OBJECTIVE: Mindfulness and pain catastrophizing are important constructs in pain research, and there are theoretical reasons for suspecting that measures of the 2 constructs should be related in predictable ways. The present study investigated the association of pain catastrophizing (Pain Catastrophizing Scale) with mindfulness (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire). The Penn State Worry Questionnaire was included to control for confounding of worry; the influence of demographics was explored.METHODS: The participants were 214 undergraduates, who were administered questionnaires via the Internet. Analyses assessed relationships after correcting for attenuation.
RESULTS: The mindfulness scales had intercorrelations with catastrophizing ranging from -0.23 to 0.13; the Non-Judging, Non-Reactivity, and Acting with Awareness mindfulness scales correlated significantly with catastrophizing. However, worry was better correlated (r=0.35) with catastrophizing, and the mindfulness scales were not significantly related to catastrophizing after controlling for worry. Mindfulness scales were significant predictors (P=0.018) of catastrophizing scores in a single-indicator latent variable analysis, and 1 mindfulness scale (Non-Reactivity) contributed uniquely (P=0.006) to prediction. None of the mindfulness scales significantly predicted catastrophizing scores when worry was controlled, but the path from worry to catastrophizing was significant (P=0.048). Sex differences in catastrophizing scores were explained by sex differences on the worry scale (P<0.001).
DISCUSSION: These findings suggest that it is important to assess more general cognitive-emotional constructs, such as worry, when making inferences about the influence of mindfulness or changes in mindfulness upon catastrophic thinking in response to pain.
<p>This paper studies the development of a modern sense of "nationalism" by Tibetans, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries. The paper argues that since the 1950s China's policies in Tibet have actually increased the sense of nationalism among Tibetans. It explores how this national identity has been expressed by Tibetans, mainly in the form of protests and religious activity, and what it might mean for the future of Tibet. (Ben Deitle 2006-03-09)</p>
<p>A scholarly academic journal employing a blind peer review evaluation process, and is innovative in adopting a totally electronic mode of publication. In all respects, it functions as a traditional scholarly journal.</p>
This study uses linguistic analysis to investigate psychological changes associated with an emotion regulation strategy integrating psychological acceptance and positive reappraisal, as compared to two established strategies. Two hundred and sixty-nine undergraduate participants wrote for 4 consecutive days, 20 minutes each day, about the biggest problem in their lives and were randomly assigned to use one of three emotion regulation strategies: (a) acceptance + positive reappraisal, (2) emotional disclosure, or (3) positive reappraisal. Linguistic analyses were conducted to examine changes in attentional focus and insightful and causal thinking in the writings. Results indicated that participants who integrated acceptance and positive reappraisal wrote less about the past and more about the future, and used more insight words, over the course of writing relative to the other two conditions. In addition, they used a decreasing amount of first-person singular pronouns (e.g., “I”) and increased more in their use of first-person plural pronouns (e.g., “we”). Implications of these language findings for understanding underlying psychological changes are discussed.
The authors offer a preliminary exploration of the theory underlying the ways in which mindfulness might be incorporated into social justice approaches to social work (such as structural, critical, and anti-oppressive social work) as a method to link the personal and political in direct practice. Mindfulness may provide a window for observing and investigating events in our everyday lives that can inform, while also being structured by, larger social relations and structures. Mindfulness and social justice approaches to social work theory, in particular critical social science theory, converge around the ideas of social relations, dialectics, consciousness, and self-reflection or reflexivity. There are tensions, however, and further development is needed of a social work practice that incorporates knowledge from both mindfulness and social justice approaches. Les auteurs font une première exploration de la théorie sous-tendant les moyens possibles d'intégrer la pleine conscience du moment présent aux approches de justice sociale en travail social (comme le travail social structurel, critique et anti-oppressif) comme méthode de conjugaison du personnel et du politique dans l'exercice direct de la profession. La pleine conscience du moment présent peut servir de fenêtre d'observation et d'investigation d'événements du quotidien susceptibles de nous éclairer tout en étant construite par de plus vastes relations et structures sociales. La pleine conscience du moment présent et les approches de justice sociale à la théorie du service social, en particulier la théorie critique des sciences sociales, gravitent autour des notions de relations sociales, de dialectique, de prise de conscience et d'autoréflexion ou réflexivité. Il y a toutefois des tensions et il faut continuer à travailler au développement d'un service social intégrant la connaissance issue tant de la pleine conscience du moment présent que des approches de justice sociale.
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[The authors offer a preliminary exploration of the theory underlying the ways in which mindfulness might be incorporated into social justice approaches to social work (such as structural, critical, and anti-oppressive social work) as a method to link the personal and political in direct practice. Mindfulness may provide a window for observing and investigating events in our everyday lives that can inform, while also being structured by, larger social relations and structures. Mindfulness and social justice approaches to social work theory, in particular critical social science theory, converge around the ideas of social relations, dialectics, consciousness, and self-reflection or reflexivity. There are tensions, however, and further development is needed of a social work practice that incorporates knowledge from both mindfulness and social justice approaches. Les auteurs font une première exploration de la théorie sous-tendant les moyens possibles d'intégrer la pleine conscience du moment présent aux approches de justice sociale en travail social (comme le travail social structurel, critique et anti-oppressif) comme méthode de conjugaison du personnel et du politique dans l'exercice direct de la profession. La pleine conscience du moment présent peut servir de fenêtre d'observation et d'investigation d'événements du quotidien susceptibles de nous éclairer tout en étant construite par de plus vastes relations et structures sociales. La pleine conscience du moment présent et les approches de justice sociale à la théorie du service social, en particulier la théorie critique des sciences sociales, gravitent autour des notions de relations sociales, de dialectique, de prise de conscience et d'autoréflexion ou réflexivité. Il y a toutefois des tensions et il faut continuer à travailler au développement d'un service social intégrant la connaissance issue tant de la pleine conscience du moment présent que des approches de justice sociale.]
The authors offer a preliminary exploration of the theory underlying the ways in which mindfulness might be incorporated into social justice approaches to social work (such as structural, critical, and anti-oppressive social work) as a method to link the personal and political in direct practice. Mindfulness may provide a window for observing and investigating events in our everyday lives that can inform, while also being structured by, larger social relations and structures. Mindfulness and social justice approaches to social work theory, in particular critical social science theory, converge around the ideas of social relations, dialectics, consciousness, and self-reflection or reflexivity. There are tensions, however, and further development is needed of a social work practice that incorporates knowledge from both mindfulness and social justice approaches.
While cognitive behavior therapy has been found to be effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a significant percentage of patients struggle with residual symptoms. There is some conceptual basis for suggesting that cultivation of mindfulness may be helpful for people with GAD. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a group treatment derived from mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues. MBSR uses training in mindfulness meditation as the core of the program. MBCT incorporates cognitive strategies and has been found effective in reducing relapse in patients with major depression (Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V., Soulsby, J., & Lau, M. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 6, 615–623).Method
Eligible subjects recruited to a major academic medical center participated in the group MBCT course and completed measures of anxiety, worry, depressive symptoms, mood states and mindful awareness in everyday life at baseline and end of treatment.
Results
Eleven subjects (six female and five male) with a mean age of 49 (range = 36–72) met criteria and completed the study. There were significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms from baseline to end of treatment.
Conclusion
MBCT may be an acceptable and potentially effective treatment for reducing anxiety and mood symptoms and increasing awareness of everyday experiences in patients with GAD. Future directions include development of a randomized clinical trial of MBCT for GAD.
While cognitive behavior therapy has been found to be effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a significant percentage of patients struggle with residual symptoms. There is some conceptual basis for suggesting that cultivation of mindfulness may be helpful for people with GAD. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a group treatment derived from mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues. MBSR uses training in mindfulness meditation as the core of the program. MBCT incorporates cognitive strategies and has been found effective in reducing relapse in patients with major depression (Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V., Soulsby, J., & Lau, M. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 6, 615–623).Method
Eligible subjects recruited to a major academic medical center participated in the group MBCT course and completed measures of anxiety, worry, depressive symptoms, mood states and mindful awareness in everyday life at baseline and end of treatment.
Results
Eleven subjects (six female and five male) with a mean age of 49 (range = 36–72) met criteria and completed the study. There were significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms from baseline to end of treatment.
Conclusion
MBCT may be an acceptable and potentially effective treatment for reducing anxiety and mood symptoms and increasing awareness of everyday experiences in patients with GAD. Future directions include development of a randomized clinical trial of MBCT for GAD.
OBJECTIVE:This pilot study reports the findings of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the feasibility, tolerability, acceptability, and initial estimates of efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) compared to a delayed treatment (DT) control for headache pain. It was hypothesized that MBCT would be a viable treatment approach and that compared to DT, would elicit significant improvement in primary headache pain-related outcomes and secondary cognitive-related outcomes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
RCT methodology was employed and multivariate analysis of variance models were conducted on daily headache diary data and preassessment and postassessment data for the intent-to-treat sample (N=36), and on the completer sample (N=24).
RESULTS:
Patient flow data and standardized measures found MBCT for headache pain to be feasible, tolerable, and acceptable to participants. Intent-to-treat analyses showed that compared to DT, MBCT patients reported significantly greater improvement in self-efficacy (P=0.02, d=0.82) and pain acceptance (P=0.02, d=0.82). Results of the completer analyses produced a similar pattern of findings; additionally, compared to DT, MBCT completers reported significantly improved pain interference (P<0.01, d=-1.29) and pain catastrophizing (P=0.03, d=-0.94). Change in daily headache diary outcomes was not significantly different between groups (P's>0.05, d's≤-0.24).
DISCUSSION:
This study empirically examined MBCT for the treatment of headache pain. Results indicated that MBCT is a feasible, tolerable, acceptable, and potentially efficacious intervention for patients with headache pain. This study provides a research base for future RCTs comparing MBCT to attention control, and future comparative effectiveness studies of MBCT and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
We investigated the impact of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness training (CBT/MT) on attentional task performance in incarcerated adolescents. Attention is a cognitive system necessary for managing cognitive demands and regulating emotions. Yet persistent and intensive demands, such as those experienced during high-stress intervals like incarceration and the events leading to incarceration, may deplete attention resulting in cognitive failures, emotional disturbances, and impulsive behavior. We hypothesized that CBT/MT may mitigate these deleterious effects of high stress and protect against degradation in attention over the high-stress interval of incarceration. Using a quasi-experimental, group randomized controlled trial design, we randomly assigned dormitories of incarcerated youth, ages 16–18, to a CBT/MT intervention (youth n = 147) or an active control intervention (youth n = 117). Both arms received approximately 750 min of intervention in a small-group setting over a 3–5 week period. Youth in the CBT/MT arm also logged the amount of out-of-session time spent practicing MT exercises. The Attention Network Test was used to index attentional task performance at baseline and 4 months post-baseline. Overall, task performance degraded over time in all participants. The magnitude of performance degradation was significantly less in the CBT/MT vs. control arm. Further, within the CBT/MT arm, performance degraded over time in those with no outside-of-class practice time, but remained stable over time in those who practiced mindfulness exercises outside of the session meetings. Thus, these findings suggest that sufficient CBT/MT practice may protect against functional attentional impairments associated with high-stress intervals.
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