The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
May 1, 2016
Diana Koszycki, Jennifer Thake, Céline Mavounza et al.
This study evaluated the feasibility and initial efficacy of a 12-week group mindfulness-based intervention tailored for persons with social anxiety disorder (MBI-SAD). The intervention includes elements of the standard mindfulness-based stress reduction program, explicit training in self-compassion aimed at cultivating a more accepting and kinder stance toward oneself, and use of exposure...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
May 2016
Tessa Barkan, Michael Hoerger, Autumn M Gallegos et al.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a promising intervention for older adults seeking to improve quality of life. More research is needed, however, to determine who is most willing to use the four techniques taught in the program (yoga, sitting meditation, informal meditation, and body scanning). This study evaluated the relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
April 2016
Marian Petersen, Peter La Cour
The purpose of this study was to describe and predict the patients who would benefit from a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course and those for whom the conditions or timing are not optimal. The hypothesis was that patients' sociodemographic status would affect the effectiveness of MBSR. Data were collected by using mixed methods. Quantitative data were collected from a group of 58...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
November 13, 2015
Tanja Miller, Laila Nielsen
19 citations
OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether Holotropic Breathwork™ (HB; Grof Transpersonal Training, Mill Valley, CA) has any significance in the development of self-awareness. DESIGN: A quasi-experiment design and multiple case studies. A single case design was replicated. The statistical design was a related within-subject and repeated-measures design (pre-during-post design). SETTING/LOCATION: The...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
September 1, 2015
Kathryn A Culver, Kathryn Whetten, David L Boyd et al.
To measure trauma-related distress and evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of an 8-week yoga intervention (YI) in reducing trauma-related symptoms and emotional and behavioral difficulties (EBD) among children living in orphanages in Haiti. Case comparison with random assignment to YI or aerobic dance control (DC) plus a nonrandomized wait-list control (WLC) group....
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
July 14, 2015
Ava L Vinesett, Miurel Price, Kenneth H Wilson
Objective: Ngoma ceremonies are used throughout Central and South Africa to help people address "difficult issues," including medical illness. They are examples of ceremonies that use strong rhythms and dance for this purpose in indigenous cultures throughout the world. This study sought to modify an ngoma ceremony to make it appropriate for biomedical use and to determine its acceptance and...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
June 2, 2015
Kathi J Kemper, Xiaokui Mo, Rami Khayat
Objectives: To describe the relationship between trainable qualities (mindfulness and self-compassion), with factors conceptually related to burnout and quality of care (sleep and resilience) in young health professionals and trainees. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Large Midwestern academic health center. Participants: 213 clinicians and trainees. Outcome measures: Sleep and...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
March 2015
Sergio Hernández, José Suero, Katya Rubia et al.
To identify the neural correlates of the state of mental silence as experienced through Sahaja yoga meditation. Nineteen experienced meditators underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during three short consecutive meditation periods, contrasted with a control relaxation condition. Relative to baseline, at the beginning of the meditation sessions there was a significant increase of...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
February 19, 2015
Jeffrey M Greeson, Moria J Smoski, Edward C Suarez et al.
Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a secular meditation training program that reduces depressive symptoms. Little is known, however, about the degree to which a participant's spiritual and religious background, or other demographic characteristics associated with risk for depression, may affect the effectiveness of MBSR. Therefore, this study tested whether individual...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
May 1, 2014
Susaree Prakhinkit, Siriluck Suppapitiporn, Hirofumi Tanaka et al.
The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of the novel Buddhism-based walking meditation (BWM) and the traditional walking exercise (TWE) on depression, functional fitness, and vascular reactivity. This was a randomized exercise intervention study. The study was conducted in a university hospital setting. Forty-five elderly participants aged 60-90 years with mild-to-moderate...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
February 1, 2014
Matthew J Leach, Andrew D Francis, Tahereh Ziaian
Caring for a person with dementia can be an unrelenting and burdensome task, one that is often detrimental to the caregiver's health, well-being, and functionality. The enduring stress and frustration of the caregiver role can also contribute to poorer outcomes for dementia sufferers. Building on growing clinical interest in the capacity for Transcendental Meditation(®) (TM; a relaxation...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
October 9, 2013
David W. Orme-Johnson, Vernon A Barnes
151 citations
OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the Transcendental Meditation® (TM) technique updates previous meta-analyses and assesses the effects of initial anxiety level, age, duration of practice, regularity of practice, research quality, author affiliation, and type of control group on effect sizes. DESIGN: This systematic review of the literature used the...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
September 11, 2012
Mathew J Gregoski, Alexey Vertegel, Aleksey Shaporev et al.
Objectives: This brief report demonstrates the proof of concept of the Tension Tamer (TT) smartphone application, which integrates photoplethysmograph capabilities with breathing awareness meditation (BAM), to reduce stress and measure heart rate and adherence. Design: Methods for objectively measuring heart rate and adherence to BAM were developed as part of a future randomized controlled...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
September 4, 2012
Shirley Telles, Bhat Ramachandra Raghavendra, Kalkuni Visweswaraiah Naveen et al.
Objectives: In ancient yoga texts there are two meditative states described. One is dharana, which requires focusing, the second is dhyana, during which there is no focusing, but an expansive mental state is reached. While an earlier study did show improved performance in an attention task after dharana, the autonomic changes during these two states have not been studied. Methods: Autonomic and...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
April 23, 2012
Anand Dhruva, Christine Miaskowski, Donald Abrams et al.
Background: Many debilitating symptoms arise from cancer and its treatment that are often unrelieved by established methods. Pranayama, a series of yogic breathing techniques, may improve cancer-related symptoms and quality of life, but it has not been studied for this purpose. Objectives: A pilot study was performed to evaluate feasibility and to test the effects of pranayama on...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
October 1, 2011
Cara Geary, Susan L. Rosenthal
96 citations
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were (1) to evaluate self-reported stress levels and daily spiritual experiences in academic health care employees before, immediately after, and 1 year after enrolling in a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course; and (2) to evaluate the correlation between a potential measure of pulse rate variability and self-reported stress levels. SUBJECTS:...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
October 1, 2011
Karen Caldwell, Lisa Emery, Mandy Harrison et al.
95 citations
OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether participants in taijiquan classes would report increases in mindfulness greater than that of a comparison group, and whether changes in mindfulness were associated with improvements in mood, perceived stress, self-regulatory self-efficacy, and sleep quality. DESIGN: The study design was quasi-experimental with repeated measures....
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
July 1, 2011
Dounya Schoormans, Ivan Nyklíček
This study examined whether practitioners of two meditation types differ on self-reported mindfulness skills and psychologic well-being. This was a cross-sectional study comparing two convenience meditation groups drawn from local meditation centers, one group practicing mindfulness meditation (MM), and the other practicing transcendental meditation (TM). The study was conducted at several...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
April 2011
Christina F Lavallee, Stanley A. Koren, Michael A. Persinger
The study objective was to determine the quantitative electroencephalographic correlates of meditation, as well as the effects of hindering (15 Hz) and facilitative (7 Hz) binaural beats on the meditative process. The study was a mixed design, with experience of the subject as the primary between-subject measure and power of the six classic frequency bands (δ, θ, low α, high α, β, γ),...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
March 2011
Amit Mohan, Ratna Sharma, Ramesh L Bijlani
The objective of this study was to study the effects of meditation on stress-induced changes in cognitive functions. The study was conducted on 32 healthy adult male student volunteers who had never practiced meditation before the study. The study consisted of practicing 20 minutes of guided meditation and administration of psychologic stress to the subjects. The psychologic stress was...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
February 25, 2011
Erica Sibinga, Deanna Kerrigan, Miriam Stewart et al.
200 citations
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess the general acceptability and to assess domains of potential effect of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected and at-risk urban youth. METHODS: Thirteen-to twenty-one-year-old youth were recruited from the pediatric primary care clinic of an urban tertiary care hospital to...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
February 1, 2011
Beverly Rubik
This study had two aims: (1) to explore the inner experiences associated with increased production of gamma brainwaves in an initial neurofeedback experience; and (2) to measure and compare neurofeedback-enhanced increased output from the prefrontal cortical region of meditators and non-meditators, using the Peak Brain Happiness Trainer(™) neurofeedback system. This was a controlled pilot...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
January 31, 2011
Helané Wahbeh, Heather Zwickey, Barry Oken
31 citations
OBJECTIVES: Home practice is frequently prescribed as part of mind-body medicine interventions, although rarely objectively measured. This brief methods report describes one method for objectively measuring home practice adherence using a custom monitoring software program. DESIGN: Methods for objectively measuring adherence were developed as part of a randomized controlled trial on the...
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
2011
Mindfulness-based interventions for chronic pain: a systematic review of the evidence.
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
December 1, 2010
Maria Engström, Johan Pihlsgård, Peter Lundberg et al.
The objective of the present study was to investigate whether moderately experienced meditators activate hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex during silent mantra meditation, as has been observed in earlier studies on subjects with several years of practice. Subjects with less than 2 years of meditation practice according to the Kundalini yoga or Acem tradition were examined by functional...