Randomized Controlled Trial of the Tibetan Buddhist Feeding Your Demons Contemplative Process in Meditation Practitioners
Philippe R. Goldin, Amy E. Braun, Eve Ekman, Vanessa Simons, Tamara Flora, Chandra Easton, Tsultrim Allione
Journal of Emotion and Psychopathology January 20, 2023 DOI: 10.55913/joep.v1i1.11 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 61 |
| Population | Meditation practitioners with moderate depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (70% female; mean age 44.05 years) |
| Duration | 1-month intervention, assessments at baseline and post-FYD/WL |
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Compared with a waitlist control, one month of Feeding Your Demons practice produced significantly greater reductions in stress symptoms and increases in self-compassion. A lesser history of psychiatric problems predicted greater reductions in depression, anxiety, and stress, and more sessions completed predicted improvements in self-compassion, life satisfaction, stress, depression, and intolerance for uncertainty. The authors suggest FYD may enhance psychological health in a dose-dependent manner, though they note an active-comparison trial is needed to establish specificity. |
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate outcomes and predictors of a Tibetan Buddhist meditation process called Feeding Your Demons® (FYD) vs. a waitlist (WL) control group of meditation practitioners with moderate depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms.
Methods: 61 meditators (70% female; mean age = 44.05, SD = 11.20; 43.5% White, 39% Asian, 9.3% Hispanic, 8.3% other) were randomly assigned to 1-month of FYD practice or WL groups. Participants completed self-report assessments at baseline and post-FYD/WL.
Results: Intention-to-treat analysis found that, compared to WL, FYD yielded significantly greater decreases in stress symptoms and increases in self-compassion. Moderator analyses showed baseline lesser history of psychiatric problems (but not number of years of meditation practice) predicted greater reduction in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms. Regression analyses found that the number of FYD sessions completed predicted post-FYD increases in self-compassion and satisfaction with life, as well as decreases in stress, depression, and intolerance for uncertainty.
Conclusions: FYD practice may enhance multiple facets of psychological health in adults in a dose dependent manner. An RCT with an active comparison training is necessary to determine the specificity of FYD related effects and to identify mechanisms of change.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on buddhism, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 5
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Meditation Experience Predicts Introspective Accuracy PLoS One September 25, 2012
- A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self-compassion program. Journal of Clinical Psychology October 15, 2012
- Effects of Mindfulness on Psychological Health: A Review of Empirical Studies Clinical Psychology Review May 13, 2011