Mindfulness
September 1, 2022
Nicole Perkins, Taranjit Sehmbi, Patrick Smith
A systematic review of kindness- and compassion-based meditation (KCBM) for children and adolescents found no strong evidence for positive effects, though some results were encouraging. Ten studies involving 807 children were included. Improvements in wellbeing were seen in 47% of wellbeing measures (including stress, anxiety, depression, negative affect, inflammation markers, mindfulness, and self-compassion). Prosociality and cognitive functioning (visual perception and motor accuracy) each showed improvement in the single study that examined them. Effect sizes ranged from small to large. Interventions appeared more effective with younger, non-clinical populations and when teachers were experienced. Study quality was generally weak.
Mindfulness
August 1, 2022
Orsolya Bokk, Bettina Forster
A brief 10-minute mindfulness meditation helped preserve attention resources in people who had never meditated before. The study measured a brain signal called the somatosensory P300, which is linked to attention, while participants counted rare tactile stimuli. In a control group that listened to an audio clip, P300 amplitudes decreased from the first to the second session, indicating habituation. In the meditation group, this decrease did not occur, suggesting that even a short meditation practice can prevent the typical drop in attentional neural responses. This preservation of the P300 amplitude may be an early neural mechanism through which mindfulness training improves executive attention.
Mindfulness
July 7, 2022
J. Williams, R. Baer, M. Batchelor et al.
A new 8-week follow-on mindfulness course focused on awareness of feeling tone (vedanā) was tested in an open trial with 83 participants, 78 of whom had previously completed a mindfulness-based program. After the course, participants showed reduced depression, stress, and anxiety and increased well-being and mindfulness, with 38% meeting criteria for reliable change in anxiety and depression. About three-quarters reported unpleasant experiences related to mindfulness practice, but none reported harm. Five participants showed reliable deterioration in depression or anxiety, though most of them described benefits in anonymous feedback. The findings suggest added value from a follow-on course exploring feeling tone for people with prior mindfulness experience.
Mindfulness
June 1, 2022
Yasushi Ito, Cheryl A. Browne, Kazumi Yamamoto
Regular meditators (those meditating 45 minutes or more per week) and novice meditators both improved significantly after an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on measures of mindfulness, self-compassion, mood disturbance, perceived stress, and mental health, but not physical health. At the start, regular meditators already scored higher on mindfulness, self-compassion, and mental health, and reported less mood disturbance and stress. After the program, novice meditators reached scores comparable to the regular meditators' starting levels. Only mindfulness showed a different rate of change between the two groups.
Mindfulness
May 1, 2022
Brian P Don, Patty van Cappellen, Barbara L. Fredrickson
Training in either mindfulness or loving-kindness meditation for six weeks reduced day-to-day fluctuations in social connectedness among 224 mid-life adults, beyond simply raising average levels of connectedness. This smoothing of social ups and downs was partly explained by a corresponding reduction in the variability of both positive and negative emotions. The results suggest meditation helps stabilize social well-being by calming emotional swings.
Mindfulness
May 1, 2022
Tess Guthrie, Julian R. Matthews, Richard Chambers et al.
A brief body scan meditation makes people more susceptible to a bodily illusion (the rubber hand illusion), suggesting that a short mindfulness induction increases attention to ambiguous bodily signals. However, 14 days of daily body scan training reduces the illusion more than a control activity, indicating that longer-term mindfulness practice dampens the integration of conflicting sensory information. The findings suggest that state and trait mindfulness cultivated through body scan meditation have opposite effects on how the brain combines signals from different senses, with initial heightened attention giving way to acceptance over time.
Mindfulness
May 1, 2022
Taylor N West, Jieni Zhou, Mary Brantley et al.
A 6-week workshop in mindfulness meditation reduced expression of proinflammatory genes linked to early-life low socioeconomic status (SES), while loving-kindness meditation unexpectedly increased that same gene expression profile. In 88 at-risk midlife adults, those who learned mindfulness meditation showed significant declines in the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA), whereas those who learned loving-kindness meditation showed significant increases. Both groups reported more positive and fewer negative emotions over the six weeks, but this emotional change did not explain the gene expression differences. The findings suggest mindfulness meditation may help reverse the biological effects of childhood low SES in midlife.
Mindfulness
April 1, 2022
Bhikkhu Anālayo
This essay, the second of three, examines early Buddhist concepts—mindfulness, awakening, not-self, and the four noble truths—to assess their relevance for psychological research on mindfulness. Engaging critically with Donald Lopez Jr. and Evan Thompson, the author argues that critiques of Westernized Buddhism have sometimes gone too far, producing inaccurate evaluations. The essay concludes that a sober reassessment of early Buddhist evidence reveals considerable common ground between contemporary psychology and Buddhist meditation traditions, both aiming to understand the mind to alleviate unnecessary suffering.
Mindfulness
April 1, 2022
Hans Kirschner, Willem Kuyken, Anke Karl
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) reduces negative self-bias in people with recurrent depression, as shown by both self-report and physiological measures. After eight sessions of MBCT, participants who engaged in a brief self-compassion exercise showed reduced physiological arousal and increased heart rate variability, while an untreated control group showed no such changes. Self-reported state self-compassion increased in both groups after the exercise, but only the MBCT group had significantly higher overall levels of state and dispositional self-compassion. Physiological responses to the exercise may serve as useful markers of treatment-related changes and help understand mechanisms of depressive relapse prevention.
Mindfulness
February 16, 2022
Morganne A. Kraines, Summer Peterson, G. Tremont et al.
A systematic review of ten studies on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) for people with at least mild depressive symptoms found mixed results for cognitive outcomes. Three studies showed no improvements in cognitive measures, while seven studies showed at least one improvement. The review highlights inconsistencies in terminology, samples, and methodology across studies, which may explain the mixed findings. The authors recommend a more streamlined approach for future research on cognitive outcomes in depressed individuals undergoing these interventions.
Mindfulness
February 1, 2022
Matilde Elices, Víctor Pérez Sola, Adrián Pérez-aranda et al.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) delivered in primary care can effectively reduce depressive symptoms, especially for those with severe depression. Among 433 individuals, 60% had moderate-to-severe depression before treatment. After MBCT, 35.6% of the severely depressed group recovered. Only 2.1 to 2.7% deteriorated. Higher pre-treatment depression severity, more sessions attended, and younger age were linked to greater symptom improvement, while personality traits were not. MBCT appears safe and effective in real-world primary care settings.
Mindfulness
January 1, 2022
Sonia Medina, Owen O'Daly, Matthew A Howard et al.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and a psychoeducational programme (FibroQoL) each produced distinct changes in brain activity and symptoms in people with fibromyalgia. Both treatments disrupted the typical link between clinical pain and brain perfusion, particularly in the insula, where perfusion changes correlated with pain improvement. Only FibroQoL decreased blood flow in the amygdala, and this change was accompanied by a decoupling of amygdala activity from pain catastrophizing and anxiety. Baseline blood flow in the anterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula correlated positively with pain across all patients. These findings encourage research into predictors of treatment response.
Mindfulness
January 1, 2022
Lingling Zhang, Snehal Lopes, Tara Lavelle et al.
A systematic review of 28 cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) published between 1985 and 2021 found that standardized programs such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) are less costly and more effective than usual care or cognitive behavioral therapy for several patient populations. MBSR was associated with lower healthcare costs and better outcomes for chronic lower back pain, fibromyalgia, and breast cancer. MBCT showed cost-effectiveness advantages for depression, medically unexplained symptoms, multiple sclerosis, breast cancer with persistent pain, adults with a history of major depressive episodes, ADHD, and all cancer patients. Mindfulness training also reduced costs from a societal perspective when used for aggressive behaviors in people with intellectual or developmental disabilities in mental health facilities.
Mindfulness
January 1, 2022
Alea C. Skwara, Brandon G King, Anthony P Zanesco et al.
Three months of focused attention meditation training reduces beta brainwave power not only during formal practice but also during eyes-closed rest, indicating that meditation's neurocognitive effects transfer beyond the meditation session itself. Experienced meditators were randomly assigned to a residential retreat or a waitlist control, with the control group later completing their own retreat. EEG recordings from 88 channels showed longitudinal reductions in beta frequency power, replicated across two independent training periods. Smaller reductions also appeared in high alpha and individual peak alpha frequencies. These findings suggest that resting brain activity is not an invariant baseline but can carry training-related changes, blurring the distinction between meditative state and enduring trait.
Mindfulness
December 1, 2021
Bhikkhu Anālayo
Criticism of mindfulness is necessary for the field to progress, but such criticism must be reasonable and grounded in facts, not subjective imagination. The claim that mindfulness is intrinsically dangerous has been influenced by unreasonable allegations from Daniel Ingram, which some scholars have taken seriously due to their lack of familiarity with Buddhist doctrine and genuine insight meditation practices.
Mindfulness
November 1, 2021
Bhikkhu Anālayo
Equanimity, a key dimension of mindfulness cultivation, is not a single construct but encompasses different types recognized in Buddhist traditions. One type is equanimity as a divine abode or immeasurable, while another is equanimity as the absence of compulsive reactivity driven by likes and dislikes. This article surveys early Buddhist passages to provide a more nuanced understanding of equanimity and its relationship to mindfulness.
Mindfulness
October 5, 2021
Heather J. Brooks, H. Oughli, Lojine Y. Kamel et al.
Combining Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is feasible and safe for older adults with subjective memory complaints and symptoms of depression or anxiety. In a pilot double-blind randomized sham-controlled trial, 26 participants received either active or sham tDCS during MBSR sessions. The largest effect sizes for active versus sham tDCS were for everyday mindfulness and social functioning, though these were not statistically significant. At-home adherence and in-class attendance varied. The authors suggest tDCS may enhance MBSR by transferring meditative learning into everyday mindfulness.
Mindfulness
October 1, 2021
Bhikkhu Anālayo
An examination of early Buddhist tranquility meditation texts reveals that the Indic term kāya, usually translated as 'body,' covers a broader range of somatic experiences than simple materiality. In critical dialogue with Eviatar Shulman, the author explores the mind-made body conjured through supernormal feats, mindful contemplation of bodily dimensions during absorption states, and the transition to immaterial spheres. The patterns suggest kāya encompasses a continuum from gross physicality to subtle embodiments. Even after complete transcendence of materiality, the term kāya can still be used to describe direct, personal experience in immaterial states.
Mindfulness
October 1, 2021
Linda Corbally, Mick Wilkinson
A systematic review and meta-analysis of twelve controlled trials found that mindfulness-based interventions produce small but clear increases in mindfulness and reductions in depression in women without pre-existing mental health issues during the perinatal period. Effects on stress and anxiety were unclear due to heterogeneity across studies. The findings suggest that such interventions may help prevent or lessen the development of depression during pregnancy and after childbirth.
Mindfulness
September 11, 2021
Dave Parsons, P. Gardner, Sharon Parry et al.
A scoping review of 24 papers found that mindfulness-based programs can reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in tertiary health students, though student engagement and retention remain challenging. The review notes that generalization of findings is limited by varied populations, intervention designs, delivery methods, and a lack of standardized outcome measures. Embedding mindfulness programs in curricula, offering academic credit, and emphasizing skill translation to future clinical work may improve participation and persistence.
Mindfulness
September 1, 2021
Rebekah Jane Kaunhoven, Dusana Dorjee
An 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course improved self-reported trait mindfulness and cognitive reappraisal, as well as the ability to use both strategies during a task, compared to a wait-list control group. The training group showed decreased early brain activity (200–280 ms positivity) across all emotion regulation strategies, suggesting MBSR adaptively modulates early attention to emotional stimuli. However, later-stage emotion processing (LPP) did not change, indicating that more extensive training may be needed for later stages. The findings also suggest that employing mindfulness consciously may require less cognitive effort than cognitive reappraisal.
Mindfulness
September 1, 2021
Kate Williams, Samantha Hartley, Peter Taylor
Clinicians who deliver mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) agree that best practice requires sufficient preparation for patients, adherence to evidence-based guidelines, careful consideration of risks, adequate training and resources, and thoughtfully made adaptations. However, they did not reach consensus on statements where evidence is lacking for specific clinical populations or on the complex decision-making involved in delivering and adapting MBCT. The findings underscore the challenge of balancing a client-centered approach with fidelity to the evidence base when deciding who can access MBCT, how it is delivered, and when to adapt it.
Mindfulness
August 1, 2021
Craig Hassed
Drawing on decades of experience since the early 1990s, the author shares practical insights and lessons from teaching mindfulness as a core part of the medical curriculum at Monash University. The article outlines a mindfulness-based lifestyle program delivered to entire cohorts of medical students, covering preparation, integration, delivery, and review. Evaluations over many years indicate high acceptance and use of mindfulness-based skills by students. The author argues that mindfulness can be successfully integrated into core curricula for medical and allied health students as a meta-skill to support wellbeing and clinical competencies.
Mindfulness
July 16, 2021
A. Baminiwatta, Indrajith Solangaarachchi
A bibliometric analysis of 16,581 mindfulness publications from 1966 to 2021 shows exponential growth since 2006. Nearly half (47%) of publications were in psychology and one-fifth (20.8%) in psychiatry. The journal Mindfulness contributed 7% of all publications, and Eric L. Garland was the most prolific author. Most research originated from Western countries, though Asian representation increased. Frequently co-occurring keywords included meditation, depression, stress, and anxiety. Early research (1966–2015) was inspired by spiritual themes, while recent trends (2016–2021) show rising interest in mechanisms, long-term meditation, neuroscientific studies, and smartphone or online delivery of interventions.
Mindfulness
July 1, 2021
Arturo Ron-Grajales, Araceli Sanz-Martin, Rubén David Castañeda-Torres et al.
A 10-week mindfulness meditation training program improved inhibitory control in young male offenders aged 16–23 who had committed violent crimes. Compared to a control group, those who completed the training showed increased reaction times on the Stop-signal task and fewer errors on the Stroop task, indicating better inhibitory control. The findings suggest that mindfulness meditation may help reduce violent behavior in this population.