Effectiveness of a 4-Day Mindfulness-Based Intervention in a 2-Month Follow-Up for Chinese Incarcerated People.
Jieting Zhang, Zening Zheng, Lina Wang, Christina M. Luberto, Man Sophie Zhang, Yuhua Wen, Qi Su, Can Jiao
Behavior Therapy September 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2022.04.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | Newly incarcerated males in a Chinese prison |
| Duration | 4-day intervention with 56-day follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Incarcerated people Insomnia Mindfulness-based intervention Negative affect Perceived stress |
| Key findings | Both instructor-guided and audio-based 4-day mindfulness interventions were associated with significantly greater linear decreases in perceived stress over 56 days compared with a no-intervention control group. The instructor-guided group also showed a significantly greater decrease in insomnia, but the audio-based group did not, and neither group showed a significantly greater decrease in negative affect. The two intervention groups did not differ significantly on any outcome. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions, an evidence-based stress reduction approach, may help incarcerated people cope with stress-related problems in the challenging environment of prison. However, due to their unique living environment, the duration and instructor guidance required by standard mindfulness-based interventions would be infeasible in most prisons. Therefore, the aims of the current study were to test the effects of two different 4-day interventions (i.e., instructor-guided and audio-based) with content similar to Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for newly incarcerated males, and to compare the effectiveness of the two interventions relative to a no-intervention control group. Using daily assessments, we explored changes in perceived stress, insomnia, and negative affect in the 56 days following the instructor-guided (N = 25), audio-based (N = 21), and control (N = 44) intervention; length of mindfulness practice during the follow-up was also compared between the two intervention groups. Hierarchical linear model results showed significantly greater linear decreases in perceived stress after both mindfulness interventions during the 56-day follow-up (γ11 = -0.011, p < .001, 95% CI [-0.017, -0.004] for instructor-guided intervention; γ12 = -0.013, p < .001, 95% CI [-0.018, -0.006] for audio-based intervention), as compared to the control group. Compared to the control group, the instructor-guided group reported a significantly greater decrease in insomnia (γ11 = -0.007, p < .001, 95% CI [-0.014, -0.002]), but the audio-based group did not (γ12 = -0.002, p = .160, 95% CI [-.007, .004]). Neither mindfulness-based intervention group reported a significantly greater decrease in negative affect compared to the control group (γ11 = -0.002, p = .170, 95% CI [-0.005, 0.001] for instructor-guided intervention; γ12 = -0.002, p = .150, 95% CI [-0.006, 0.002] for audio-based intervention). No significant difference between the two intervention groups was found in the change of outcomes (γ11 = 0.002, -0.005 and 0.000, p = .350, .130 and .390, 95% CI [-0.008, 0.011], 95% CI [-0.014, 0.004] and 95% CI [-0.004, 0.006] subsequently for perceived stress, insomnia and negative affect). Daily mindfulness practice was significantly longer for the audio-based group on the first day of follow-up (γ02 = -0.758, p < .05, 95% CI [-1.333, -0.129]), but it gradually decreased to the same amount as the instructor-guided group (t (32) = 0.051, p = .959). Short-term mindfulness interventions, either instructor-guided or audio-based, appear to be beneficial for Chinese prisoners in reducing stress. Live instruction may have potential benefit in reducing insomnia and sustaining daily practice.
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 18
- The effect of mindfulness meditation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences December 21, 2018
- Brief mindfulness training for negative affectivity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology June 25, 2018
- Mindfulness and psychological process. Emotion February 1, 2010
- A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation in Prison International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology August 28, 2015
- "Cooling of the mind": Assessing the relevance of mindfulness training among people living with HIV using alcohol and other substances in South Africa. Social Science & Medicine October 8, 2020
and 13 more in the library