The word biofield is a term that Western scientists have used to describe various aspects of energy and information fields that guide health processes. Similar concepts and descriptions of energy and information patterns exist in various cultures and have guided whole systems of medicine such as Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine. This article describes Vedic, Jain, and Tibetan philosophical and medical systems' concepts of consciousness and subtle energy and their relationships to health processes in order to foster deeper crosscultural dialogue on the nature of the biofield. Similarities and differences within the 3 traditions are noted, and suggestions for considering these concepts to extend current biofield research are discussed.
Objective
The objective of this study was to assess patient interest in intensive meditation training for chronic symptoms.
Design and setting
This was a cross-sectional anonymous survey among six chronic disease clinics in Baltimore including Chronic Kidney Disease, Crohn's Disease, Headache, Renal Transplant Recipients, General Rheumatology, and lupus clinic.
Subjects
Subjects were 1119 consecutive patients registering for their appointments at these clinics.
Outcome measures
Outcome measures were 6-month pain, global symptomatology, four-item perceived stress scale, use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, and attitudes toward use of meditation for managing symptoms. We then gave a scripted description of an intensive, 10-day meditation training retreat. Patient interest in attending such a retreat was assessed.
Results
Seventy-seven percent (77%) of patients approached completed the survey. Fifty-three percent (53%) of patients reported moderate to severe pain over the past 6 months. Eighty percent (80%) reported use of some CAM therapy in the past. Thirty-five percent (35%) thought that learning meditation would improve their health, and 49% thought it would reduce stress. Overall, 39% reported interest in attending the intensive 10-day meditation retreat. Among those reporting moderate to severe pain or stress, the percentages were higher (48% and 59%). In a univariate analysis, higher education, nonworking/disabled status, female gender, higher stress, higher pain, higher symptomatology, and any CAM use were all associated with a greater odds of being moderately to very interested in an intensive 10-day meditation retreat. A multivariate model that included prior use of CAM therapies as predictors of interest in the program fit the data significantly better than a model not including CAM therapies (p = 0.0013).
Conclusions
Over 50% of patients followed in chronic disease clinics complain of moderate to severe pain. Patients with persistent pain or stress are more likely to be interested in intensive meditation.
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"This book provides a framework for readers to begin their own implementation It gives them an understanding of the current research on SEL and systems change and contains links to other resources to continue the process. It also provides questions to prompt reflection for change agents and their teams to consider during implementation. Finally, it provides the reader with real-world experiences. School teams can use the information to design professional development and track their progress. Tools to collect evidence of the decision-making process that schools have made during implementation will be integrated throughout the book"--
"This book provides a framework for readers to begin their own implementation It gives them an understanding of the current research on SEL and systems change and contains links to other resources to continue the process. It also provides questions to prompt reflection for change agents and their teams to consider during implementation. Finally, it provides the reader with real-world experiences. School teams can use the information to design professional development and track their progress. Tools to collect evidence of the decision-making process that schools have made during implementation will be integrated throughout the book"--
In the ancient contemplative practice known as lectio divina, sacred texts were read slowly and carefully while listeners attended to the sounds of the performance. Rather than reading analytically for specific interpretations, participants in this mindful listening practice observed the sensory experience of sounds, allowing meanings to emerge in the mind of their own accord. Many mindfulness- and acceptance-based psychological interventions make use of similar poetry listening practices. This study examined state mindfulness among undergraduate students when listening to series of brief poetic texts. Several participant characteristics, including facets of dispositional mindfulness, psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and compassion for others, were examined as potential predictors of both state mindfulness during the practice and the perceived value of mindful listening. The “observing” facet of dispositional mindfulness significantly predicted both the “decentering” and “curiosity” dimensions of state mindfulness. Qualitative analyses revealed participants’ perspectives concerning their engagement in the experiential practice.
The exposure of children to violence at school is a major concern for educators everywhere and a frequent topic of discussion in the media. This timely text, written by experts in research, practice and training in the field, proposes a whole school approach to reduce the impact of violence on children's development, underpinned by recent research findings. The
The exposure of children to violence at school is a major concern for educators everywhere and a frequent topic of discussion in the media. This timely text, written by experts in research, practice and training in the field, proposes a whole school approach to reduce the impact of violence on children's development, underpinned by recent research findings. The
Those with high baseline stress levels are more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). While meditation may reduce stress and alter the hippocampus and default mode network (DMN), little is known about its impact in these populations. Our objective was to conduct a "proof of concept" trial to determine whether Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) would improve DMN connectivity and reduce hippocampal atrophy among adults with MCI. 14 adults with MCI were randomized to MBSR vs. usual care and underwent resting state fMRI at baseline and follow-up. Seed based functional connectivity was applied using posterior cingulate cortex as seed. Brain morphometry analyses were performed using FreeSurfer. The results showed that after the intervention, MBSR participants had increased functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and bilateral medial prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus compared to controls. In addition, MBSR participants had trends of less bilateral hippocampal volume atrophy than control participants. These preliminary results indicate that in adults with MCI, MBSR may have a positive impact on the regions of the brain most related to MCI and AD. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer-follow-up are needed to further investigate the results from this pilot study.
Those with high baseline stress levels are more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). While meditation may reduce stress and alter the hippocampus and default mode network (DMN), little is known about its impact in these populations. Our objective was to conduct a “proof of concept” trial to determine whether Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) would improve DMN connectivity and reduce hippocampal atrophy among adults with MCI. 14 adults with MCI were randomized to MBSR vs. usual care and underwent resting state fMRI at baseline and follow-up. Seed based functional connectivity was applied using posterior cingulate cortex as seed. Brain morphometry analyses were performed using FreeSurfer. The results showed that after the intervention, MBSR participants had increased functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and bilateral medial prefrontal cortex and left hippocampus compared to controls. In addition, MBSR participants had trends of less bilateral hippocampal volume atrophy than control participants. These preliminary results indicate that in adults with MCI, MBSR may have a positive impact on the regions of the brain most related to MCI and AD. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer-follow-up are needed to further investigate the results from this pilot study.
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IMPORTANCE:Many people meditate to reduce psychological stress and stress-related health problems. To counsel people appropriately, clinicians need to know what the evidence says about the health benefits of meditation.
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the efficacy of meditation programs in improving stress-related outcomes (anxiety, depression, stress/distress, positive mood, mental health-related quality of life, attention, substance use, eating habits, sleep, pain, and weight) in diverse adult clinical populations.
EVIDENCE REVIEW:
We identified randomized clinical trials with active controls for placebo effects through November 2012 from MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, PsycArticles, Scopus, CINAHL, AMED, the Cochrane Library, and hand searches. Two independent reviewers screened citations and extracted data. We graded the strength of evidence using 4 domains (risk of bias, precision, directness, and consistency) and determined the magnitude and direction of effect by calculating the relative difference between groups in change from baseline. When possible, we conducted meta-analyses using standardized mean differences to obtain aggregate estimates of effect size with 95% confidence intervals.
FINDINGS:
After reviewing 18 753 citations, we included 47 trials with 3515 participants. Mindfulness meditation programs had moderate evidence of improved anxiety (effect size, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.12-0.64] at 8 weeks and 0.22 [0.02-0.43] at 3-6 months), depression (0.30 [0.00-0.59] at 8 weeks and 0.23 [0.05-0.42] at 3-6 months), and pain (0.33 [0.03- 0.62]) and low evidence of improved stress/distress and mental health-related quality of life. We found low evidence of no effect or insufficient evidence of any effect of meditation programs on positive mood, attention, substance use, eating habits, sleep, and weight. We found no evidence that meditation programs were better than any active treatment (ie, drugs, exercise, and other behavioral therapies).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:
Clinicians should be aware that meditation programs can result in small to moderate reductions of multiple negative dimensions of psychological stress. Thus, clinicians should be prepared to talk with their patients about the role that a meditation program could have in addressing psychological stress. Stronger study designs are needed to determine the effects of meditation programs in improving the positive dimensions of mental health and stress-related behavior.
Growing numbers of students in college or graduate school experience high stress, resulting in adverse emotional, academic, and health outcomes. A variety of stress reduction interventions have been used with students, but their effectiveness has not been systematically examined. We used meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of stress reduction interventions for undergraduate and graduate students. Studies (k = 43) that used an appropriate control group and assessed distress before and after intervention were aggregated using a random-effects model. Most studies were conducted in the United States; others were from Asia, Europe, and Australia. Standardized mean gain difference effect sizes were calculated for anxiety and perceived stress for six intervention techniques. Moderators examined included student type (undergraduate and graduate) and duration of intervention. Results indicate that most interventions are effective in decreasing both outcomes in students. Cognitive–behavioral therapy, coping skills, and social support interventions were more effective in reducing perceived stress, whereas relaxation training, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and psychoeducation were more effective in reducing anxiety. Graduate students experienced greater reduction in anxiety than did undergraduates for relaxation training and psychoeducation interventions. Participants in both long- and short-term interventions showed significant reduction in anxiety and perceived stress relative to control groups, but for relaxation training, long-term interventions were more effective in reducing anxiety than were short-term interventions. Although all six techniques were effective in reducing at least one of the stress-related outcomes, the few differences in effectiveness suggest there is value in tailoring interventions toward the particular group and outcome being targeted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)
Metacognition is one of the buzz words in educational psychology, but it is not always clear what is meant by metacognition. Metacognition refers to higher order thinking that involves active control over the cognitive processes engaged in learning. Because metacognition plays a critical role in successful learning, it is important to study metacognitive activity and development to determine how students can be taught to apply their cognitive resources through metacognitive control. The term "metacognition" is most often associated with John Flavell (1979), who proposed that metacognition consists of both metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive experiences or regulation. Flavell further divides metacognitive knowledge into knowledge of person variables, task variables, and strategy variables. Most definitions of metacognition include both knowledge and strategy components. Most individuals of normal intelligence engage in metacognitive regulation when confronted with an effortful cognitive task, but some are more metacognitive than others. The most effective approaches to metacognitive instruction involve providing the learner with both knowledge of cognitive processes and strategies and experience or practice in using both cognitive and metacognitive strategies. The study of metacognition has important implications for instructional intervention. (Contains 16 references.) (SLD)
Residual depressive symptoms are associated with increased risk for relapse and impaired functioning. Although there is no definitive treatment for residual depressive symptoms, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy has been shown to be effective, but access is limited. Mindful Mood Balance (MMB), a Web-based adaptation of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, was designed to address this care gap. In this case study, we describe a composite case that is representative of the course of intervention with MMB and its implementation in a large integrated delivery system. Specifically, we describe the content of each of eight weekly sessions, and the self-management skills developed by participating in this program. MMB may be a cost-effective and scalable option in primary care for increasing access to treatments for patients with residual depressive symptoms.
In this chapter, we begin to explore the wealth of research and theory on the implications of mindfulness for emotional experience by examining a variety of models of mindfulness and how they inform mindful emotion regulation. Then, we provide an empirical overview of the role of mindfulness in general emotional states, emotional reactions to stimuli and events, and emotions over time. Within this overview, we provide evidence for several distinct avenues through which mindfulness benefits emotion regulation, including increased willingness to experience negative emotions, reduced reactivity to emotional stimuli and situations, a decentered perspective, and increased emotional stability; we also highlight some research which suggests the neurological underpinnings of mindful emotion regulation. Finally, we link the impact of mindfulness on emotion regulation to behavioral change. Specifically, by highlighting research on smoking, alcohol use, and other addictive behaviors, we demonstrate that emotion regulation serves as a key mechanism in the relationship between mindfulness and some domains of behavioral regulation.
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Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Anxious Children offers a complete professional treatment program designed to help children ages nine through twelve who struggle with anxiety. This twelve-session protocol can be used to treat anxious children in group or individual therapy. The poems, stories, session summaries, and home practice activities on the enclosed CD-ROM supplement child therapy sessions and parent meetings to illuminate mindful awareness concepts and practices. In twelve simple sessions, children will learn new ways to relate to anxious thoughts and feelings and develop the ability to respond to life events with greater awareness and confidence.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and helpfulness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children (MBCT-C) for the treatment of internalizing and externalizing symptoms in a sample of nonreferred children. Twenty-five children, ages 9 to 12, participated in the 12-week intervention. Assessments were conducted at baseline and posttreatment. Open trial analyses found preliminary support for MBCT-C as helpful in reducing internalizing and externalizing symptoms within subjects on the parent report measure. The high attendance rate (Intent-to-Treat sample, 78%; Completer sample, 94%), high retention rate (68%), and positive ratings on program evaluations supported treatment feasibility and acceptability. Overall, this pilot study offers feasibility and acceptability data for MBCT-C as a potential treatment for internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children. Further research is needed to test the efficacy of the intervention with a larger sample of children who meet diagnostic criteria for clinical disorders.
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We aimed to evaluate whether mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) was feasible and acceptable for young people, their parents and the clinicians working with them; whether a parallel course for parents was a useful addition; and whether attendance at MBCT was associated with improved outcomes. The design was a mixed-method service evaluation of an eight-session MBCT programme for young people who were recovering from depression. The course was a manualised eight-session group intervention. Both young people (n = 18) and parents (n = 21) completed validated measures before and after the course. Semi-structured interviews were completed with some group participants and clinical staff working in the service. Care records were searched for additional contact following the intervention. Qualitative data from young people, parents and clinicians suggested that MBCT was acceptable and feasible and provided strategies to cope. The parent course was reported to provide personal support to parents and helped them cope with their child’s depression whilst also impacting the family, promoted shared understanding of depression and strategies to combat it and addressed intergenerational aspects of depression. Eighty-four per cent of participants attended at least 6/8 sessions, and 48% required no further intervention within the following year. Young people had statistically significant improvements across all outcome measures, whilst parents had statistically significant improvements in rumination, self-compassion and decentring.
Objective:To identify whether mindfulness-based stress reduction is effective in improving physical health outcomes for long-term physical conditions.
Method:
A systematic review of the literature (retrieved from MEDLINE, PubMed and PsycINFO).
Results:
Fifteen studies were included in the review. None of the studies assessed as having a low risk of bias demonstrated significant improvements in physical health status although there was some emerging evidence that mindfulness-based stress reduction may be useful in pain conditions. There was some preliminary evidence that it may also be effective in improving primary insomnia and irritable bowel syndrome. Small to moderate effect sizes were also found for asthma, pain, tinnitus, fibromyalgia and somatization disorders.
Conclusion:
Although there is some preliminary support for the use of mindfulness-based stress reduction in physical health conditions, further research is required before it could be considered an effective intervention for improving physical health outcomes.
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