Focused Attention vs. Open Monitoring: An Event-Related Potential Study of Emotion Regulation by Two Distinct Forms of Mindfulness Meditation
Tarah L. Raldiris
VCU Scholars Compass 2017 DOI: 10.25772/9wf4-ff71 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Novice practitioners |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) |
| Duration | 8-week training |
| Measures | Late-positive potential (LPP) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Contrary to expectation, the late-positive potential (LPP) to negative emotional images increased on average from pre- to post-intervention across all three 8-week mindfulness trainings (focused attention, open monitoring, and MBCT), with no significant differences between groups at post-intervention. The authors suggest this preliminary evidence indicates that mindfulness training in novice practitioners may heighten initial emotional reactivity. |
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of two novel forms of 8-week mindfulness meditation training, focused attention (FA) and open monitoring (OM), relative to an established training, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), on early emotional reactivity to negative emotional images as assessed by electroencephalography (EEG). Data on the late-positive potential (LPP) were analyzed to address whether the three mindfulness interventions attenuated the LPP from pre- to post-intervention, and if significant differences existed between groups in LPP at post-intervention. Rather than an attenuation, results indicated an average increase in LPP amplitude from pre- to post-intervention. No significant differences were found in the LPP between the training conditions at post-intervention. These results provide preliminary evidence that mindfulness training in novice practitioners may heighten initial emotional reactivity. Further, well-designed research is needed to examine a wider range of neural responses to better understand emotion regulation process effects of different forms of mindfulness training.
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 |