BACKGROUND:"Mindfulness-based" interventions show promise for stress reduction in general medical conditions, and initial evidence suggests that they are accepted in trauma-exposed individuals. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) shows substantial efficacy for prevention of depression relapse, but it has been less studied in anxiety disorders. This study investigated the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical outcomes of an MBCT group intervention adapted for combat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
METHODS:
Consecutive patients seeking treatment for chronic PTSD at a VA outpatient clinic were enrolled in 8-week MBCT groups, modified for PTSD (four groups, n = 20) or brief treatment-as-usual (TAU) comparison group interventions (three groups, n = 17). Pre and posttherapy psychological assessments with clinician administered PTSD scale (CAPS) were performed with all patients, and self-report measures (PTSD diagnostic scale, PDS, and posttraumatic cognitions inventory, PTCI) were administered in the MBCT group.
RESULTS:
Intent to treat analyses showed significant improvement in PTSD (CAPS (t(19) = 4.8, P < .001)) in the MBCT condition but not the TAU conditions, and a significant Condition × Time interaction (F[1,35] = 16.4, P < .005). MBCT completers (n = 15, 75%) showed good compliance with assigned homework exercises, and significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PTSD symptom severity on posttreatment assessment in CAPS and PDS (particularly in avoidance/numbing symptoms), and reduced PTSD-relevant cognitions in PTCI (self blame).
CONCLUSIONS:
These data suggest group MBCT as an acceptable brief intervention/adjunctive therapy for combat PTSD, with potential for reducing avoidance symptom cluster and PTSD cognitions. Further studies are needed to examine efficacy in a randomized controlled design and to identify factors influencing acceptability and efficacy.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a structured, 8-week, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on perceived stress, mood, endocrine function, immunity, and functional health outcomes in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).DESIGN: This study used a quasiexperimental, nonrandomized design.
METHODS: Subjects were specifically recruited (nonrandom) for intervention (MBSR) or comparison group. Data were collected at pretest and post-test in the MBSR group and at matched times in the comparison group. t Tests where performed to determine within-group changes and between-group differences.
RESULTS: Natural killer cell activity and number increased significantly in the MBSR group compared to the comparison group. No significant changes or differences were found for psychological, endocrine, or functional health variables.
CONCLUSIONS: These results provide tentative evidence that MBSR may assist in improving immunity in individuals infected with HIV.
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a structured, 8-week, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on perceived stress, mood, endocrine function, immunity, and functional health outcomes in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).DESIGN: This study used a quasiexperimental, nonrandomized design.
METHODS: Subjects were specifically recruited (nonrandom) for intervention (MBSR) or comparison group. Data were collected at pretest and post-test in the MBSR group and at matched times in the comparison group. t Tests where performed to determine within-group changes and between-group differences.
RESULTS: Natural killer cell activity and number increased significantly in the MBSR group compared to the comparison group. No significant changes or differences were found for psychological, endocrine, or functional health variables.
CONCLUSIONS: These results provide tentative evidence that MBSR may assist in improving immunity in individuals infected with HIV.
<p>A non-random study looking at the effects of a six week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on immunity, the endocrine system, stress, mood, and functional health of individuals with HIV. Natural killer cell activity increased significantly in the MBSR group, while there was no such gain in a comparison group. No significant effects on endocrine, psychological, or health function variables in the MBSR group. The results indicate that MBSR may strengthen the immune system of individuals with HIV, though the authors note that this is a non-randomized study with a small number of participants. (Zach Rowinski 2005-03-03)</p>
INTRODUCTION: Interest in the application of yoga for health benefits in western medicine is growing rapidly, with a significant rise in publications. The purpose of this systematic review is to determine whether the inclusion of yoga therapy to the treatment of breast cancer can improve the patient's physical and psychosocial quality of life (QoL). METHODS: A search of peer reviewed journal articles published between January 2009 and July 2014 was conducted. Studies were included if they had more than 15 study participants, included interventions such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or yoga therapy with or without comparison groups and had stated physical or psychological outcomes. RESULTS: Screening identified 38 appropriate articles. The most reported psychosocial benefits of yoga therapy were anxiety, emotional and social functioning, stress, depression and global QoL. The most reported physical benefits of yoga therapy were improved salivary cortisol readings, sleep quality and lymphocyte apoptosis. Benefits in these areas were linked strongly with the yoga interventions, in addition to significant improvement in overall QoL. CONCLUSION: The evidence supports the use of yoga therapy to improve the physical and psychosocial QoL for breast cancer patients with a range of benefits relevant to radiation therapy. Future studies are recommended to confirm these benefits. Evidence-based recommendations for implementation of a yoga therapy programme have been derived and included within this review. Long-term follow-up is necessary with these programmes to assess the efficacy of the yoga intervention in terms of sustainability and patient outcomes.
This text on the social and emotional development of gifted children includes the following 24 papers: (1) "Effects of Acceleration on Gifted Learners" (Karen Rogers); (2) "Peer Pressures and Social Acceptance of Gifted Students" (Sylvia Rimm); (3) "Social and Emotional Issues for Exceptional Intellectually Gifted Students" (Miraca Gross); (4) "Asynchronous Development" (Linda Silverman); (5) "Affect Regulation and the Gifted" (Margaret Keiley); (6) "The Application of Dabrowski's Theory to the Gifted" (Kevin O'Connor); (7) "Individual Differences in Gifted Students' Attributions for Academic Performances" (Nancy Robinson); (8) "Perfectionism in Gifted Children and Adolescents" (Patricia Schuler); (9) "Underachievement in Gifted Students" (Sally Reis and D. Betsy McCoach); (10)"Gifted Children and Depression" (Maureen Neihart); (11) "Delinquency and Gifted Children" (Maureen Neihart); (12) "Risk and Resilience in Gifted Children: A Conceptual Framework" (Maureen Neihart);(13) "Gifted Females in Elementary and Secondary School" (Sally Reis); (14) "Gifted Males" (Thomas Hebert); (15) "Gifted Students Who Are Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual" (Sanford Cohn); (16) "Racial Identity among Gifted African American Students" (Donna Ford); (17) "Creatively Gifted Children" (Maureen Neihart and F. Richard Olenchak); (18) "Gifted Students with Learning Disabilities" (F. Richard Olenchak and Sally Reis); (19) "Gifted Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder" (Sidney Moon); (20) "Parenting Practices That Promote Talent Development, Creativity, and Optimal Adjustment" (Paula Olszewski-Kubilius); (21) "Counseling Needs and Strategies" (Sidney Moon); (22) "Career Counseling for Gifted and Talented Students" (Meredith Greene); (23) "Promoting a Positive Achievement Attitude with Gifted and Talented Students" (Del Siegle and D. Betsy McCoach); and (24) "Models and Strategies for Counseling, Guidance, and Social and Emotional Support of Gifted and Talented Students" (Sally Reis and Sidney Moon). A final chapter by the book's editors is "Social and Emotional Issues: What Have We Learned and What Should We Do Now?" (Individual chapters contain references.) (DB)
Professional development intended to change teachers' teaching practices is often unsuccessful. This article explores a case set in a developing country. Although some researchers have attributed failure to factors that are external to the teacher educators involved, this study explores the role that teacher educators themselves may play in instances of limited success. The first author used self-study to explore how his framing of his facilitation role created a defensive rather than an open-to-learning professional development experience. Through engagement with the literature of Argyris and Schon, he began to realise how, despite his best intentions, his actions communicated a persuasive and controlling sub-text. This article documents how, with commentary from the second author, he learned to learn from his mistakes in order to act more consistently with the collaborative values he espoused. His double-loop learning enabled him to understand teachers' reluctance to change and to experiment with teachers in the use of more child-centred pedagogy. The article suggests how teacher educators could become more aware of their theories of action and of the implications for fostering the learning of teachers within developing countries.
Little daily hassles can add up to big, big stress.Whether you're stuck in traffic, hauling your kids out the front door in the morning, dealing with a demanding boss, or worrying about money, it's easy to become overwhelmed. Stress is a normal part of daily life; but over time, chronic stress can take its toll on both your mental and physical health, leading to everything from anxiety and depression to weight gain and disease. So how can you move past the little hassles that get in the way of fully enjoying life?
In This Moment will show you how to find a sense of calm and serenity using a breakthrough, evidence-based program grounded in mindfulness and neuroscience. Imagine feeling stressed, and being able to work through it by paying attention to your thoughts and feelings, moment by moment, no matter where you are or what you're doing. It's not as difficult as it sounds!
Written by cofounder of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) Kirk Strosahl and pioneering behavioral health researcher Patricia Robinson, the mindfulness exercises in this book will help you strengthen the parts of your brain that support vitality and a sense of being fully present in the here and now. And with a little practice, you will learn to combat stress in healthy ways, stay balanced, and live a happier life, no matter what challenges arise.
Seven selected hypertensive patients were stabilized on drugs at a research clinic. Subjects learned transcendental meditation (T.M.), were seen weekly, and took their own blood pressure several times daily. After 12 weeks of T.M. six subjects showed psychological changes and reduced anxiety scores. Six subjects also showed significant reductions in home and four in clinic blood-pressures. Six months later four subjects continued to derive psychological benefit and two showed significant blood-pressure reductions attributable to T.M. at home and clinic.
Mindfulness and meditation (MM) are increasingly used in trauma treatment, yet there is little research about therapist qualifications and clinical applications of these practices. We surveyed trauma therapists (N = 116) about their clinical uses, training, and personal practice of MM. Most respondents reported use of MM in trauma therapy, primarily MM-related imagery and breathing exercises and mindfulness in session or daily life. Almost a third used mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or mindfulness-based relapse prevention. Across all respondents, 66 % were trained by a mental health (MH) professional, 16 % were trained exclusively by a spiritual teacher, and 18 % received no training. On average, therapists used four types of MM. Less than half maintained a personal meditation practice and only 9 % reported practicing daily meditation. Therapists who were trained by a MH professional were more likely to integrate MM into trauma psychotherapy; those who were trained by a spiritual teacher were more likely to teach clients to use MM between sessions and reported more personal practice of MM. Results indicate divergence from standard recommendations for therapist personal practice and professional training in manualized uses; however, there is little guidance about requisite training and personal practice to support individualized uses of MM such as breathing exercises and imagery. Further research should address relationships of therapist training and personal practice to clinical outcomes in MM-informed trauma therapy.
Mindfulness and meditation (MM) are increasingly used in trauma treatment, yet there is little research about therapist qualifications and clinical applications of these practices. We surveyed trauma therapists (N = 116) about their clinical uses, training, and personal practice of MM. Most respondents reported use of MM in trauma therapy, primarily MM-related imagery and breathing exercises and mindfulness in session or daily life. Almost a third used mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or mindfulness-based relapse prevention. Across all respondents, 66 % were trained by a mental health (MH) professional, 16 % were trained exclusively by a spiritual teacher, and 18 % received no training. On average, therapists used four types of MM. Less than half maintained a personal meditation practice and only 9 % reported practicing daily meditation. Therapists who were trained by a MH professional were more likely to integrate MM into trauma psychotherapy; those who were trained by a spiritual teacher were more likely to teach clients to use MM between sessions and reported more personal practice of MM. Results indicate divergence from standard recommendations for therapist personal practice and professional training in manualized uses; however, there is little guidance about requisite training and personal practice to support individualized uses of MM such as breathing exercises and imagery. Further research should address relationships of therapist training and personal practice to clinical outcomes in MM-informed trauma therapy.
Mindfulness and meditation (MM) are increasingly used in trauma treatment, yet there is little research about therapist qualifications and clinical applications of these practices. We surveyed trauma therapists (N = 116) about their clinical uses, training, and personal practice of MM. Most respondents reported use of MM in trauma therapy, primarily MM-related imagery and breathing exercises and mindfulness in session or daily life. Almost a third used mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or mindfulness-based relapse prevention. Across all respondents, 66 % were trained by a mental health (MH) professional, 16 % were trained exclusively by a spiritual teacher, and 18 % received no training. On average, therapists used four types of MM. Less than half maintained a personal meditation practice and only 9 % reported practicing daily meditation. Therapists who were trained by a MH professional were more likely to integrate MM into trauma psychotherapy; those who were trained by a spiritual teacher were more likely to teach clients to use MM between sessions and reported more personal practice of MM. Results indicate divergence from standard recommendations for therapist personal practice and professional training in manualized uses; however, there is little guidance about requisite training and personal practice to support individualized uses of MM such as breathing exercises and imagery. Further research should address relationships of therapist training and personal practice to clinical outcomes in MM-informed trauma therapy.
This brief practitioner's guide describes simple and practical strategies for assessing and treating depression using techniques adapted to the fast pace of primary care. The book shows how these strategies may be implemented by physicians alone or in coordination with an on-site mental health provider.The integrated-care program focuses on selecting appropriate medication and behavioral interventions for patients, involving him or her as a partner to treatment. This personal involvement dramatically increases patient treatment compliance. Regular monitoring of progress and formulation of a strong relapse prevention plan rounds out the approach. The book contains necessary clinical forms, excellent patient education materials, and specific protocols for communicating with managed care reviewers.
The efficacy of meditation-relaxation techniques has been widely researched in the laboratory, but their effectiveness for management of stress in organizational settings is still relatively unexplored. The present study compared relaxation and control conditions as part of a program of stress-reduction in industry. A total of 154 New York Telephone employees self-selected for stress learned one of three techniques--clinically standardized meditation (CSM), respiratory one method meditation (ROM) or progressive relaxation (PMR)--or served as waiting list controls. At 5.5 months, the treatment groups showed clinical improvement in self-reported symptoms of stress, but only the meditation groups (not the PMR group) showed significantly more symptom reduction than the controls. The meditation groups had a 78% compliance rate at 5.5 months with treatment effect seen whether subjects practiced their techniques frequently or occasionally. The safe and inexpensive semi-automated meditation training has considerable value for stress-management programs in organizational settings.
Pages |