Displaying 1 - 8 of 8
Background: Neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndrome are complex responses of the nervous system. The interaction of nociceptive neuropathic input with learned stress responses, beliefs, expectations, and societal pressures make each patient's experience unique. Design: A review of the recent clinical research and scholarly work in the treatment of neuropathic pain was undertaken. Principal Findings: A review of clinical pain research has demonstrated that treatment programs that focus solely on the resolution of neuropathic pain by treating nociceptive generators and symptom modulation have had limited success. Recent studies have demonstrated that coordinated interventions that address the peripheral, central, behavioral, and social generators of the pain experience offer the best opportunity for successful management. Conclusion: A biopsychosocial approach to rehabilitation that uncovers and addresses the nociceptive, psychological, and social triggers of the patient's response is essential to either resolving the pain or building the patient resiliency necessary to manage more persistent pain states. A pain education program structured to the specific needs of the patient is the core component of biopsychosocial rehabilitation. Graded activity, neurosensory training, neuromobilization, bracing/taping, stress management, and pain modulation programs and activities can be important components of the rehabilitation plan. Early intervention after the acute onset of neuropathic pain with an activity-based, comprehensive, biopsychosocial management plan may be effective in preventing more persistent pain states. Rehabilitation plans for both acute and persistent neuropathic pain should focus on building patient self-efficacy, self-management, and resiliency.
Human well-being is a complex concept that has been contested across the social and political sciences. This chapter considers three broad approaches to the concept and measurement of human well-being along with their respective merits from a cross-disciplinary perspective. The three broad approaches in question embrace utility (happiness, desire fulfillment, and preference), material well-being (most notably, income and resources), and “list-orientated” views (needs, rights, and capabilities). The final part of the chapter explicitly links human well-being with environmental issues and various notions of sustainable development. It is suggested that the idea of “sustainable human development” can help resolve the apparent tension between poverty reduction (involving more consumption) on the one hand and environmental conservation and sustainability on the other. Above all, a more comprehensive account of human well-being is required to bridge the gap between mental and physical states and to take note of the environmental and material basis of sustainable well-being.
Over the past decade, training in mindfulness—the intentional cultivation of moment-by-moment non-judgmental focused attention and awareness—has spread from its initial western applications in medicine to other fields, including education. This paper reviews research and curricula pertaining to the integration of mindfulness training into K-12 education, both indirectly by training teachers and through direct teaching of students. Research on the neurobiology of mindfulness in adults suggests that sustained mindfulness practice can enhance attentional and emotional self-regulation and promote flexibility, pointing toward significant potential benefits for both teachers and students. Early research results on three illustrative mindfulness-based teacher training initiatives suggest that personal training in mindfulness skills can increase teachers’ sense of well-being and teaching self-efficacy, as well as their ability to manage classroom behavior and establish and maintain supportive relationships with students. Since 2005, 14 studies of programs that directly train students in mindfulness have collectively demonstrated a range of cognitive, social, and psychological benefits to both elementary (six studies) and high school (eight studies) students. These include improvements in working memory, attention, academic skills, social skills, emotional regulation, and self-esteem, as well as self-reported improvements in mood and decreases in anxiety, stress, and fatigue. The educational goals, target population, and core features of ten established mindfulness-based curricula are described. Finally, the need for more rigorous scientific evidence of the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in K-12 education is discussed, along with suggestions of specific process, outcome, and research-design questions remaining to be answered.
Zotero Collections:
Over the past decade, training in mindfulness—the intentional cultivation of moment-by-moment non-judgmental focused attention and awareness—has spread from its initial western applications in medicine to other fields, including education. This paper reviews research and curricula pertaining to the integration of mindfulness training into K-12 education, both indirectly by training teachers and through direct teaching of students. Research on the neurobiology of mindfulness in adults suggests that sustained mindfulness practice can enhance attentional and emotional self-regulation and promote flexibility, pointing toward significant potential benefits for both teachers and students. Early research results on three illustrative mindfulness-based teacher training initiatives suggest that personal training in mindfulness skills can increase teachers’ sense of well-being and teaching self-efficacy, as well as their ability to manage classroom behavior and establish and maintain supportive relationships with students. Since 2005, 14 studies of programs that directly train students in mindfulness have collectively demonstrated a range of cognitive, social, and psychological benefits to both elementary (six studies) and high school (eight studies) students. These include improvements in working memory, attention, academic skills, social skills, emotional regulation, and self-esteem, as well as self-reported improvements in mood and decreases in anxiety, stress, and fatigue. The educational goals, target population, and core features of ten established mindfulness-based curricula are described. Finally, the need for more rigorous scientific evidence of the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in K-12 education is discussed, along with suggestions of specific process, outcome, and research-design questions remaining to be answered.
<p>Recently, the psychological construct mindfulness has received a great deal of attention. The majority of research has focused on clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions. This line of research has led to promising data suggesting mindfulness-based interventions are effective for treatment of both psychological and physical symptoms. However, an equally important direction for future research is to investigate questions concerning mechanisms of action underlying mindfulness-based interventions. This theoretical paper proposes a model of mindfulness, in an effort to elucidate potential mechanisms to explain how mindfulness affects positive change. Potential implications and future directions for the empirical study of mechanisms involved in mindfulness are addressed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 62: 373–386, 2006.</p>
Zotero Collections:
Recently, the psychological construct mindfulness has received a great deal of attention. The majority of research has focused on clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions. This line of research has led to promising data suggesting mindfulness-based interventions are effective for treatment of both psychological and physical symptoms. However, an equally important direction for future research is to investigate questions concerning mechanisms of action underlying mindfulness-based interventions. This theoretical paper proposes a model of mindfulness, in an effort to elucidate potential mechanisms to explain how mindfulness affects positive change. Potential implications and future directions for the empirical study of mechanisms involved in mindfulness are addressed.
Recently, the psychological construct mindfulness has received a great deal of attention. The majority of research has focused on clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions. This line of research has led to promising data suggesting mindfulness-based interventions are effective for treatment of both psychological and physical symptoms. However, an equally important direction for future research is to investigate questions concerning mechanisms of action underlying mindfulness-based interventions. This theoretical paper proposes a model of mindfulness, in an effort to elucidate potential mechanisms to explain how mindfulness affects positive change. Potential implications and future directions for the empirical study of mechanisms involved in mindfulness are addressed.
In this case study, we examined how a school, committed to emotional intelligence (EQ) as a central pillar, used assessment data to build positive school climate and strengthen the EQ of students and all community members. School leaders used multiple EQ and school climate assessments, over several years, to acquire data to enhance individual success, enrich classroom practice, and provide a strategy for schoolwide improvement. Teachers used data to help both youth and adults increase self-awareness, make better choices, and create a more supportive learning community. Assessment results guided curriculum development and classroom management. Administrators examined their own effectiveness individually and as a team and planned teacher professional development and parent workshops. A three-part benchmarks framework for schoolwide implementation of social emotional learning is used to analyze (a) student and adult competencies, (b) classroom practices, and (c) whole school approaches, including school climate and administrative team leadership.