuine self‐forgiveness was positively associated with mindfulness and, through this, had an indirect association with wellbeing, significant only for prisoners who had already spent several years in prison.

Conclusions

Our findings confirm that self‐forgiveness is a complex construct, worthy of further investigation among offenders. They suggest that forgiveness interventions for prisoners should include modules aimed at primarily reducing self‐punitive attitudes. Promotion of genuine self‐forgiveness should be tried only with awareness that this is likely to take a very long time. In such circumstances, interventions may promote energy to be invested in mindful processes with a consequent improvement in psychological wellbeing.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9826273/

 

Improve Type 2 Diabetes in the Elderly with Tai Chi

psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve Type 2 Diabetes in the Elderly with Tai Chi

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“I have high blood sugars, and Type 2 diabetes is not going to kill me. But I just have to eat right, and exercise, and lose weight, and watch what I eat, and I will be fine for the rest of my life.” ― Tom Hanks

 

Diabetes is a major health issue. It is estimated that 30 million people in the United States have diabetes and the numbers are growing. Type 2 Diabetes results from a resistance of tissues, especially fat tissues, to the ability of insulin to promote the uptake of glucose from the blood. As a result, blood sugar levels rise producing hyperglycemia. Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. In addition, diabetes is heavily associated with other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and circulatory problems leading to amputations. As a result, diabetes doubles the risk of death of any cause compared to individuals of the same age without diabetes.

 

Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable. One of the reasons for the increasing incidence of Type 2 Diabetes is its association with overweight and obesity which is becoming epidemic in the industrialized world. A leading cause of this is a sedentary lifestyle. Current treatments for Type 2 Diabetes focus on diet, exercise, and weight control. Recently, mindfulness practices have been shown to be helpful in managing diabetes. Tai Chi is mindfulness practice and a gentle exercise that has been found to improve the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes. The research is accumulating. So, it is reasonable to examine what has been learned.

 

In today’s Research News article “Tai Chi Program to Improve Glucose Control and Quality of Life for the Elderly With Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-analysis.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9111975/ ) Wang and colleagues review, summarize, and perform a meta-analysis of the published randomized controlled trials of the effectiveness of Tai Chi practice in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes in elderly patients. They identified 7 published studies.

 

They report that after Tai Chi there were significant decreases in blood glucose levels and significant increases in balance and ability to perform independent life activities. Hence, in elderly Type 2 Diabetes patients Tai Chi practice results in better glucose control, improved ability to conduct their everyday lives and a reduced likelihood of falls.

 

“People take ownership of sickness and disease by saying things like MY high blood pressure MY diabetes, MY heart disease, MY depression, MY! MY! MY! Don’t own it because it doesn’t belong to you!” ― Stella Payton

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Wang Y, Yan J, Zhang P, Yang P, Zhang W, Lu M. Tai Chi Program to Improve Glucose Control and Quality of Life for the Elderly With Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-analysis. Inquiry. 2022 Jan-Dec;59:469580211067934. doi: 10.1177/00469580211067934. PMID: 35282699; PMCID: PMC9111975.

 

Abstract

Objective

To systematically evaluate the effects of Tai chi for improving elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

According to PRISMA checklist, we conducted this standard meta-analysis. The multiple databases like Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were used to search for the relevant studies, and full-text articles involved in the evaluation of Tai chi in improving elderly patients with type 2 diabetes. Review manager 5.2 was adopted to estimate the effects of the results among selected articles. Forest plots, sensitivity analysis and funnel plot for the articles included were also conducted.

Results

Finally, 7 relevant studies were eventually satisfied the included criteria. We found that Tai chi group had lower glucose than control group (mean difference (MD)=-12.47, 95%CI [-21.20, −3.73], P=.005; I 2 = 32%), Tai chi group had higher activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale than control group (MD =9.26 with 95%CI [6.68, 11.83], P < .001) and Tai chi group had higher single limb standing test score than control group (MD = 8.38, 95%CI [4.02, 12.74], P = .001). The study was robust and limited publication bias was observed in this study.

Conclusion

Since we found Tai chi had better performance than usual care in improving old diabetes patients’ glucose and life quality, the study supports that Tai chi can help old diabetes patients from several aspects including disease indicators, independence and life quality.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9111975/

 

Mindfulness is Associated with Greater Well-Being During Covid – 19

psyjdc Leave a comment

Mindfulness is Associated with Greater Well-Being During Covid – 19

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“When you practice mindfulness and are present moment-to-moment, you are much more tuned in during typically “mindless” activities and routines throughout your day. This level of awareness not only positively affects your mind and body, but it turns out to be pretty darn useful during a pandemic.” – Henry Ford Health

 

Mindfulness training has been shown to improve health and well-being in healthy individuals. It has also been found to be effective for a large array of medical and psychiatric conditions, either stand-alone or in combination with more traditional therapies. The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the mental and physical health of the population. It has created intense stress both for frontline workers but also for people simply isolating at home. So, there is a need to find ways to improve psychological well-being during the pandemic. Mindfulness is known to decrease the psychological and physical responses to stress. So, mindfulness may be helpful in coping with the mental and physical challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

In today’s Research News article “Did Mindful People Do Better during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Mindfulness Is Associated with Well-Being and Compliance with Prophylactic Measures.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9105751/ ) Wen and colleagues performed an online survey during a Covid-19 lockdown in France. The participants completed measures of mindfulness, mood, quality of sleep, and behaviors to control the spread of Covid-19.

 

They found that the higher the levels of mindfulness the better their psychological well-being including less sleep disruption, and deterioration of mood. They also found that the higher the levels of mindfulness the greater the engagement in behaviors to control the spread of Covid-19, including physical distancing, lockdown and coughing into your sleeve, but not washing hands, not touching faces and wearing masks.

 

Hence, being mindful during the Covid-19 lockdown was associated with less deterioration in well-being and greater prophylactic behaviors. This suggests that mindful people fared better during the pandemic.

 

“During the current pandemic . . .Mindfulness can help us acknowledge this situation, without allowing us to be carried away with strong emotions; it can, in turn, help bring ourselves back to a centered calm. Only then can we see more clearly what it is we have control over and what it is that we do not.” – Michigan Psychiatry

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Wen, X., Rafaï, I., Duchêne, S., & Willinger, M. (2022). Did Mindful People Do Better during the COVID-19 Pandemic? Mindfulness Is Associated with Well-Being and Compliance with Prophylactic Measures. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(9), 5051. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095051

 

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between mindfulness and well-being within the context of compliance with prophylactic measures in the time of COVID-19. We conducted a large-scale survey among a representative sample of the French population. We measured mindfulness, using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and the extent to which respondents were impacted by COVID-19 in terms of their mood and quality of sleep, as well as how they complied with prophylactic measures. Our results suggest that more mindful individuals were less negatively impacted by COVID-19 with regard to their sleep and mood. Concerning the prophylactic measures, we obtained mixed results: more mindful participants were more likely to respect lockdowns, physical distancing and to cough in their sleeves, but did not wash their hands, wear masks or avoid touching their face more often than less mindful individuals.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9105751/

 

Virtual Mindfulness Training Improves Well-Being

psyjdc Leave a comment

Virtual Mindfulness Training Improves Well-Being

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Spending too much time planning, problem solving, daydreaming, or thinking negative or random thoughts can be draining. It also can make you more likely to experience stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression. Practicing mindfulness exercises, on the other hand, can help you direct your attention away from this kind of thinking and engage with the world around you.” – Mayo Clinic

 

Mindfulness training has been shown to improve health and well-being. It has also been found to be effective for a large array of medical and psychiatric conditions, either stand-alone or in combination with more traditional therapies. As a result, mindfulness training has been called the third wave of therapies. But the vast majority of the mindfulness training techniques require a trained teacher. The participants must be available to attend multiple sessions at scheduled times that may or may not be compatible with their schedules and at locations that may not be convenient.

 

As an alternative, training over the internet has been developed. This has tremendous advantages in decreasing costs, making training schedules much more flexible, and eliminating the need to go repeatedly to specific locations. But the question arises as to the effectiveness of internet training in improving psychological well-being. The evidence is accumulating. So, it makes sense to review what has been learned.

 

In today’s Research News article “Virtual mindfulness interventions to promote well-being in adults: A mixed-methods systematic review.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8765070/ ) Xu and colleagues review and summarize the published research studies on the effectiveness of mindfulness training over the internet to improve psychological well-being. They identified 32 published studies.

 

They report that the published studies found that internet-based mindfulness training produced significant improvements in well-being and mental health including reductions in anxiety and depression, perceived stress, sleep disruptions, and negative emotions and significant increases in academic performance and cognition, including reduced mind-wandering.

 

The published research indicates that on-line mindfulness training improves the well-being, mental health, and cognitive performance of students.

 

“Even though the app we evaluate is vastly less expensive than in-person psychotherapy, it leads to comparable short-run improvements in mental health.” – Advik Shreekumar

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Xu, J., Jo, H., Noorbhai, L., Patel, A., & Li, A. (2022). Virtual mindfulness interventions to promote well-being in adults: A mixed-methods systematic review. Journal of affective disorders, 300, 571–585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.01.027

 

Abstract

Background

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many have experienced drastic changes in their academic and social lives with ensuing consequences towards their physical and mental well-being. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify virtual mindfulness-based interventions for the well-being of adults aged 19 to 40 years in developed countries and examine the efficacy of these techniques/exercises.

Methods

This mixed-methods systematic review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines with a registered PROSPERO protocol. With a convergent integrated synthesis approach, IEEE Xplore, PsychInfo, Web of Science and OVID were searched with a predetermined criteria and search strategy employing booleans and filters for peer-reviewed and gray literature. Data screening and extraction were independently performed by two authors, with a third author settling disagreements after reconciliation. Study quality of selected articles was assessed with two independent authors using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Studies were analyzed qualitatively (precluding meta and statistical analysis) due to the heterogeneous study results from diverse study designs in present literature.

Results

Common mindfulness-based interventions used in the appraised studies included practicing basic mindfulness, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy programs (MBCT) and the Learning 2 BREATHE (L2B) program.

Conclusion

Studies implementing mindfulness interventions demonstrated an overall improvement in well-being. Modified versions of these interventions can be implemented in a virtual context, so adults can improve their well-being through an accessible format.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8765070/

 

Religiosity/Spirituality is Associated with Better Psychological Well-Being in Older Adults

psyjdc Leave a comment

Religiosity/Spirituality is Associated with Better Psychological Well-Being in Older Adults

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Both religion and spirituality can have a positive impact on mental health. . .  Both religion and spirituality can help a person tolerate stress by generating peace, purpose and forgiveness.” – Luna Greenstein

 

Spirituality is defined as “one’s personal affirmation of and relationship to a higher power or to the sacred. Spirituality has been promulgated as a solution to the challenges of life both in a transcendent sense and in a practical sense. There have been a number of studies of the influence of spirituality on the physical and psychological well-being of practitioners mostly showing positive benefits, with spirituality encouraging personal growth and mental health. The research evidence has been accumulating. So, it makes sense to pause and summarize what has been learned.

 

In today’s Research News article “Religiosity/Spirituality and Mental Health in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9133607/ ) Coelho-Júnior and colleagues review, summarize, and perform a meta-analysis of the relationship of spirituality and religiosity with the mental health of older adults. They identified 62 published research studies with participants over the age of 60.

 

They report that the published studies found that religiosity/spirituality was associated with significantly lower levels of anxiety, depression, and fear of death and significantly higher levels of overall psychological well-being, satisfaction with life, meaning in life, and social relations. These findings are correlative so causation cannot be determined.

 

But it is clear the older people who are religious and/or spiritual are psychologically healthier.

 

“religious people live longer, on average, than non-religious people.” – Jeff Levin

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Coelho-Júnior, H. J., Calvani, R., Panza, F., Allegri, R. F., Picca, A., Marzetti, E., & Alves, V. P. (2022). Religiosity/Spirituality and Mental Health in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Frontiers in Medicine, 9, 877213. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.877213

 

Abstract

Objectives

The present study investigated the association between religious and spiritual (RS) practices with the prevalence, severity, and incidence of mental health problems in older adults.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that investigated older adults aged 60+ years and assessed RS using valid scales and questions from valid scales, and mental health according to validated multidimensional or specific instruments. Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, LILACS, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and AgeLine databases until July 31, 2021. The risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale (NOS). A pooled effect size was calculated based on the log odds ratio (OR) and Z-scores. This study is registered on PROSPERO.

Results

One hundred and two studies that investigated 79.918 community-dwellers, hospitalized, and institutionalized older adults were included. Results indicated that high RS was negatively associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms, while a positive association was observed with life satisfaction, meaning in life, social relations, and psychological well-being. Specifically, people with high spirituality, intrinsic religiosity, and religious affiliation had a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. In relation to longitudinal analysis, most studies supported that high RS levels were associated with a lower incidence of depressive symptoms and fear of death, as well as better mental health status.

Conclusion

Findings of the present study suggest that RS are significantly associated with mental health in older adults. People with high RS levels had a lower prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, as well as reported greater life satisfaction and psychological well-being, better social relations, and more definite meaning in life. Data provided by an increasing number of longitudinal studies have supported most of these findings.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9133607/

 

Mindfulness Reduces the Impact of Cyber-Ostracism on Adolescents

psyjdc Leave a comment

Mindfulness Reduces the Impact of Cyber-Ostracism on Adolescents

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“The current studies support the relevance of mindfulness in addressing the substantial problem of ostracism. Among other benefits, fostering mindfulness in a variety of contexts may help reduce personal and social costs associated with this type of incivility.” – Alex Ramsey

 

Humans are social animals. This is a great asset for the species as the effort of the individual is amplified by cooperation. In primitive times, this cooperation was essential for survival. But in modern times it is also essential, not for survival but rather for making a living and for the happiness of the individual. This deep need for positive social interactions heightens the pain of social rejection and ostracism. Cyber-ostracism is defined as the experience of being ignored and excluded by peers or groups on the Internet. “Ostracism, or being excluded and ignored, is a detrimental experience for the target of ostracism because it harms the target’s relational needs of belonging, self-esteem, meaningful existence, and control, along with worsening the target’s mood” (Jones et. Al. 2019).

 

Mindfulness has been found to increase prosocial behaviors such as altruism, compassion and empathy and reduce antisocial behaviors such as violence and aggression. Mindfulness affects the individual’s tendency to reject and ostracize others. There is a need to examine how mindfulness affects the effects of cyber-ostracism.

 

In today’s Research News article “Different Roles of Rumination and Mindfulness among Cyber-Ostracized Adolescents’ Psychological Well-Being.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8834701/ ) Li and colleagues recruited adolescents from the 7ty to 9th middle school grades and had them complete a questionnaire at the beginning of the spring semester and 3 months later measuring cyber-ostracism, rumination, mindfulness, and psychological well-being.

 

They found that the higher the levels of mindfulness the lower the levels of cyber-ostracism and rumination and the higher the levels of well-being and the higher the levels of cyber-ostracism the lower the levels of well-being and the higher the levels of rumination. Employing structural modelling they found that cyber-ostracism was associated with lower well-being directly and indirectly by increasing rumination which in turn decreased well-being. Mindfulness moderated both paths reducing both the direct and indirect paths between cyber-ostracism and psychological well-being.

 

Being ostracized on line damages the psychological well-being of adolescents. It hurts to be ignored and shunned, especially during the vulnerable teen years. But mindfulness can help and reduce the harm caused by the ostracism. This suggests that mindfulness practices may help adolescents weather difficulties in participating in online intercourse.

 

“Ostracism (i.e., the phenomenon of being rejected or neglected by an individual or a group) brings suffering to individuals. Mindfulness is conducive to emotional regulation and coping with stress, which may play a beneficial role in alleviating ostracism.” – Jing Chen

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Li, X., Mu, W., Wang, Y., Xie, P., Zhang, Y., & Liu, T. (2022). Different Roles of Rumination and Mindfulness among Cyber-Ostracized Adolescents’ Psychological Well-Being. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19(3), 1222. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031222

 

Abstract

Previous research has confirmed the harmful effects of cyber-ostracism on adolescents. However, research that has investigated the effect of cyber-ostracism on adolescents’ psychological well-being and the underlying mechanisms of this influence remains scarce. Using a sample of 421 Chinese adolescents, this study examined the short-term effect of cyber-ostracism on adolescents’ psychological well-being, along with the mediating effect of rumination. Mindfulness is considered as a moderator influencing this underlying mechanism. Questionnaires regarding cyber-ostracism, rumination, and mindfulness were administered at the beginning of the spring semester. Psychological well-being was assessed three months later. The study found that cyber-ostracism significantly and negatively predicted adolescents’ psychological well-being. As shown by the mediation analysis, rumination partly mediated the effect of cyber-ostracism on adolescents’ psychological well-being. Moderated mediation analysis indicated that mindfulness played a moderating role in the relationship between cyber-ostracism and adolescents’ psychological well-being as well as the relationship between cyber-ostracism and rumination. Specifically, mindfulness would decrease the negative impact of cyber-ostracism on adolescents’ psychological well-being. This study uncovers the short-term effect of cyber-ostracism on adolescents’ psychological well-being and accentuates the underlying mechanisms of this effect, which has substantial implications for interventions and practices to reduce the detrimental effects of cyber-ostracism among adolescents.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8834701/

 

Improve College Students’ Well-Being with Balanced Time Perspective and Mindfulness

psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve College Students’ Well-Being with Balanced Time Perspective and Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“a higher level of mindfulness promotes a more balanced time perspective, with a reduced focus on negative aspects of the past and negative anticipations of the future.” – Michael Rönnlund

 

Mindfulness stresses present moment awareness, minimizing focus on past memories and

future planning. But, to effectively navigate the environment it is necessary to remember past experiences and project future consequences of behavior. So, there is a need to be balanced such that the amount of attention focused on the past, present, and future is balanced. This has been termed as balance time perspective. Mindfulness helps improve balanced time perspective and improve well-being. The relationship of mindfulness and balanced time perspective with psychological well-being needs further investigation.

 

In today’s Research News article “Mindfulness and Balanced Time Perspective: Predictive Model of Psychological Well-Being and Gender Differences in College Students.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8946884/ ) Fuentes and colleagues recruited university students and had them complete measures of mindfulness, psychological well-being, and time perspective, including measures of past positive, past negative, present hedonistic, present fatalistic, and future.

 

They found that the higher the levels of mindfulness, the higher the levels of psychological well-being future, balanced time perspective and past positive time perspectives, and the lower the levels of balanced time perspective, past negative, and present fatalistic. In addition, the higher the levels of psychological well-being the higher the levels of balanced time perspective, future, and past positive time perspectives, and the lower the levels of past negative and present fatalistic. They also found that women had higher levels of past positive time perspective while men had higher levels of present hedonistic time perspective.

 

“It appears that, together, mindfulness and [balanced time perspective] promote optimal psychological functioning beyond alleviating or reducing discomfort.” – Authors conclusion. In other word when mindfulness is high and the amount of attention focused on the past, present, and future is balanced there are greater levels of psychological well-being. It remains to be seen if training in balanced time perspective will result in greater psychological health.

 

“Both mindfulness and Balanced Time Perspective (BTP) are well confirmed and robust predictors of various aspects of well-being.” – Maciej Stolarsk

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Fuentes, A., Oyanadel, C., Zimbardo, P., González-Loyola, M., Olivera-Figueroa, L. A., & Peñate, W. (2022). Mindfulness and Balanced Time Perspective: Predictive Model of Psychological Well-Being and Gender Differences in College Students. European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education, 12(3), 306–318. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe12030022

 

Abstract

Background: The aims of the study were to establish an adjustment model to analyze the relationship among mindfulness, balanced time perspective (BTP) and psychological well-being (PWB) in college students and to explore gender differences among the variables. Method: The sample consisted of 380 college students, 220 women and 160 men, uniformly distributed according to the university’s faculties. Results: The results indicate that the synergy between mindfulness and BTP predicts the variance of PWB by 55%. Regarding gender differences, it was found that women have a greater tendency towards Past Positive than men and men a higher tendency towards Present Hedonistic than women. In addition, in the group of women, a stronger relationship was found among the variables and, consequently, a greater predictive value for PWB (58%), displaying an enhanced disposition to high PWB compared to men. Conclusions: Together, mindfulness and BTP promote optimal psychological functioning and alleviate or reduce discomfort. Thus, their promotion and training in universities is especially important given the high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in college students.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8946884/

 

Improve Teacher Well-Being and Immune Function with Mindfulness

psyjdc Leave a comment

Improve Teacher Well-Being and Immune Function with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“learning and cultivating skills of mindfulness . . .can help us to promote the calm, relaxed, but enlivened classroom environment that children need to learn. Mindfulness can also help us to be more effective at reducing conflict and developing more positive ways of relating in the classroom, which can help us feel more job satisfaction.” – Patricia Jennings

 

Stress is epidemic in the workplace with almost two thirds of workers reporting high levels of stress at work. This often produces burnout; fatigue, cynicism, emotional exhaustion, and professional inefficacy. In a school setting, this burnout and exhaustion not only affects teachers personally, but also the students and schools, as it produces a loss of enthusiasm, empathy, and compassion. Hence, there is a need to identify methods of reducing stress and improving teachers’ psychological health. Mindfulness has been demonstrated to be helpful in reducing the psychological and physiological responses to stress and for treating and preventing burnout. This suggests that mindfulness would improve the psychological and physiological well-being of teachers,

 

In today’s Research News article “Fostering emotional self-regulation in female teachers at the public teaching network: A mindfulness-based intervention improving psychological measures and inflammatory biomarkers.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8881415/ ) Wilson and colleagues recruited public school teachers and provided them with either 8 weeks of mindfulness training or neuroscience education. Measurements were taken before and after training of reactivity, emotions, stress, resilience, and psychological well-being as well as blood inflammatory markers.

 

Compared to controls, the teachers who received mindfulness training had significant decreases in stress levels and negative emotions and significant increases in resilience, positive emotions and psychological well-being. Blood inflammatory markers also showed significant improvements. These results suggest that mindfulness training improves immune function, reduces stress, and increases psychological well-being in teachers.

 

This suggests that teachers should receive mindfulness training to make them better able to withstand the stresses of the job.

 

“In the last decade, many professional development programs have sprung up that use mindfulness as a key tool to alleviate teacher stress.” – Catherine Gewertz

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

This and other Contemplative Studies posts are also available on Twitter @MindfulResearch

 

Study Summary

 

Wilson, D., Rodrigues de Oliveira, D., Palace-Berl, F., de Mello Ponteciano, B., Fungaro Rissatti, L., Piassa Pollizi, V., Sardela de Miranda, F., D’Almeida, V., & Demarzo, M. (2022). Fostering emotional self-regulation in female teachers at the public teaching network: A mindfulness-based intervention improving psychological measures and inflammatory biomarkers. Brain, behavior, & immunity – health, 21, 100427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100427

 

Abstract

Objective

To examine the effect of a mindfulness-based program specifically designed for teachers in reducing perceived stress and improving the quality of experienced emotion in female active working teachers. A second outcome evaluated is the associated change in cellular inflammatory activity, measured by peripheral blood levels of cytokines.

Method

Eighty-eight female active teachers from public schools from São Paulo Municipality were recruited, and randomly allocated to an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Health Program for Educators (MBHP-Educa) or to Neuroscience for Education Program (Neuro-Educa: active control group). The venue of both programs were several public school facilities, where many of the teachers actually worked. Both groups received activities during eight weeks in a 2 ​h/week regimen, totalizing 16 ​h. Sixty-five participants completed the program and pre- and post-interventions measures were taken from the following scales: Interpersonal Multidimensional Reactivity Scale (IRI), Positive-and-Negative Affects Scale (PANAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and a primary outcome in Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale (PBWS). At pre-and post-intervention, blood samples were collected for the measurement of several important inflammatory biomarkers, Tumor Necrosis Factor – α (TNF-α), Interleukin 1β (IL-1β), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Interleukin 8 (IL-8), Interleukin 10 (IL-10) and Interleukin 12p70 (IL-12P70) through flow cytometry assay. Intervention effects were analyzed via Generalized mixed models (GLMM).

Results

According to the GLMM, MBHP-Educa significantly reduced the scores of perceived stress (p ​< ​0.0001), and negative affect (p ​< ​0.0001) compared to active control group (Neuro-Educa). Conversely, an increase was observed on Psychological Well Being Scale in dimensions of Self-acceptance (p ​< ​0.0001), and Autonomy (p ​= ​0.001), as well as improvements in Resilience (p ​< ​0.0001), and Positive Affect (p ​< ​0.0001). MBHP-Educa also promoted a reduction in the levels of IL-6 (p ​= ​0.003), IL-8 (p ​= ​0.036), and increase in the levels of IL-10 (p ​< ​0.0001) and IL-12p70 (p ​< ​0.044). TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10p70 showed results below theoretical limit of detection accepted for CBA kit.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that mindfulness-based interventions introduced as a strategy for reducing stress, promoting well-being and improve immune function can be a useful asset in promoting psychological health among teachers in Basic Education.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8881415/