Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) - The Consciousness Library

Effects of Mindfulness-Acceptance-Insight-Commitment (MAIC) Training on Stress and Sleep Quality in Elite Swimmers: A Randomized Controlled Mixed-Methods Trial.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) June 29, 2026 Ning Su, Bingyan Zhang, Xiyu Zhou et al.

Elite swimmers are exposed to sustained high training loads, early-morning sessions, and restricted recovery opportunities, all of which may increase psychological strain and compromise sleep. This study examined the effects of an 8-week Mindfulness-Acceptance-Insight-Commitment (MAIC) program, embedded within routine high-load training, on athlete-specific psychological stress, subjective...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16071068 Full text Mindfulness Maic Elite swimmers Mixed methods +2

Toward Integrating Intranasal Esketamine with Traumatic-Memory Psychotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Narrative Review and Feasibility-Oriented Protocol Proposal.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) May 14, 2026 Fabiola Raffone, Carlo Ignazio Cattaneo, Enrico Pessina et al.

Trauma-related autobiographical memories can manifest as involuntary, vivid, emotionally charged intrusions that perpetuate avoidance, negative emotions, and functional impairment. While these memories are central to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they also occur across diagnoses and are often reported in depressive disorders, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Although...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16050771 Full text Esketamine Post-traumatic stress disorder Treatment-resistant depression Imagery rescripting +5

Does Psychological Flexibility Correlate with Mystical Experiences: A Machine Learning Approach Including State of Surrender, Near-Death Experiences, and Psilocybin Consumption.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) April 30, 2026 Dylan Briggs, Thomas B Sease, Ruthie Menou et al.

Mystical experiences are characterized by a profound sense of interconnectedness and transcendence of ordinary reality. These experiences can facilitate feelings of connectedness with oneself and others and have been documented as leading to significant positive changes in thoughts, emotions, and behavior. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the extent to which the four mindfulness...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16050686 Full text Mystical experiences Near death experiences Psychedelic use Psychological flexibility +1

Know Your Nose: A Narrative Review of the Developmental and Functional Impact and Importance of the Nose, Nasal Breathing and Techniques on Health and Emotional Wellbeing.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 21, 2026 Alireza Amirsadri, Hooman Sedighi

This narrative review synthesizes research demonstrating the multi-domain import of nasal breathing across developmental, physiological, immunological, and neuropsychological domains, with the aim of communicating its potential clinical relevance and motivating future empirical investigation. We broadly address developmental and evolutionary foundations and the pathways through which nasal...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16030467 Full text Autonomic nervous system Nasal breathing Nitric oxide Psychological wellbeing +1

Understanding Mind-Body Experience from the Perspective of Interoceptive Awareness: A 21-Day Embodied Practice Intervention.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 11, 2026 Zixi Liu, Zhen Wu, Jingchao Zeng et al.

This qualitative study examined how a 21-day integrated program fosters interoceptive awareness and mind-body integration among urban adults in mainland China (n = 11). The intervention combined daily nasal breathing regulation, spontaneous mandala making, and descriptive journaling, complemented by weekly group sharing. Using a cultural-psychological lens, we investigated how an inward-turning...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16030411 Full text Breathing practice Cross-cultural perspective Embodied cognition Flow experience +2

Psilocybin Treatment as an Adjunct to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Eating Disorders: Therapeutic Rationale & Considerations for Protocol Development.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 6, 2026 Elena Koning, Susan Gamberg, Aaron Keshen 1 citation

Eating disorders (EDs) remain challenging to treat, with high dropout and low remission rates in cognitive-behavioral therapy for EDs (CBT-ED). Psilocybin treatment (PT) demonstrates therapeutic potential to enhance CBT-ED by exerting several neurobiological, psychological, and experiential effects (e.g., antidepressant, neuroplasticity, emotional openness) that are hypothesized to increase...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16030376 Full text Psilocybin Eating disorders Psychedelic treatment Psychotherapy

Subliminal Semantic Processing of Grasping Actions: Evidence from ERP Measures of Action-Verb Priming.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) January 30, 2026 Yanglan Yu, Anmin Li

Human interaction with manipulable objects relies heavily on the ability to perceive and execute grasping actions, yet it remains unclear whether the semantics of these actions are processed without conscious awareness. While previous work has identified bottom-up influences on grasp recognition, direct evidence for subliminal semantic processing of grasping actions is limited. Grounded in...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16020206 Full text Embodied semantic recognition Event-related potentials erps Grasping manipulative actions Subliminal visual consciousness

Tai Chi Training and Pre-Competition Anxiety in High-Level Competitive Athletes: A Chain Mediation Model of Flow and Mental Toughness.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) January 23, 2026 Runze Guo, Jing Liu

With the increasing competition in elite sports, pre-competition anxiety has become increasingly prevalent among high-level competitive athletes, and high levels of such anxiety may impair sports performance and threaten athletes' psychological health. Traditional psychological interventions (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy) are often poorly accepted and costly; however, pre-competition...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16020163 Full text Tai chi training Flow experience High-level competitive athletes Mental toughness +1

The Museum as a Mindful Space: Reducing Visitors' Stress and Anxiety Levels Through the ASBA Protocol.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) January 14, 2026 Annalisa Banzi, Pier Luigi Sacco, Maria Elide Vanutelli et al.

Active involvement in creative activities, known as creative health, has been shown to enhance wellbeing, with museums serving as unique spaces for health promotion; however, visitors often require guidance to derive significant benefits from these institutions. This study, part of the larger ASBA (Anxiety, Stress, Brain-friendly museum Approach) project, evaluates the first phase of an...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16010116 Full text Mbsr Anxiety Mindfulness Asba +4

Effect of Mindful Hypnotherapy on Psychological Distress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) January 13, 2026 Victor Julián Padilla, Vanessa Muñiz, Katherine Scheffrahn et al.

Mindful hypnotherapy is an intervention that integrates hypnotic induction and direct suggestions (hypnosis) to increase mindfulness and reduce distress. In the present study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to investigate the effects of mindful hypnotherapy on psychological distress and mindfulness in adults. Further, the study evaluated the methodological quality of the...

DOI: 10.3390/bs16010107 Full text Mindfulness Hypnosis Psychological distress

Neural Pattern of Chanting-Driven Intuitive Inquiry Meditation in Expert Chan Practitioners.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) September 5, 2025 Kin Cheung George Lee, Hin Hung Sik, Hang Kin Leung et al.

Intuitive inquiry meditation (Can-Hua-Tou) is a unique mental practice which differs from relaxation-based practices by continuously demanding intuitive inquiry. It emphasizes the doubt-driven self-interrogation, also referred to as Chan/Zen meditation. Nonetheless, its electrophysiological signature remains poorly characterized. We recorded 128-channel EEG from 20 male Buddhist monks (5-28...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15091213 Full text Brain plasticity Long-term meditators Chan/zen meditation Zen practice +21

The Effects of Loving-Kindness Meditation Guided by Short Video Apps on Policemen's Mindfulness, Public Service Motivation, Conflict Resolution Skills, and Communication Skills.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) July 4, 2025 Chao Liu, Li-Jen Lin, Kang-Jie Zhang et al. 7 citations

Police officers work in high-stress environments that demand emotional resilience, interpersonal skills, and effective communication. Occupational stress can negatively impact their motivation, conflict resolution abilities, and professional effectiveness. Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM), a mindfulness-based intervention focused on cultivating compassion and empathy, has shown promise in...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15070909 Full text Mindfulness Communication skills csss Digital intervention Loving-kindness meditation lkm +2

Embodied, Exploratory Listening in the Concert Hall.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) May 21, 2025 Remy Haswell-Martin, Finn Upham, Simon Høffding et al. 3 citations

Live music can afford novel, transformative aesthetic interactions for individual audience members. Nevertheless, concert research tends to focus on shared experience. In this paper we offer an account of exploratory listening that foregrounds embodied-enactive engagement and affective resonance through close analysis of the music, physiological measurements, and reflections from interviews....

DOI: 10.3390/bs15050710 Full text Aesthetic experience Affect Attention Audience member +7

Healthy Pills: A Physical Activity and Meditation Program to Enhance Mental Health and Well-Being in Spanish University Students.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) April 18, 2025 Laura García-pérez, Rosario Padial-Ruz, Mar Cepero-González et al. 2 citations

(1) Background: University students' mental health (MH) is in crisis due to academic stress, lack of physical activity (PA), and low self-esteem. This study evaluated a 12-week PA and meditation intervention to enhance psychological well-being in Spanish university students. (2) Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used, with a non-randomized control group and pretest-posttest assessments....

DOI: 10.3390/bs15040549 Full text Meditation Intervention-based study Mental health Physical activity +2

Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Seniors-An Exploratory Semi-Randomized Examination of Decentering Effects on Cognitive Functions and Psychological Distress.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) April 3, 2025 Ophir Katzenelenbogen, Daniela Aisenberg-Shafran

The need for psychological treatment in the community, specifically in times of crisis and for those in isolation, calls for finding suitable interventions, especially for older adults. The present study examined the effect of a short mindfulness-based intervention emphasizing a 'decentering' component and an equivalent guided-imagery intervention on cognitive and emotional measures in seniors...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15040466 Full text Depression Mbis Aging Cognitive functions +3

Development and Training of Mindfulness and Its Relationship with Executive Function in Chinese Rural Upper-Grade Elementary School Students.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 26, 2025 Sihui Zheng, Bin Zhang, Haichun Zhou et al. 1 citation

The purpose of this study was to explore the development and relationship between mindfulness and executive function (EF) in students in grades 4-5 and investigate mindfulness training's impact on mindfulness and EF in grade 4 students in rural China. Study 1 measured mindfulness and EF in Chinese students in grades 4-5. Differences in the level of mindfulness among children in grade 4 (n =...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15040422 Full text Mindfulness Executive function

Identifying Common Patterns in the Time of Day of Mindfulness Meditation Associated with Long-Term Maintenance.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 18, 2025 Rylan Fowers, Aurel Coza, Yunro Chung et al.

Forming a habit of practicing mindfulness meditation around the same time of day is one strategy that may support long-term maintenance and in turn improve physical and mental health. The purpose of this study was to identify common patterns in the time of day of meditation associated with long-term meditation app use to assess the importance of temporal consistency for maintaining meditation...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15030381 Full text App engagement Behavior maintenance Habit formation Mindfulness meditation +1

Effectiveness of the Mindfulness-Based Social-Emotional Growth (MSEG) Program in Enhancing Mental Health of Elementary School Students in Korea.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) March 5, 2025 Jongtae Kim, Seonyeop Kim, Misan W D Kim et al. 3 citations

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health challenges among children and adolescents in South Korea have intensified with rising rates of depression and suicide. Proactive interventions focusing on mental well-being are needed to address this critical issue. This study examines the effectiveness of the Mindfulness-based Social-Emotional Growth (MSEG) program for enhancing the mental health of...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15030315 Full text Mindfulness Children Compassion Elementary school +2

Breath-Counting Task Enhances the Sensitivity of Fear Acquisition.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) February 24, 2025 Xu Li, Yong Yang, Ranran Wang et al.

Fear acquisition is an essential survival mechanism for humans; however, the role and mechanisms of mindfulness training in this process remain unclear. This study employed a discriminative fear conditioning paradigm to investigate the effects and mechanisms of short-term mindfulness training, exemplified by the breath-counting task, on fear acquisition. The experiment consisted of three...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15030263 Full text Mindfulness Breath-counting task Conditioned fear Fear acquisition

Mindfulness, Loving-Kindness, and Compassion-Based Meditation Interventions and Adult Attachment Orientations: A Systematic Map.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) January 24, 2025 Taranah Gazder, Erica Ruby Drummond, Mine Gelegen et al.

Meditation interventions have important benefits, including potentially helping those with higher attachment anxiety and avoidance enjoy better personal and relational growth. This preregistered and reproducible systematic map sought to identify the extent and scope of experimental evidence investigating the role of mindfulness, loving-kindness, and compassion-based multi-session meditation...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15020119 Full text Meditation Mindfulness Attachment Compassion +3

Effects of a Body-Based Mindfulness Program on Alexithymia, Dispositional Mindfulness, and Distress Symptoms: A Pilot Clinical Trial.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) January 8, 2025 Rossella Mattea Quinto, Francesca Russo, Francesca Scafuto et al. 10 citations

Mind-body practices have shown to be effective in reducing psychological distress and improving well-being and quality of life in clinical samples and healthy populations. We tested the effects of a body-based mindfulness intervention based on alexithymia, distress symptoms, and dispositional mindfulness among healthy adults. A total of seventy-three participants (mean age 40.1) were assigned...

DOI: 10.3390/bs15010055 Full text Alexithymia Body-based mindfulness program Dispositional mindfulness Distress symptoms +2

Interoceptive Ability and Emotion Regulation in Mind-Body Interventions: An Integrative Review.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) November 18, 2024 Alessandro Lazzarelli, Francesca Scafuto, Cristiano Crescentini et al. 30 citations

It is increasingly recognized that interoceptive ability, the capacity to detect, interpret, and consciously integrate signals related to the physiological condition of the body, is central to emotion experience and regulation. Interoceptive ability can be trained and improved through mind-body interventions. This article attempts to provide an integrative review of the link between...

DOI: 10.3390/bs14111107 Full text Mindfulness Emotion regulation Emotional expression Interoceptive ability +1

The Impact of Self-Transcendence on Anxiety Among Chinese College Students: The Moderating Roles of Self-Enhancement and Dominant Self-Construal.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) November 17, 2024 Hong Wang, Tong Yue, Huajun Luo

This study explores the role of self-transcendence values in reducing anxiety among Chinese undergraduates, with a particular focus on how self-enhancement values and self-construal styles moderate this relationship. A total of 567 undergraduate students were assessed using the Portrait Values Questionnaire (PVQ-21), the Trait Anxiety Inventory (T-AI), and the Self-Construal Scale (SCS)....

DOI: 10.3390/bs14111105 Full text Anxiety Mental health Moderated moderation Self-construal +2

Combined Effects of Nasal Ketamine and Trauma-Focused Psychotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Case Series.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) August 16, 2024 Judith Rohde, Elena Hickmann, Marco Buchmann et al. 7 citations

This pilot case series investigated the feasibility and efficacy of an eight-week therapy program, combining nasally administered ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) with trauma-focused psychotherapy, for individuals with chronic, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Three patients with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD underwent the eight-week therapy program. Clinical assessments...

DOI: 10.3390/bs14080717 Full text Ketamine assisted Trauma focused PTSD-Treatment Ketamine-therapy +3

Identifying Consciousness in Other Creatures: Three Initial Steps.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) April 17, 2024 Alejandro Heredia Cedillo, Dennis Lambert, Ezequiel Morsella

Identifying consciousness in other creatures, be they animals or exotic creatures that have yet to be discovered, remains a great scientific challenge. We delineate the first three steps that we think are necessary for identifying consciousness in other creatures. Step 1 is to define the particular kind of consciousness in which one is interested. Step 2 is to identify, in humans, the key...

DOI: 10.3390/bs14040337 Full text Consciousness Encapsulation Evolution Passive frame theory +1

Papers