Stakeholder views on mindfulness for youth at risk for psychosis
Daniel Reich, Subhadra Evans, Melissa O’Shea
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing July 2, 2022 DOI: 10.1111/inm.13038 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 14 |
| Population | Eight practitioners experienced in working with youth at risk for psychosis and six individuals at risk for psychosis |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | Stakeholders identified potential benefits of mindfulness for youth at risk for psychosis, including stress and relaxation, managing difficult thoughts and emotions, increasing positive emotions, improving functioning, and empowerment in treatment. They recommended adaptations such as compassion-based practices, experiential and concrete material, shorter guided exercises, targeting anxiety and attenuated psychotic symptoms, and youth-relevant goals. Reported barriers included poor functioning, low motivation, high self-criticism, concurrent medication and substance use, and perceptions of mindfulness that may affect uptake. |
Abstract
Interventions incorporating mindfulness for youth identified to be at risk for psychosis show promise for symptom management yet to be addressed by other approaches. Important questions remain as to how to safely and effectively implement these interventions with this cohort. The aim of this research was to collaboratively identify with stakeholders of such interventions, namely youth at risk for psychosis, and practitioners with experience working with youth at risk for psychosis - attitudes towards mindfulness and potential intervention adaptations to ensure the safety, uptake, and effectiveness of mindfulness interventions used with youth at risk for psychosis. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies were adopted. Eight practitioners and six at risk for psychosis individuals were interviewed. Both groups identified significant potential benefits of mindfulness, for stress and relaxation, managing difficult thoughts and emotions, increasing positive emotions, improving functioning, and patient empowerment within treatment participation. Stakeholders identified the helpfulness of including compassion-based practices, emphasizing experiential and concrete material, shorter and guided exercises, the targeting of anxiety and attenuated psychotic symptomology, and making the goals or intent of practice youth relevant. Significant barriers were identified - poor functioning and low motivation, high self-criticism, concurrent medication and substance use, and perceptions of mindfulness that may impact uptake (e.g. it requires relaxation to work). Formulation of and research into comprehensive clinical guidelines will help ensure the safe and effective use of future mindfulness and compassion-based practices with at risk for psychosis individuals.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 6
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Mindfulness Meditation and Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology December 11, 2018
- Application of a mindfulness and compassion‐based approach to the at‐risk mental state Clinical Psychologist July 1, 2017
- Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation: Insights from Neurobiological, Psychological, and Clinical Studies Frontiers in Psychology March 6, 2017
- Mindfulness groups for early psychosis: a qualitative study. Psychology and Psychotherapy Theory Research and Practice August 30, 2011
and 1 more in the library