Mindfulness is Associated with Greater Psychological Well-Being

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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/

 

Improve Asthma Symptoms with Mindfulness

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Improve Asthma Symptoms with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Asthma is treatable and well can be controlled.” —Cathy Freeman

 

Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs that involves a persistent inflammation of the airways. When the inflammation worsens, it makes it more difficult for air to move in and out of the lungs provoking coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. It is estimated that 300 million people worldwide and 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from asthma and the incidence appears to be growing. Asthma is not fatal and those with moderate asthma have an equivalent life expectancy to those that don’t. There is no cure for asthma. So, it is a chronic disease that must be coped with throughout the lifetime. Treatments are aimed at symptomatic relief. Most frequently drugs, anti-inflammatory hormones, and inhalers are used to help control the inflammation. Mindfulness training has been shown to improve the symptoms of Asthma.

 

In today’s Research News article “Clinically relevant effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in individuals with asthma.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9513112/ ) Higgins and colleagues recruited asthma patients and randomly assigned them to either a wait-list control condition or to receive an 8-weekly 2.5 hour sessions of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)  consisting of meditation, yoga, body scan, and group discussion. The participants were measured before, midpoint, after and every month for 6 months for asthma control, asthma severity, airway inflammation, anxiety, depression, perceived stress, symptoms and severity, and mindfulness.

 

They found that in comparison to baseline and the control group, the MBSR had significantly improved mindfulness and asthma control and significantly reduced symptom distress and airway inflammation. Hence, MBSR produced significant improvements in asthma symptoms and the patients ability to control the symptoms.

 

So, improve asthma with mindfulness.

 

“Asthma would not keep me from enjoying life.I beat asthma everyday.” —Unknown

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

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

 

Study Summary

 

Higgins ET, Davidson RJ, Busse WW, Klaus DR, Bednarek GT, Goldman RI, Sachs J, Rosenkranz MA. Clinically relevant effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in individuals with asthma. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2022 Sep 14;25:100509. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100509. PMID: 36177306; PMCID: PMC9513112.

 

Abstract

Background

Psychological distress and comorbid psychopathology contribute to exacerbation risk in patients with asthma. Thus, interventions designed to reduce stress and improve emotion regulation, such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), may augment standard care. Few studies have addressed this question and a paucity of data exists to determine the ability of MBSR to impact clinical outcomes in asthma.

Methods

This randomized controlled trial investigated effects of MBSR training on asthma control and airway inflammation, in relation to psychological symptoms, in adults with asthma. Participants were randomized to an 8-week MBSR training (n = 35) or wait-list control group (n = 34). Clinically relevant asthma assessments, including Asthma Control Questionnaire and inflammatory biomarkers, were collected at baseline and six approximately-monthly follow-ups. Self-reported mindfulness, distress, depression, and anxiety symptoms were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and study completion. Chronic stress level was determined at baseline only.

Results

Asthma control improved significantly in individuals randomized to MBSR, relative to wait-list controls (p = .01; effect size d = 0.76), which was maintained at 4mo post-intervention. 32% of MBSR participants achieved a clinically significant improvement, based on the ACQ6 Minimally Important Difference, relative to 12% of wait-list participants. Moreover, MBSR-related improvement in asthma control was associated with a reduction in distress (p = .043) and the intervention was most efficacious for those with the highest baseline depressive symptoms (p = .023). Importantly, MBSR also reduced levels of exhaled nitric oxide, a biomarker of airway inflammation, relative to wait-list controls (p < .05).

Conclusion

Supporting and extending extant evidence of mind-body relationships in asthma and the benefits of stress reduction for these patients, this is, to the best of our knowledge, the first RCT to demonstrate that training in MBSR improves clinically relevant asthma outcomes. MBSR may thus be a valuable addition to optimal asthma management, particularly for those with comorbid psychopathology.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9513112/

No Self

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May be an illustration
I asked ChatGPT “explain the buddhist idea of no self”
This is its response that is very accurate, understandable, and appropriate.
The Buddhist idea of “no self,” also known as anatta or anatman, is the concept that there is no permanent, unchanging self or soul that exists independently from the rest of the universe. Instead, Buddhism teaches that all phenomena, including individuals, are impermanent, constantly changing, and interconnected.
According to Buddhist philosophy, the concept of a fixed self or soul is a delusion that leads to suffering. The belief in a permanent self leads to attachment, clinging, and craving for things that we mistakenly think will make us happy. This attachment and clinging, in turn, lead to suffering when these things inevitably change or are taken away from us.
Buddhism teaches that our sense of self is actually a constantly changing combination of five aggregates or skandhas: form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. These aggregates are not permanent or independent but are constantly changing and influenced by various causes and conditions.
In other words, Buddhism views the self as a process rather than a thing. It is a constantly changing and evolving phenomenon that arises due to various causes and conditions. Understanding this idea of no self can help us let go of attachment and craving, leading to a more peaceful and contented state of mind.

Yoga is an Effective Adjunct Practice for Mental Illness

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Yoga is an Effective Adjunct Practice for Mental Illness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Yoga is about clearing away whatever is in us that prevents our living in the most full and whole way. With yoga, we become aware of how and where we are restricted — in body, mind, and heart — and how gradually to open and release these blockages. As these blockages are cleared, our energy is freed. We start to feel more harmonious, more at one with ourselves. Our lives begin to flow — or we begin to flow more in our lives.” – Cybele Tomlinson

 

There are vast numbers of people who suffer with mental illnesses. In the United States it has been estimated that in any given year 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness. Many are treated with drugs. But drug treatment can produce unwanted side effects, don’t work for many patients, and often can lose effectiveness over time. Mindfulness practices provide a safe alternative treatment. They have been found to be helpful with coping with these illnesses and in many cases reducing the symptoms of the diseases. Yoga practice is a mindfulness practice that includes beneficial exercise. There is accumulating research that mindfulness and yoga practices may be beneficial for patients with major mental illnesses. Hence it makes sense to step back and summarize what has been learned regarding the effectiveness of yoga practice as an adjunct therapy for mental illnesses.

 

In today’s Research News article “Integration of hatha yoga and evidence-based psychological treatments for common mental disorders: An evidence map.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9546402/ ) O’Shea and colleagues review and summarize the published research studies of the effectiveness of adding yoga practice to other evidence based therapies for mental illness. They identified 15 published research studies.

 

They report that the research used mainly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) as the evidence-based therapy. They found that either incorporating yoga practice into the therapeutic technique or adding it as an adjunct therapy produced significant improvement in anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although, there are only a small number of research studies, they suggest that yoga added to other evidence-based therapies improves the outcomes for patients with mental illnesses.

 

“The nature of yoga is to shine the light of awareness into the darkest corners of the body.” – Jason Crandell

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

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

 

Study Summary

 

O’Shea M, Capon H, Evans S, Agrawal J, Melvin G, O’Brien J, McIver S. Integration of hatha yoga and evidence-based psychological treatments for common mental disorders: An evidence map. J Clin Psychol. 2022 Sep;78(9):1671-1711. doi: 10.1002/jclp.23338. Epub 2022 Mar 21. PMID: 35315071; PMCID: PMC9546402.

 

Abstract

Background

Interest in the use of yoga to enhance engagement with and augment the benefits of psychological treatment has grown. However, a systematic approach to reviewing existing research examining the use of yoga with psychological treatment is lacking.

Materials and Methods

This mapping review identified and synthesised research trialling yoga as an integrated or adjunct therapy with evidence‐based psychological interventions for the treatment of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and eating disorders.

Results

Overall, the review identified ten published and three unpublished studies, representing either single group or small quasi‐experimental research designs.

Discussion

Limited but promising findings were shown for yoga with CBT for anxiety and depression, and the integration of yoga within intensive treatment models for PTSD.

Conclusions

Future research is encouraged to focus on controlled trials that enable examination of the component effect of yoga when applied with evidence‐based psychological treatment and acceptability and feasibility data to further knowledge regarding a role for yoga in clinical practice.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9546402/

 

Increase Hopefulness and Well-Being with Gratitude and Mindfulness

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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/

 

Reduce Dementia Caregiver Grief with Mindfulness and Compassion

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Reduce Dementia Caregiver Grief with Mindfulness and Compassion

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Grief is not as heavy as guilt, but it takes more away from you.” – Veronica Roth

 

Dementia is a progressive loss of mental function produced by degenerative diseases of the brain. Dementia patients require caregiving particularly in the later stages of the disease. Caregiving for dementia patients is a daunting intense experience that can go on for four to eight years with increasing responsibilities as the loved one deteriorates. This places tremendous psychological and financial stress on the caregiver. Hence, there is a need to care for caregivers. Mindfulness practice for caregivers has been shown to help them cope with the physical and psychological demands of caregiving.

 

In today’s Research News article “Effects of a compassion-based program on the grief experienced by caregivers of people suffering from dementia: a randomized controlled clinical trial.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  ) Jahani and colleagues recruited family caregivers of dementia patients and assigned them to either no treatment or do receive 5 weekly online sessions of mindfulness and compassion training. Before and after training the participants completed measures of grief.

 

They found that compared to baseline and the control group the participants who received mindfulness and compassion training had significantly lower levels of grief, personal sacrifice burden, heartfelt sadness and worry, worry and felt isolation, Hence, mindfulness and compassion training produced significant reductions in overall grief and all three fields of the grief experience in family caregivers of dementia patients.

 

“Many caregivers share that they often feel alone, isolated, and unappreciated. Mindfulness can offer renewed hope for finding support and value for your role as a caregiver…It is an approach that everyone can use. It can help slow you down some so you can make the best possible decisions for your care recipient. It also helps bring more balance and ease while navigating the caregiving journey.”― Nancy L. Kriseman

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

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

 

Study Summary

 

Jahani L, Abolhassani S, Babaee S, Omranifard V. Effects of a compassion-based program on the grief experienced by caregivers of people suffering from dementia: a randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Nurs. 2022 Jul 25;21(1):198. doi: 10.1186/s12912-022-00980-5. PMID: 35879751; PMCID: PMC9316726.

 

Abstract

Background

Dementia is a syndrome that reduces the cognitive and functional abilities of the brain increasing the need for care. The caregivers of these patients are mostly their family members. The great care burden causes devastating effects on the health of family caregivers and the grief experienced by these family caregivers is considerable. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of a compassion-based program on the grief experienced by caregivers of people suffering from dementia.

Method

The present study was a randomized controlled clinical trial in which 70 family caregivers of people suffering from dementia were sampled through the block method and they were divided into experimental and control groups. The data collection tools included demographic information questionnaire and grief inventory that was completed before, a week and a month after the implementation of the compassion-based program in five sessions virtually by sending offline content to the experimental group. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS 22 software using the repeated measures analysis of variance.

Results

The mean comparison of scores of the grief experienced in the experimental group between pretest and posttest and follow-up, unlike the control group, showed a significant difference (p < 0.001). The mean scores of the experimental and the control groups were significantly different in terms of experiencing mourning and all of its fields (p < 0.001). The mean comparison of post-test and follow-up showed that the effect of a compassion-based program at the follow-up stage has been mitigated.

Conclusions

According to the study results, the compassion-based program reduced the grief experienced by the family caregivers of people suffering from dementia. Nevertheless, the effect of a compassion-based program has been reduced over time. This program can be a good guide for providing society-oriented services to the health team.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9316726/

Improve Long-Covid Symptoms with Mindfulness

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Improve Long-Covid Symptoms with Mindfulness

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality.” ~Robin S. Sharma

 

Mindfulness training has been shown to improve health and well-being in healthy individuals. They have 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. Mindfulness is known to decrease the psychological and physical responses to stress  Long COVID-19 symptoms have emerged as a major problem. The evidence that mindfulness practices are effective in treating these long covid symptoms has been accumulating. So, it makes sense to summarize what has been learned.

 

In today’s Research News article “Mindfulness Meditation Interventions for Long COVID: Biobehavioral Gene Expression and Neuroimmune Functioning.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9653042/ ) Porter and Jason review and summarize the published research on the effectiveness of mindfulness practices for the treatment of long covid symptoms of Covid-19.

 

They report that the published studies found that mindfulness practices reduce fatigue, anxiety, and depression, and improve physical and mental functioning in long covid. They further postulate that these improvements may be mediated by the effect of mindfulness practices on the immunological and inflammatory systems. These include altering pro-inflammatory and immune function gene expressions.

 

So, the published studies suggest that mindfulness practices improve the mental and physical symptoms of long covid.

 

“Remember the blue sky. It may at times be obscured by clouds, but it is always there.” — Andy Puddicombe

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

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

 

Study Summary

 

Porter N, Jason LA. Mindfulness Meditation Interventions for Long COVID: Biobehavioral Gene Expression and Neuroimmune Functioning. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2022 Nov 8;18:2599-2626. doi: 10.2147/NDT.S379653. PMID: 36387947; PMCID: PMC9653042.

 

Abstract

Some individuals infected with SARS CoV-2 have developed Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC) or what has been referred to as Long COVID. Efforts are underway to find effective treatment strategies for those with Long COVID. One possible approach involves alternative medical interventions, which have been widely used to treat and manage symptoms of a variety of medical problems including post-viral infections. Meditation has been found to reduce fatigue and unrefreshing sleep, and for those with post-viral infections, it has enhanced immunity, and reduced inflammatory-driven pathogenesis. Our article summarizes the literature on what is known about mindfulness meditation interventions, and reviews evidence on how it may apply to those with Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Evidence is reviewed suggesting effective and sustainable outcomes may be achieved for symptomatology and underlying pathology of post-viral fatigue (PASC and ME/CFS).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9653042/

Mindfulness Increases Self-Forgiveness in Prisoners

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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/

 

Focused and Self-Compassion Meditation Have Different Effects on Attention, Well-Being and Classroom Performance

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Focused and Self-Compassion Meditation Have Different Effects on Attention, Well-Being and Classroom Performance

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“There is no good or bad meditation — there is simply awareness or non-awareness. To begin with, we get distracted a lot. Over time, we get distracted less. Be gentle with your approach, be patient with the mind, and be kind to yourself along the way.” -Andy Puddicombe

 

Meditation training has been shown to improve attention, health and well-being. One problem with understanding meditation effects is that there are, a wide variety of meditation techniques and it is not known which work best for affecting different psychological areas. Classically they’ve been characterized on a continuum with the degree and type of attentional focus. In focused attention meditation, the individual practices paying attention to a single meditation object. In open monitoring meditation, the individual opens up awareness to everything that’s being experienced including thoughts regardless of its origin. In Self-Compassion meditation the individual wishes the self happiness, well-being, safety, peace, and ease of well-being.

 

In today’s Research News article “The effects of short interventions of focused-attention vs. self-compassion mindfulness meditation on undergraduate students: Evidence from self-report, classroom performance, and ERPs.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9858058/  ) O’Hare and colleagues recruited undergraduate students and had different classes practice focused meditation or Self-Compassion meditation for 10 minutes per week for 10 weeks. Before and after the training the students were measured for course performance, anxiety, worry, mood, positive and negative emotions, stress, self-compassion, and empathy. They were also measured for electroencephalogram (EEG) during performance of a cognitive/attentional task.

 

They found that both meditation types produced significant reductions in worry while the focused meditation group had less interference effects during the attentional task and self-compassion meditation produced significant reductions in anxiety, perceived stress, and depression, significant increases in positive emotions and course performance, and less reaction in the EEG to negative emotional words.

 

Hence, focused meditation appears to produce better attentional control while self-compassion meditation produced improved psychological well-being and academic performance. Hence, different meditation techniques produce different benefits for college students.

 

“To know one’s own mind is nothing short of life-changing. –@Headspace

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

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

 

Study Summary

 

O’Hare AJ, Gemelli ZT. The effects of short interventions of focused-attention vs. self-compassion mindfulness meditation on undergraduate students: Evidence from self-report, classroom performance, and ERPs. PLoS One. 2023 Jan 20;18(1):e0278826. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278826. PMID: 36662726; PMCID: PMC9858058.

 

Abstract

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training has been shown to improve cognitive processing, wellbeing, and academic performance. However, mindfulness interventions that are integrated into non-mindfulness related courses have not been well-investigated. Further, the unique effects of different aspects of MBSR training are not as well understood. This paper examines the effects that are uniquely associated with focused-attention versus self-compassion mindfulness practices utilizing a multi-method approach. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded during an Emotional Flanker task, and self-report measures of wellbeing and measures of classroom performance were collected before and after training. Participants were students in two sections of the same undergraduate course and either completed 10 weeks of focused-attention practice or self-compassion practice that was built into their class sessions. Students in the focused-attention group (mean age = 22.08) had reduced interference effects on their reaction times following the training. Students in the self-compassion group (mean age = 23.91) showed altered processing of conflict on negative trials via the N2 and P3 ERP amplitudes after the training. This group also reported significant improvements in wellbeing and performed significantly better on more class tests compared to the focused-attention group. These data support the effectiveness of incorporating brief, simplified mindfulness practices in any classroom as an intervention to improve attention, wellbeing and classroom performance.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9858058/

 

Mindfulness Incorporates Psychological Flexibility Which Lessens Post-Traumatic Stress during Covid-19

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Mindfulness Incorporates Psychological Flexibility Which Lessens Post-Traumatic Stress during Covid-19

 

By John M. de Castro, Ph.D.

 

“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” ― Albert Einstein

 

Mindfulness training has been shown to be effective in improving physical and psychological health and particularly with the physical and psychological reactions to stress. Mindfulness also decreases the individual’s tendency to use tried and true solutions to problems and thereby improves cognitive and psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility includes:”(1) acceptance – openness to inner experiencing, (2) defusion – observing feelings and thoughts without attachment, (3) present moment awareness – mindful awareness of the present, (4) self-as-context – flexible self-awareness and perspective taking, (5) values – connection to personal values, (6) committed action – values-guided effective action.” It is clear that there is considerable overlap between the ideas of mindfulness and psychological flexibility. It is possible that many of the effects of mindfulness are actually due to flexibility.  So, there is a need to investigate the relative effectiveness of mindfulness and flexibility on psychological distress.

 

In today’s Research News article “Post-traumatic growth in people experiencing high post-traumatic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: The protective role of psychological flexibility.” (See summary below or view the full text of the study at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9420208/ ) Landi and colleagues examined Italian survey responses before and after a Covid-19 lockdown measuring psychological flexibility, Post-Traumatic Stress symptoms, and post-traumatic growth.

 

They found that there were significant intercorrelations between the various components of psychological flexibility. They found that for participants who were high in Post-Traumatic Stress symptoms on the pre-lockdown survey, psychological flexibility in the first survey was significantly predictive of post-traumatic growth after the lockdown. Further, for the high traumatic stress participants, psychological flexibility components of present moment awareness, defusion, values, and committed action at the first survey were significantly predictive of post-traumatic growth after the lockdown.

 

So, for flexibility and also mindfulness (present moment awareness) to be beneficial the participants need to have high stress levels to begin with. Those with low stress levels may be capable of post-traumatic growth without additional characteristics. These findings suggest that flexibility and mindfulness mitigate the effects of a Covid-19 lockdown on psychological well-being of people who are experiencing high levels of post-traumatic stress.

 

“When the whole world is entrenched in the bunker of physical and often emotional isolation, only flexibility and ingenuity can revive us to remain grounded and imbibe the bolstering sunlight piercing through the canvas of chaos. (Because the world has corona)” ― Erik Pevernagie

 

CMCS – Center for Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies

 

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

 

Study Summary

 

Landi G, Pakenham KI, Mattioli E, Crocetti E, Agostini A, Grandi S, Tossani E. Post-traumatic growth in people experiencing high post-traumatic stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: The protective role of psychological flexibility. J Contextual Behav Sci. 2022 Oct;26:44-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2022.08.008. Epub 2022 Aug 28. PMID: 36060527; PMCID: PMC9420208.

 

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic evokes high levels of post-traumatic stress (PTS) in some people as well as positive personal changes, a phenomenon known as post-traumatic growth (PTG). Experiencing an adverse event as traumatic is crucial for triggering PTG, therefore higher PTS is often associated with higher PTG. This longitudinal study examined the protective role of psychological flexibility in fostering PTG in a group of people reporting high PTS related to COVID-19 as compared to those with low PTS. We hypothesized that higher psychological flexibility will be associated with higher PTG in those with high PTS and that psychological flexibility would be unrelated to PTG in those with low PTS. Secondary data analysis was conducted on data from a larger project investigating the psychological impacts of COVID-19. Adult Italians (N = 382) completed online surveys at Time 1 (three months after the first national lockdown, July 2020) and Time 2 (three months later when the number of COVID-19 cases increased, October 2020). Based on the Impact of Event Scale–Revised cut-off score, two PTS groups were identified at Time 2: low PTS (below cut-off) and high PTS (above cut-off). As predicted, moderation analyses showed that after controlling for Time 1 PTS and PTG and confounding variables, Time 1 psychological flexibility was associated with higher Time 2 PTG in the high PTS group, whereas psychological flexibility was unrelated to PTG in the low PTS group. Four psychological flexibility sub-processes (present moment awareness, defusion, values, committed action) at Time 1 were related to higher Time 2 PTG in only the high PTS group. Findings advance understanding of the role of psychological flexibility in trauma reactions and pandemic mental health adjustment. Evidence-based approaches that target psychological flexibility, like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, are likely to foster PTG and ultimately adjustment in people with high PTS during and after the pandemic.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9420208/