There is increasing evidence that mindfulness-based interventions reduce psychological distress in various medical populations. However, it has hardly been studied if these effects are mediated by an increase in mindfulness. The aim of this study was to examine mediating effects of various mindfulness facets on effects of a Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on perceived stress and...
Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a medically unexplained condition characterized by symptoms from multiple organ systems following the perception of common odorants. The condition can cause severe functional impairment for afflicted individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for individuals with MCS. The intention-to-treat...
The aim was to explore how mindfulness group therapy for somatoform disorders influenced the patients' stress experiences, coping strategies and contextual psychosocial processes. A longitudinal pre- and post-treatment design, using 22 semi-structured individual pre- and post-treatment interviews. Data-analysis was based on a thematic methodology. Pre-treatment patients were struggling in an...
Elevated rates of mood and anxiety disorders among high utilizers of health care have been suggested as one driver of increased service use. We compared the impact of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), a structured group treatment, on the rates of health care utilization with matched control participants receiving non-MBCT group therapy. Using Ontario health administrative data, we...
OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on psychological and physical outcomes for people with vascular disease. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, British Nursing Index, Medline, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of...
To conduct a feasibility and efficacy trial of mindfulness therapy in somatization disorder and functional somatic syndromes such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome, defined as bodily distress syndrome (BDS). We randomized 119 patients to either mindfulness therapy (mindfulness-based stress reduction and some cognitive behavioral therapy elements for BDS) or...
The objective of the present study is to estimate the economic consequences of somatization disorder and functional somatic syndromes such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, defined as bodily distress syndrome (BDS), when mindfulness therapy is compared with enhanced treatment as usual. A total of 119 BDS patients were randomized to mindfulness therapy or enhanced treatment as usual...
Although the relationship between religious practice and health is well established, the relationship between spirituality and health is not as well studied. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether participation in the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program was associated with increases in mindfulness and spirituality, and to examine the associations between mindfulness,...
To investigate the effect of mindfulness training on pain tolerance, psychological well-being, physiological activity, and the acquisition of mindfulness skills. Forty-two asymptomatic University students participated in a randomized, single-blind, active control pilot study. Participants in the experimental condition were offered six (1-h) mindfulness sessions; control participants were...
The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a meditation-based stress management program in patients with anxiety disorder. Patients with anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to an 8-week clinical trial of either a meditation-based stress management program or an anxiety disorder education program. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), the Hamilton Depression Rating...
This study examined the construct and criterion validity of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) in cancer outpatients, using matched community members as controls. Cancer outpatients (n=122) applying for enrollment in a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program completed the MAAS and measures of mood disturbance and stress. Local community members (n=122) matched to the...
The diagnosis of breast cancer, the most common type of cancer among American women, elicits greater distress than any other diagnosis regardless of prognosis. Therefore, the present study examined the efficacy of a stress reduction intervention for women with breast cancer. As part of a larger, randomized, controlled study of the effects on measures of stress of a mindfulness-based stress...
Objective: This study examined the impact of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program on cardiovascular (CV) reactivity in adolescents with high normal BP. Method: Thirty-five adolescents [34 African Americans (AAs), 1 Caucasian American (CA); ages 15-18 years] with resting systolic blood pressure (SBP) between the 85th and 95th percentile for their age and gender on three consecutive...
In two studies, we tested two hypotheses about the relationship of alexithymia to dreaming; that dreams of alexithymic people are barren and rarely recalled, and that the dreams are unregulated and nightmarish. Study 1 was a retrospective survey of dreaming among several hundred young adults, and Study 2 was a 1-week, prospective diary study of 153 young adults in which recall, content, and...
Early clinical impressions that alexithymia is associated with diminished dream recall have been supported by more recent research. The present study was designed to examine this association using self-report measures and a carefully screened clinical population. Thirty-three male and 43 female asthmatics from an outpatient clinic were administered the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Eysenck...
Several studies suggest that behavioral techniques such as meditation and relaxation may be associated with reduced end organ adrenergic receptor sensitivity. Thus far the evidence supporting this hypothesis has been indirect. We present preliminary findings showing reduced beta-adrenergic receptor sensitivity in a group of subjects practicing Transcendental Meditation. The meditation group (N...
Medical technology has not reduced the death rate from cancer for 50 yrs, in spite of its physical and psychological morbidity. A broader approach is required and investigation of certain apparently successful unorthodox holistic cancer therapies suggests that the personality of the therapist is crucial. The spiritually convinced, charismatic healer has all the qualities of a meditator, and...
In the Western countries, dynamically oriented psychoanalysis, behaviour modification based on learning principles and existential, humanistic psychology have been widely used as treatment modalities for neuroses and psychosomatic disorders. Autogenic therapy for relaxation and self-control has been utilized. In the Orient, Yoga, Zen, Acupuncture and Fasting Therapy have been applied to various...