Differential Effects of Mindful Breathing and Loving-Kindness Meditation Exercises on College Students' Mental Health
Sarah J. Bolognino
June 18, 2018 DOI: 10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.4621 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Mindful breathing meditation Loving-kindness meditation Relaxation |
| Duration | Two weeks |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Clinical psychology Mental health Psychotherapist Psychological intervention Randomized controlled trial |
| Key findings | Mindful breathing and loving-kindness meditation had greater therapeutic effects than combined or relaxation conditions, and changes in process variables predicted changes in outcomes. |
Abstract
Mindfulness and loving-kindness are two concepts with associated meditation exercises that have been evaluated as part of mindfulness-based treatment approaches (MBTAs) to improve mental health. A common MBTA, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) includes multiple component exercises including mindful breathing meditation (MBM), and loving-kindness meditation (LKM). The purpose of the present study was to examine differential effects of MBM and LKM on the proposed process variables of social connectedness, cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance, present moment awareness, affect, and compassion for self and others, as well as across outcomes measures of general anxiety, social anxiety, depression, and wellbeing. Additionally the study determined if changes in outcomes were predicted by changes in theoretically related process variables. Differences in, and effects of, previous meditation experience (PME), treatment integrity (TI), and treatment acceptability (TA) by condition were also explored. The research design was a randomized controlled trial with four conditions: MBM, LKM, Combined (MBM and LKM), and Relaxation. The interventions consisted of a once daily 10-minute audio-assisted exercise, completed for two weeks. Findings revealed a statistically significant therapeutic effect of time regardless of condition. Consideration of effect sizes further indicated that MBM and LKM had greater therapeutic effects than Combined and Relaxation, with therapeutic differences between conditions ranging from small to large. Results for the total sample also showed that changes in process variables predicted changes in various outcomes. Finally, although PME, TI, and TA did not differ between conditions, TA did predict changes in depression. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 39
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
and 34 more in the library