JMIR Mental Health
November 27, 2020
Simon B. Goldberg, Ted Imhoff‐Smith, Daniel M. Bolt et al.
104 citations
An eight-week randomized controlled trial tested two versions of a self-guided smartphone-based meditation app, the Healthy Minds Program, against a waitlist control. One version combined mindfulness with practices for positive relationships; the other combined mindfulness with insight into the self. Among 343 randomized adults without extensive meditation experience, both app conditions led to larger improvements in psychological distress, social connectedness, and mindfulness compared to the control group, with effect sizes ranging from small to moderate. The two app versions did not differ from each other. Improvements in distress were linked to days of app use. The study provides initial evidence that the app can reduce distress and enhance well-being.
August 28, 2020
Simon B. Goldberg, Ted Imhoff‐Smith, Daniel M. Bolt et al.
A fully remote randomized controlled trial tested two versions of a self-guided smartphone-based meditation app, the Healthy Minds Program, against a waitlist control in 343 adults without extensive meditation experience. Both app conditions—one combining mindfulness with practices for positive relationships, the other combining mindfulness with insight into the self—produced larger improvements in psychological distress, social connectedness, mindfulness, and insight-related measures than the control group, with effect sizes ranging from -0.28 to 0.41. Improvements in distress were linked to days of app use. The two app conditions did not differ from each other on any outcome.
Mindfulness
October 1, 2023
Christine D Wilson-Mendenhall, John D. Dunne, Richard J. Davidson
Imagining compassionate scenarios during contemplative practices may train the brain to act compassionately in daily life. Mental imagery activates the same sensorimotor patterns as real experiences, so vividly simulating compassion could prime prosocial behavior. The authors review evidence from psychology on mental imagery and prosocial episodic simulation, then identify specific contemplative exercises that might construct such simulations. They conclude by suggesting future research on how compassion-based interventions influence perception and action outside of practice sessions.
Frontiers in Psychology
January 1, 2021
Christine D Wilson-Mendenhall, John D. Dunne
Emotional granularity—the ability to make fine-grained distinctions in one's feelings—is linked to healthy emotionality, but it is unclear whether it can be intentionally cultivated. Drawing on shared features of Buddhist philosophy and modern constructionist theory, the authors hypothesize that contemplative practices, particularly mindfulness-style practices originating in Buddhist traditions, may improve granularity. The paper outlines theoretical foundations and specific practices that could bolster this skill, then proposes future directions for empirical testing.
Neuroimage
January 2, 2012
Wendy Hasenkamp, Christine D Wilson-Mendenhall, Erica Duncan et al.
A model of naturalistic cognitive fluctuations between mind wandering and attentional states, derived from focused attention meditation, proposes four intervals in a cognitive cycle: mind wandering, awareness of mind wandering, shifting of attention, and sustained attention. Fourteen meditation practitioners performed breath-focused meditation during fMRI scanning, pressing a button when they realized their mind had wandered. Mind wandering was associated with default mode activity, awareness of mind wandering with salience network regions, and shifting and sustained attention with executive network elements. Activations were modulated by lifetime meditation experience, supporting theories about cognitive correlates of distributed brain networks.
Christine D Wilson-Mendenhall, John D. Dunne, Richard J. Davidson
Compassion-based contemplative practices may increase everyday prosocial behavior by using mental simulation. When people vividly imagine a situation, the brain activates sensorimotor patterns similar to those during real experience. This simulation during imagery-based compassion practices could prime individuals to act compassionately. Evidence from psychology and neuroscience supports this hypothesis, and the paper reviews how specific compassion interventions construct such simulations. The authors conclude with future research directions on how these practices shape prosocial perception and action in daily life.