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Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry Apr 2016Previous research has demonstrated that mindfulness-based programmes improve psychological functioning in a myriad of adult domains. These include health care, marketing... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Previous research has demonstrated that mindfulness-based programmes improve psychological functioning in a myriad of adult domains. These include health care, marketing and sports industries. The efficacy of mindfulness-based programmes in the adult population is well established. Indeed, compared to adult empirical literature, mindfulness programmes for adolescents are relatively developmental and less articulated until now. It may be argued that mindfulness-based programmes could and should begin early and be applicable to young people at a time that is critical in their development. Hence, this article analyses the characteristics, objectives and outcomes of mindfulness interventions for adolescents, focusing on the mindfulness programme adjustments and adaptations made to the content for this target group.
METHOD
A critique of the literature that included published articles of mindfulness-based interventions (both clinical and universal programmes) for adolescents were sourced and reviewed. Conference papers and unpublished dissertations were excluded.
RESULTS
The review indicated that a majority of these were longitudinal and feasibility studies, with only one clinical randomised controlled trial study.
CONCLUSION
Preliminary evidence for the use of mindfulness-based with adolescents continues to be nascent, with many of the studies using inappropriate or no mindfulness process measures at all. In addition, a majority of the studies did not provide specific details of the mindfulness programmes for adolescents, nor discuss what modifications were undertaken--all of which makes comparison difficult. However, with the availability of recent and age-appropriate mindfulness measures for adolescents, more rigorous and robust research looks promising.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Development; Humans; Mental Health; Mindfulness
PubMed: 25810416
DOI: 10.1177/1359104515577486 -
Journal of the American Psychiatric... 2018Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychiatric illness with limited evidenced-based treatment options. Mindfulness appears useful in many conditions, but few studies focus on... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Anorexia nervosa is a serious psychiatric illness with limited evidenced-based treatment options. Mindfulness appears useful in many conditions, but few studies focus on its use in individuals with anorexia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
To examine and summarize studies of mindfulness in individuals with anorexia nervosa and identify areas for future research.
DESIGN
An integrated review was conducted by searching health care computerized databases.
RESULTS
Results were mixed among the eight studies that met inclusion criteria. Multimodal mindfulness-based therapies appear effective, while brief interventions may be equally useful or result in greater anxiety compared to distraction. Qualitative data support that some participants feel mindfulness is challenging but beneficial.
CONCLUSION
Mindfulness as a concurrent part of therapy and/or when routinely practiced may be more clinically useful than single-episode mindful eating interventions. Due to the complexity of the concept of mindfulness and limited existing data, additional research is needed.
Topics: Anorexia Nervosa; Databases, Factual; Humans; Mindfulness
PubMed: 28569093
DOI: 10.1177/1078390317711250 -
Current Opinion in Psychology Aug 2019Research on Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) is hampered by semantic ambiguity surrounding the term 'mindfulness'. Understanding the core quality involved in such... (Review)
Review
Research on Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBI) is hampered by semantic ambiguity surrounding the term 'mindfulness'. Understanding the core quality involved in such research could be improved by adding historical depth to definitions of mindfulness, based on more detailed information on mindfulness from text-historical and doctrinal sources in the Buddhist traditions. Particular applications of mindfulness in current clinical usage could be compared to related approaches or doctrinal teachings in Buddhist traditions as part of an ongoing cross-disciplinary dialogue between academics in Buddhist studies and in psychology under the shared aim of deepening our understanding of what mindfulness involves and how it operates.
Topics: Awareness; Buddhism; History, Ancient; Humans; Mind-Body Therapies; Mindfulness
PubMed: 30359935
DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.09.013 -
Advances in Child Development and... 2020The prevalence of "mindfulness" in popular media, academia, and professional circles is difficult to miss. Newspapers, magazines, online articles, clinical programs,... (Review)
Review
The prevalence of "mindfulness" in popular media, academia, and professional circles is difficult to miss. Newspapers, magazines, online articles, clinical programs, podcasts, scholarly and professional meetings, sports organizations, and many other outlets focus on the benefits of mindfulness. Despite the intense focus on mindfulness in Western society, it is astonishing that the evidence base (i.e., documented, scholarly, peer-reviewed evaluations) for these programs is woefully inadequate. Varying definitions of what mindfulness is, what it entails, what specific benefits to psychological functioning are observed (if any), and inadequate scientific testing all contribute to a lean knowledge base. Evaluation of potential benefits of mindful practice with children is even more difficult because children are a more heterogeneous group than adults; the differing developmental levels are likely to have profound effects on the efficacy of mindfulness-based programming with children. We review these issues and provide an explanation of the strength of different kinds of evidence, with suggestions for (a) researchers who study mindfulness with children and (b) clinical professionals and educators interested in developing mindful attitudes and techniques with children.
Topics: Child; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Evidence-Based Practice; Humans; Mindfulness; Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; Program Evaluation
PubMed: 32169196
DOI: 10.1016/bs.acdb.2020.01.007 -
Translational Psychiatry Nov 2023Mindfulness-based interventions are showing increasing promise as a treatment for psychological disorders, with improvements in cognition and emotion regulation after...
Mindfulness-based interventions are showing increasing promise as a treatment for psychological disorders, with improvements in cognition and emotion regulation after intervention. Understanding the changes in functional brain activity and neural plasticity that underlie these benefits from mindfulness interventions is thus of interest in current neuroimaging research. Previous studies have found functional brain changes during resting and task states to be associated with mindfulness both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, particularly in the executive control, default mode and salience networks. However, limited research has combined information from rest and task to study mindfulness-related functional changes in the brain, particularly in the context of intervention studies with active controls. Recent work has found that the reconfiguration efficiency of brain activity patterns between rest and task states is behaviorally relevant in healthy young adults. Thus, we applied this measure to investigate how mindfulness intervention changed functional reconfiguration between rest and a breath-counting task in elderly participants with self-reported sleep difficulties. Improving on previous longitudinal designs, we compared the intervention effects of a mindfulness-based therapy to an active control (sleep hygiene) intervention. We found that mindfulness intervention improved self-reported mindfulness measures and brain functional reconfiguration efficiency in the executive control, default mode and salience networks, though the brain and behavioral changes were not associated with each other. Our findings suggest that neuroplasticity may be induced through regular mindfulness practice, thus bringing the intrinsic functional configuration in participants' brains closer to a state required for mindful awareness.
Topics: Young Adult; Humans; Aged; Mindfulness; Brain; Cognition; Executive Function; Brain Mapping; Magnetic Resonance Imaging
PubMed: 37951943
DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02642-9 -
Advances in Experimental Medicine and... 2023Higher education's expectations place demands on students' attainment, leading them to experience stress and anxiety, which negatively affect their academic improvement...
Higher education's expectations place demands on students' attainment, leading them to experience stress and anxiety, which negatively affect their academic improvement and life satisfaction. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate (a) if mindfulness as an inner ability is related to academic attainment, through dependent variables, including compassion, engagement, stress or anxiety state, depression, self-efficacy, mindfulness's facets (non-reactivity, acting with awareness) and (b) if mindfulness-based interventions positively affect the academic performance of college and university students. The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA statement. PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Wiley were screened to identify studies published relevant to the topic. In total, 568 papers were retrieved in the initial search. Five papers met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review: a randomized controlled trial, a non-randomized controlled trial, a quasi-experimental study, a quantitative exploratory pilot study, and a longitudinal randomized controlled study. Most interventional studies revealed a non-significant direct effect of practicing mindfulness technique on academic attainment. Further research, especially randomized controlled trials are necessary to clarify the effect of mindfulness on academic performance of college and university students.
Topics: Humans; Academic Performance; Depression; Mindfulness; Pilot Projects; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Stress, Psychological; Students; Universities
PubMed: 37581795
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-31986-0_20 -
Clinical Psychology Review Jun 2022Acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies have shown efficacy in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Arguably, acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies target... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies have shown efficacy in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Arguably, acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies target core processes in anxiety and depression by increasing mindful attention, decentering, and acceptance. The present study identified randomized controlled trials of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies for anxiety and depression. Specifically, we aimed to synthesize the indirect effect of the three putative mediators (i.e., mindful attention, decentering, acceptance) on anxiety and depression. Electronic searches yielded 4989 unique records, which were screened for eligibility by two independent raters, resulting in the identification of 33 eligible studies (30 independent trials). The overall pooled mediating effect of mindful attention, decentering, and acceptance was small to medium (r = 0.145, p < .001). Type of mediation analysis emerged as the only statistically significant moderator. Specifically, studies using correlation-based mediation approaches showed statistically significant mediating effects, while studies using causal time-lag analyses did not yield statistically significant mediating effects. Mediator specificity could not be established. In conclusion, putative mediators of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies mediated treatment effects on anxiety and depression. Limitations in study number, designs, and statistical approaches employed restrict conclusions regarding specificity and causality.
Topics: Anxiety; Anxiety Disorders; Attention; Depression; Humans; Mindfulness
PubMed: 35483275
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102156 -
Zeitschrift Fur Kinder- Und... Sep 2022Mindful Parenting: Mindfulness in the Parent-Child Relationship Parental self-regulation is vitally important for parent-child interaction and child development.... (Review)
Review
Mindful Parenting: Mindfulness in the Parent-Child Relationship Parental self-regulation is vitally important for parent-child interaction and child development. Mindfulness-based interventions generally aim at improving self-regulation by positively influencing neurocognitive functioning. The recent conceptualization of "mindful parenting" focuses on mindfulness aspects in parent-child relationships. Mindfulness-based interventions specifically for parents were recently developed and tested, especially in clinical settings. The results suggest positive effects of such programs for parents and children. For now, their nature remains preliminary, but they encourage future research.
Topics: Humans; Mindfulness; Parent-Child Relations; Parenting; Parents
PubMed: 35187975
DOI: 10.1024/1422-4917/a000853 -
The International Journal of Clinical... 2020Initially inspired by Buddhist philosophy and practice, mindfulness has become ubiquitous in psychotherapy, counseling, and popular psychology. Several mindfulness...
Initially inspired by Buddhist philosophy and practice, mindfulness has become ubiquitous in psychotherapy, counseling, and popular psychology. Several mindfulness interventions have been developed and investigated, many of them attaining strong empirical support for a variety of conditions. However, the authors argue that mindfulness interventions should not be used uncritically and indiscriminately, because, for instance, there is not enough efficacy evidence for all the uses and applications of mindfulness (e.g., mobile apps). Second, following the definition of the concept, the authors argue that detachment may decrease motivational relevance in the face of personal goals and may encourage low intensity affect in cases where this would not be either needed or desirable. On the other hand, they argue that mindfulness-based interventions can be particularly useful treating chronic and severe cases, particularly in depression, pain conditions, and addictions.
Topics: Emotions; Humans; Mindfulness; Motivation; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32223614
DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2020.1720514 -
L'Encephale Feb 2018Mindfulness based interventions (MBI) have recently gained much interest in western medicine. MBSR paradigm is based on teaching participants to pay complete attention... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
Mindfulness based interventions (MBI) have recently gained much interest in western medicine. MBSR paradigm is based on teaching participants to pay complete attention to the present experience and act nonjudgmentally towards stressful events. During this mental practice the meditator focuses his or her attention on the sensations of the body. While the distractions (mental images, thoughts, emotional or somatic states) arise the participant is taught to acknowledge discursive thoughts and cultivate the state of awareness without immediate reaction. The effectiveness of these programs is well documented in the field of emotional response regulation in depression (relapse prevention), anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder or eating disorders. Furthermore, converging lines of evidence support the hypothesis that mindfulness practice improves cognition, especially the ability to sustain attention and think in a more flexible manner. Nevertheless, formal rehabilitation programs targeting cognitive disturbances resulting from psychiatric (depression, disorder bipolar, schizophrenia) or neurologic conditions (brain injury, dementia) seldom rely on MBI principles. This review of literature aims at discussing possible links between MBI and clinical neuropsychology.
METHODS
We conducted a review of literature using electronic databases up to December 2016, screening studies with variants of the keywords ("Mindfulness", "MBI", "MBSR", "Meditation") OR/AND ("Cognition", "Attention", "Executive function", "Memory", "Learning") RESULTS: In the first part, we describe key concepts of the neuropsychology of attention in the light of Posner's model of attention control. We also underline the potential scope of different therapeutic contexts where disturbances of attention may be clinically relevant. Second, we review the efficacy of MBI in the field of cognition (thinking disturbances, attention biases, memory and executive processes impairment or low metacognitive abilities), mood (emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, mood shifts) and somatic preoccupations (stress induced immune dysregulation, chronic pain, body representation, eating disorders, sleep quality, fatigue). In psychiatry, these three components closely coexist and interact which explains the complexity of patient assessment and care. Numerous studies show that meditation inspired interventions offer a promising solution in the prevention and rehabilitation of cognitive impairment. In the last part, we discuss the benefits and risks of integrating meditation practice into broader programs of cognitive remediation and therapeutic education in patients suffering from cognitive disorders. We propose a number of possible guidelines for developing mindfulness inspired cognitive remediation tools. Along with Jon Kabatt Zinn (Kabatt-Zinn & Maskens, 2012), we suggest that the construction of neuropsychological tools relies on seven attitudinal foundations of mindfulness practice.
CONCLUSIONS
This paper highlights the importance of referring to holistic approaches such as MBI when dealing with patients with neuropsychological impairment, especially in the field of psychiatry. We advocate introducing mindfulness principles in order to help patients stabilize their attention and improve cognitive flexibility. We believe this transition in neuropsychological care may offer an interesting paradigm shift promoting a more efficient approach towards cognition and its links to emotion, body, and environment.
Topics: Cognitive Remediation; Humans; Mental Disorders; Mindfulness; Recurrence
PubMed: 28483271
DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2017.03.006