Mindfulness in Health Education: From Physical to Virtual Presence during the Pandemic, an Anthropological Study in Spain
Anastasia Téllez Infantes, Fina Antón Hurtado, Fulgencio Sánchez Vera, Javier Eloy Martínez Guirao
Sustainability February 23, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/su14052547 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants in mindfulness practice groups at a center that had provided face-to-face training for twelve years, before and after the move to online practice during the pandemic |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Online mindfulness training breaks the traditional time-and-place arrangement and opens new access possibilities, but limits bodily practices, decreases the intensity of the experience, and slows the pace of learning. The authors report that effectiveness is maintained, with equivalent result rates at the end of training under both in-person and online models. |
Abstract
Research on traditional mindfulness-based interventions supports the position that they are effective in treating psychological problems and benefiting healthy people. However, more research is needed on the effectiveness of online interventions, a field that is growing and developing rapidly, especially with the onset of the pandemic, as many meditation groups have moved into cyberspace. There is little research on the difficulties that these groups face and the effectiveness of online mindfulness practice. In this work, we analyze the effects of the transition from training with physical presence to virtual training in mindfulness during the lockdown and subsequent period of social distancing due to SARS-CoV-2. Specifically, we analyze the changes in the means and the methodology and the effects of the transition to virtual presence; finally, we evaluate the results obtained through both training models. The investigation was carried out in a center where face-to-face training has been provided for twelve years and that, with the onset of the pandemic, moved its practice groups to cyberspace. The methodology is anthropological and is supported by quantitative and qualitative techniques. The results show that online training breaks the traditional chrono-topo complex and opens up new access possibilities, but limits bodily practices, decreases the intensity of the experience, and slows down the pace of learning. However, the effectiveness is maintained by showing equivalent result rates at the end of the training.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 26
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- 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
and 21 more in the library