Mindfulness-based interventions are effective for psychological distress in cancer care, but their Western adoption raises ethical concerns about cultural appropriation of Buddhist wisdom. This paper examines these ethical implications for patients, practitioners, and researchers. It proposes modifications to ensure practitioners understand Buddhist philosophy and transparently communicate the tradition's origins to oncology patients. Recommendations include ethically introducing Buddhist principles, emphasizing clinician education on mindfulness's philosophical foundations—especially 'Right Mindfulness'—and fostering understanding that mindfulness is an ethically informed practice. The paper advocates for shared decision-making and trauma-informed adaptations while respecting the cultural origins and philosophical depth of this ancient practice.
A French version of the Ontological Addiction Scale (OAS) was validated in 492 French adults with emotional or mood disorders. The scale measures ontological addiction, a dysfunctional self-concept where individuals see themselves as separate from their surroundings. The French OAS showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.89) and strong test-retest reliability, with a single-factor structure matching the original English version. A 12-item version also had good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.81). Construct validity was supported by medium to large correlations with self-esteem, shame, perfectionism, and mindfulness. The French OAS is a robust tool for assessing ontological addiction in research and clinical practice.
Cancer patients who participated in an eight-week Meditation Awareness Training (MAT) program, a second-generation mindfulness-based intervention integrating Buddhist wisdom principles, described a journey from uncertainty and ambivalence toward greater acceptance and emotional resilience. Participants drew on concepts such as impermanence to manage distress and reclaim identity beyond their illness. They shifted from relying solely on formal meditation to flexibly integrating mindfulness and wisdom into daily life. Self-compassion and empathy developed, enhancing interpersonal relationships and connection with the meditation group and the natural world. The group setting provided validation and support, normalizing experiences and fostering community.
Interest in mindfulness-based practices for improving health and wellbeing has grown over the last four decades, prompting renewed study of the psychological and neuropsychological mechanisms involved. This perspective paper presents a taxonomy of meditation types, describes key neuroanatomical regions involved, and critically appraises EEG findings. Correlates between mindfulness and EEG are well described for attentional and interoceptive processes, and understanding is growing for compassion and loving-kindness meditation. However, consistent associations between neuropsychological processes and EEG characteristics remain elusive for wisdom-based and null-state meditation practices, which are considered key to deeper transformative experiences. Promising theoretical developments exist, but more research and standardization are needed.