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Raugh IM, Strauss GP. Integrating mindfulness into the extended process model of emotion regulation: The dual-mode model of mindful emotion regulation. Emotion 2024; 24:847-866. [PMID: 37843512 PMCID: PMC11009092 DOI: 10.1037/emo0001308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Extensive research has been conducted regarding how people manage their emotions. Within this research, there has been growing attention toward the role of mindfulness in emotion regulation. While prior reviews have discussed mindfulness in the context of emotion regulation, they have not provided a thorough integration using the prevailing models of emotion regulation or mindfulness. The present review discusses the Extended Process Model of Emotion Regulation and Monitoring and Acceptance Theory of mindfulness in order to propose a novel integrated framework, the Dual-mode Model of Mindful Emotion Regulation (D-MER). This model proposes two "modes" of mindfulness: Implementation and facilitation. Implementation posits that mindfulness skills can be used as emotion regulation strategies through attentional deployment and cognitive change. Facilitation posits that mindfulness as a state or trait affects emotion generation and regulation through effects on cognitive processes and positive or negative valence systems. Further, the D-MER posits that mindfulness experience can improve the efficiency of mindfulness-based emotion regulation strategies (implementation) while effects of mindfulness on emotion regulation processes become increasingly trait-like and automatic over time (facilitation). Empirical and theoretical support for this model are discussed, specific hypotheses to guide further research are provided, and clinical implications are presented. Use of this model may identify mechanisms underlying the interaction between mindfulness and emotion regulation which can be used in ongoing affective and clinical research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Kundarti FI, Kiswati, Komalyna INT. Mindfullness based intervention reduce anxiety in labor. GACETA SANITARIA 2024; 38:102359. [PMID: 38330537 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2024.102359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions on anxiety through a systematic review. METHOD Systematic review by searching articles through the PubMed, ProQuest, Science Direct, Wiley Library, Sage Journal, and Cochrane Library databases with publication years January 2012 to January 2022 RESULTS: Eleven articles met the inclusion criteria covering several countries, including Canada 1 article, Egypt 1 article, Taiwan 1 article, Amsterdam 2 articles, Iran 1 article, Austria 1 article, San Francisco 1 article, Germany 1 article, Sweden 1 article, China 1 article, and Spain 1 article. CONCLUSIONS Management of anxiety about childbirth is important for pregnant women. Mindfulness interventions are effective for reducing anxiety about labor and increasing comfort during labor. Mindfulness intervention mechanisms have the potential to reduce anxiety by increasing skills to regulate emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Finta Isti Kundarti
- Department of Midwifery, Health Polytechnic Ministry of Health Malang, Malang, Indonesia.
| | - Kiswati
- Department of Midwifery, Health Polytechnic Ministry of Health Malang, Malang, Indonesia
| | - I Nengah Tanu Komalyna
- Department of Nutrition, Health Polytechnic Ministry of Health Malang, Malang, Indonesia
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3
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Liao S, Liu Y, Yuan B. The effects of awe on interpersonal forgiveness: the mediating role of small-self. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1336068. [PMID: 38379626 PMCID: PMC10877021 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1336068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Awe could increase prosocial behavior, but little is known about its effects on interpersonal forgiveness. This study aims to explore the potential impact of awe on interpersonal forgiveness and the underlying mechanism of this process, using a combination of questionnaires, economic game and computational modeling. In Study 1, we utilized Trait Awe Scale (TAS) and Forgiveness Trait Scale (FTS) to examine the association between trait awe and trait forgiveness. In Study 2, we employed pre-screened video to induce awe, happy and neutral emotions, then evaluated the effects of induced awe on small-self and interpersonal forgiveness in hypothetical interpersonal offensive situations (Study 2a) and two economic interaction situations (Study 2b). Results from Study 1 indicate that there is a positive correlation between trait awe and trait forgiveness. Study 2 reveal that awe can enhance interpersonal forgiveness in both interpersonal conflict situations and economic interaction situations, and this effect is mediated by the sense of small-self elicited by awe. Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the potential impact of awe on interpersonal forgiveness and provide valuable insights into the mechanisms through which awe may influence forgiveness. Further research in this area could help to elucidate the potential applications of awe-based interventions in promoting forgiveness and positive social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bo Yuan
- Department of Psychology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
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Wan AHY, Ho RTH, Yau JCY, Yau EFK. Start With the Body or the Mind? Differential Benefits of Mindfulness and Qigong Practices for Colorectal Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study. Cancer Nurs 2023:00002820-990000000-00171. [PMID: 37801588 DOI: 10.1097/ncc.0000000000001288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mindfulness and qigong are 2 distinct forms of mind-body practice that have been well-received by cancer survivors. Although there is evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness or qigong in promoting wellness of cancer survivors, little is known about the differential benefits of these common forms of mind-body practices among survivors. OBJECTIVE To compare the potential biopsychosocial-spiritual impacts of mindfulness and Baduanjin (BDJ) qigong on colorectal cancer survivors. METHODS Sixty cancer survivors who participated in a mindfulness intervention (n = 38) and BDJ qigong (n = 22) intervention were invited to provide qualitative feedback for their experiences. Content analyses were conducted to identify emerging themes from the data, and χ2 tests were conducted to compare the responses of the mindfulness and BDJ groups in the major categories. RESULTS Both practices positively influenced psychosocial wellness. The practice of BDJ qigong led to more prominent improvements in physical well-being, whereas mindfulness worked best in enhancing spiritual growth and intrapersonal connectedness. CONCLUSIONS Survivors of colorectal cancer who are looking for ways to enhance their vitality and rejuvenate their physical body may find the practice of BDJ helpful, whereas survivors who are looking for spiritual comfort or growth may consider practicing mindfulness as an entry point toward mind-body unity. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Mindfulness and BDJ may be helpful for survivors of colorectal cancer to improve their holistic wellness. Oncology nurses can consider prescription of mindfulness and/or BDJ for patients recovering from colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian H Y Wan
- Author Affiliations: Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong (Drs Ho and Wan and Mr Yau); Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong (Drs Ho and Wan); and Tai Chi Qi Yuan Well Being Club (Ms Yau), Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
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Naragon-Gainey K, DeMarree KG, Kyron MJ, McMahon TP, Park J, Biehler KM. Decentering from Emotions in Daily Life: Dynamic Associations with Affect, Symptoms, and Wellbeing. Clin Psychol Sci 2023; 11:841-862. [PMID: 37771501 PMCID: PMC10538949 DOI: 10.1177/21677026221147262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Decentering is thought to be protective against a range of psychological symptoms, but little is known about the outcomes of decentering as a momentary state in daily life. We used ecological momentary assessment (42 reports across one week) to examine the temporal ordering of the associations of decentering with affect, dysphoria, participant-specific idiographic symptoms, and wellbeing. We also hypothesized that greater decentering predicts less inertia (persistence) of each variable, and weakens the association of affect with dysphoria, idiographic symptoms, and wellbeing. Results in 345 community participants indicated that decentering and these variables were mutually reinforcing over time, and that greater decentering was associated with less inertia of negative affect and dysphoria. Decentering generally predicted reduced impact of positive and negative affect on dysphoria symptoms, but results were mixed when predicting idiographic symptoms or wellbeing. Clinical implications and refinements for theory on decentering are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth G. DeMarree
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York
| | - Michael J. Kyron
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia
| | - Tierney P. McMahon
- Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University
| | | | - Kaitlyn M. Biehler
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, the State University of New York
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6
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Monachesi B, Grecucci A, Ahmadi Ghomroudi P, Messina I. Comparing reappraisal and acceptance strategies to understand the neural architecture of emotion regulation: a meta-analytic approach. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1187092. [PMID: 37546477 PMCID: PMC10403290 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1187092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the emotion regulation literature, the amount of neuroimaging studies on cognitive reappraisal led the impression that the same top-down, control-related neural mechanisms characterize all emotion regulation strategies. However, top-down processes may coexist with more bottom-up and emotion-focused processes that partially bypass the recruitment of executive functions. A case in point is acceptance-based strategies. Method To better understand neural commonalities and differences behind different emotion regulation processes, in the present study, we applied the Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) method to perform a meta-analysis on fMRI studies investigating task-related activity of reappraisal and acceptance. Both increased and decreased brain activity was taken into account in the contrast and conjunction analysis between the two strategies. Results Results showed increased activity in left-inferior frontal gyrus and insula for both strategies, and decreased activity in the basal ganglia for reappraisal, and decreased activity in limbic regions for acceptance. Discussion These findings are discussed in the context of a model of common and specific neural mechanisms of emotion regulation that support and expand the previous dual-routes models. We suggest that emotion regulation may rely on a core inhibitory circuit, and on strategy-specific top-down and bottom-up processes distinct for different strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Monachesi
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences—DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences—DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
- Center for Medical Sciences—CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy
| | - Parisa Ahmadi Ghomroudi
- Clinical and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences—DiPSCo, University of Trento, Rovereto, Italy
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Covington L, Banerjee M, Pereira A, Price M. Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Professionals Working in End-of-Life Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature. J Palliat Care 2023; 38:225-238. [PMID: 35593086 PMCID: PMC10026168 DOI: 10.1177/08258597221100330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: The potential usefulness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) is being investigated for healthcare staff burnout and associated problems, but empirical research on MBI's for end-of-life (EOL) professionals is still in its infancy. The aim of this review is to describe and evaluate the body of evidence-based research on the use of MBIs to support the psychological wellbeing of professional staff in EOL care settings. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Database records were extracted from ERIC, PsycInfo, EBSCO, PubMed Central (PMC) and Web of Science, using search terms to locate peer-reviewed studies on professional (not volunteer) staff in dedicated end-of-life settings, administering MBIs not embedded in more general therapeutic modalities (such as ACT or DBT). After removing duplicates, 8701 potential studies were identified: eliminating those that did not fit the eligibility criteria reduced the number of eligible studies to six. Results: A total of six empirical studies were identified and further evaluated. Interventions primarily focussed on reducing burnout symptoms, increasing self-care and self-compassion, and fostering mindfulness. Studies demonstrated very little overlap in treatment, methodology and measures. Only one study was a randomised control trial, which on application of the 3-item Jadad quality scoring, (evidence of randomisation, blinding of researcher to participants' identity and accounts provided of all participants), achieved 1 out of 5 possible points. Furthermore, other concerns were identified as to the study's methodology. Conclusions: Results of this review point to significant gaps in the research on the potential of MBIs to improve the wellbeing of EOL professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori Covington
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences, University of Chichester, West Sussex, UK
| | - Moitree Banerjee
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences, University of Chichester, West Sussex, UK
| | - Antonina Pereira
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences, University of Chichester, West Sussex, UK
| | - Marie Price
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Education, Social and Life Sciences, University of Chichester, West Sussex, UK
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8
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A neurophenomenological approach to non-ordinary states of consciousness: hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics. Trends Cogn Sci 2023; 27:139-159. [PMID: 36566091 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2022.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
No contemporary unifying framework has been provided for the study of non-ordinary states of consciousness (NSCs) despite increased interest in hypnosis, meditation, and psychedelics. NSCs induce shifts in experiential contents (what appears to the experiencer) and/or structure (how it appears). This can allow the investigation of the plastic and dynamic nature of experience from a multiscale perspective that includes mind, brain, body, and context. We propose a neurophenomenological (NP) approach to the study of NSCs which highlights their role as catalysts of transformation in clinical practice by refining our understanding of the relationships between experiential (subjective) and neural dynamics. We outline the ethical implications of the NP approach for standard conceptions of health and pathology as well as the crucial role of experience-based know-how in NSC-related research and application.
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Zhou D, Kang Y, Cosme D, Jovanova M, He X, Mahadevan A, Ahn J, Stanoi O, Brynildsen JK, Cooper N, Cornblath EJ, Parkes L, Mucha PJ, Ochsner KN, Lydon-Staley DM, Falk EB, Bassett DS. Mindful attention promotes control of brain network dynamics for self-regulation and discontinues the past from the present. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2201074119. [PMID: 36595675 PMCID: PMC9926276 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2201074119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mindful attention is characterized by acknowledging the present experience as a transient mental event. Early stages of mindfulness practice may require greater neural effort for later efficiency. Early effort may self-regulate behavior and focalize the present, but this understanding lacks a computational explanation. Here we used network control theory as a model of how external control inputs-operationalizing effort-distribute changes in neural activity evoked during mindful attention across the white matter network. We hypothesized that individuals with greater network controllability, thereby efficiently distributing control inputs, effectively self-regulate behavior. We further hypothesized that brain regions that utilize greater control input exhibit shorter intrinsic timescales of neural activity. Shorter timescales characterize quickly discontinuing past processing to focalize the present. We tested these hypotheses in a randomized controlled study that primed participants to either mindfully respond or naturally react to alcohol cues during fMRI and administered text reminders and measurements of alcohol consumption during 4 wk postscan. We found that participants with greater network controllability moderated alcohol consumption. Mindful regulation of alcohol cues, compared to one's own natural reactions, reduced craving, but craving did not differ from the baseline group. Mindful regulation of alcohol cues, compared to the natural reactions of the baseline group, involved more-effortful control of neural dynamics across cognitive control and attention subnetworks. This effort persisted in the natural reactions of the mindful group compared to the baseline group. More-effortful neural states had shorter timescales than less effortful states, offering an explanation for how mindful attention promotes being present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dale Zhou
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Yoona Kang
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Danielle Cosme
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Mia Jovanova
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Xiaosong He
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, 230026 Hefei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Arun Mahadevan
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Jeesung Ahn
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Ovidia Stanoi
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 19104
| | - Julia K. Brynildsen
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Nicole Cooper
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Eli J. Cornblath
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Linden Parkes
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Peter J. Mucha
- Department of Mathematics, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755
| | - Kevin N. Ochsner
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY 19104
| | - David M. Lydon-Staley
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Emily B. Falk
- Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Marketing Department, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
| | - Dani S. Bassett
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501
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Otani A. Using Buddhist Meditation-informed Hypnotic Techniques to Manage Rumination: Two Case Illustrations. Int J Clin Exp Hypn 2023; 71:48-62. [PMID: 36630308 DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2022.2160259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Rumination is a clinical phenomenon that causes significant distress in clients who suffer from various psychological and physical disorders. It also has a deleterious impact on both therapeutic process and outcome. One approach that holds promise to manage rumination is mindfulness meditation in combination with clinical hypnosis. This article: (1) reviews the concept of and techniques to manage rumination in the Buddhist psychological framework, (2) introduces 2 simple mindfulness-based techniques to deal with rumination, i.e., mindful thought detachment and mindful dereflection, and (3) describes 2 case studies in which these strategies were applied successfully. Hypnosis-informed clinicians are encouraged to integrate these approaches in their practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Otani
- Spectrum Behavioral Health, Annapolis, Maryland
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Kim E, Gentile DA, Anderson CA, Barlett CP. Are mindful people less aggressive? The role of emotion regulation in the relations between mindfulness and aggression. Aggress Behav 2022; 48:546-562. [PMID: 35613384 PMCID: PMC9790348 DOI: 10.1002/ab.22036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Inducing mindfulness has shown a promising effect on reducing aggression in both clinical and nonclinical populations, possibly because mindfulness can improve emotion regulation. The present study examined the association between mindfulness and aggression through potential mediating effects of several emotion regulation strategies. University and community samples of U.S. adults completed questionnaires on mindfulness, emotion regulation strategies, and trait aggression. Results indicate that mindfulness was associated with rumination and expressive suppression, which mediated the mindfulness-aggression relationship. Most facets of mindfulness were unrelated to the use of reflection and cognitive reappraisal. The nonjudging of experience facet of mindfulness was negatively related to hostility through rumination and expressive suppression. In contrast, the observing mindfulness facet was positively related to verbal aggression and hostility; these relations were mediated by rumination and expressive suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- El‐Lim Kim
- Department of PsychologyIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
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12
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Weder BJ. Mindfulness in the focus of the neurosciences - The contribution of neuroimaging to the understanding of mindfulness. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:928522. [PMID: 36325155 PMCID: PMC9622333 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.928522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mindfulness affects human levels of experience by facilitating the immediate and impartial perception of phenomena, including sensory stimulation, emotions, and thoughts. Mindfulness is now a focus of neuroimaging, since technical and methodological developments in magnetic resonance imaging have made it possible to observe subjects performing mindfulness tasks. OBJECTIVE We set out to describe the association between mental processes and characteristics of mindfulness, including their specific cerebral patterns, as shown in structural and functional neuroimaging studies. METHODS We searched the MEDLINE databank of references and abstracts on life sciences and biomedical topics via PubMed using the keywords: "mindfulness," "focused attention (FA)," "open monitoring (OM)," "mind wandering," "emotional regulation," "magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)" and "default mode network (DMN)." This review extracted phenomenological experiences across populations with varying degrees of mindfulness training and correlated these experiences with structural and functional neuroimaging patterns. Our goal was to describe how mindful behavior was processed by the constituents of the default mode network during specific tasks. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Depending on the research paradigm employed to explore mindfulness, investigations of function that used fMRI exhibited distinct activation patterns and functional connectivities. Basic to mindfulness is a long-term process of learning to use meditation techniques. Meditators progress from voluntary control of emotions and subjective preferences to emotional regulation and impartial awareness of phenomena. As their ability to monitor perception and behavior, a metacognitive skill, improves, mindfulness increases self-specifying thoughts governed by the experiential phenomenological self and reduces self-relational thoughts of the narrative self. The degree of mindfulness (ratio of self-specifying to self-relational thoughts) may affect other mental processes, e.g., awareness, working memory, mind wandering and belief formation. Mindfulness prevents habituation and the constant assumptions associated with mindlessness. Self-specifying thinking during mindfulness and self-relational thinking in the narrative self relies on the default mode network. The main constituents of this network are the dorsal and medial prefrontal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex. These midline structures are antagonistic to self-specifying and self-relational processes, since the predominant process determines their differential involvement. Functional and brain volume changes indicate brain plasticity, mediated by mental training over the long-term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno J. Weder
- Support Centre for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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13
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Approaching or Decentering? Differential Neural Networks Underlying Experiential Emotion Regulation and Cognitive Defusion. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12091215. [PMID: 36138951 PMCID: PMC9496919 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12091215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study investigated the bottom-up experiential emotion regulation in comparison to the cognitiveve top down-approach of cognitive defusion. Rooted in an experiential- and client-centered psychotherapeutic approach, experiential emotion regulation involves an active, non-intervening, accepting, open and welcoming approach towards the bodily felt affective experience in a welcoming, compassionate way, expressed in ‘experiential awareness’ in a first phase, and its verbalization or ‘experiential expression’ in a second phase. Defusion refers to the ability to observe one’s thoughts and feelings in a detached manner. Nineteen healthy participants completed an emotion regulation task during fMRI scanning by processing highly arousing negative events by images. Both experiential emotion regulation and cognitive defusion resulted in higher negative emotion compared to a ‘watch’ control condition. On the neurophysiological level, experiential emotion regulation recruited brain areas that regulate attention towards affective- and somatosensorial experience such as the anterior cingulate cortex, the paracingulate gyrus, the inferior frontal gyrus, and the prefrontal pole, areas underlying multisensory information integration (e.g., angular gyrus), and linking body states to emotion recognition and awareness (e.g., postcentral gyrus). Experiential emotion regulation, relative to the control condition, also resulted in a higher interaction between the anterior insular cortex and left amygdala while participants experienced less negative emotion. Cognitive defusion decreased activation in the subcortical areas such as the brainstem, the thalamus, the amygdala, and the hippocampus. In contrast to cognitive defusion, experiential emotion regulation relative to demonstrated greater activation in the left angular gyrus, indicating more multisensory information integration. These findings provide insight into different and specific neural networks underlying psychotherapy-based experiential emotion regulation and cognitive defusion.
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14
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Stocker K, Hartmann M, Reissmann S, Kist A, Liechti ME. Buddhist-like opposite diminishing and non-judging during ketamine infusion are associated with antidepressant response: an open-label personalized-dosing study. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:916641. [PMID: 35959442 PMCID: PMC9358215 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.916641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cognition that is not dominated by thinking in terms of opposites (opposite diminishing) or by making judgments (non-judging) can be found both in Buddhist/mindfulness contexts and in mental states that are fostered by dissociative psychedelics (N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists) such as ketamine. Especially for the Buddhist/mindfulness case, both opposite diminishing and non-judging have been proposed to relate to mental well-being. Whether ketamine-occasioned opposite diminishing and/or non-judging relate to increased mental well-being in the form of antidepressant response is unknown, and was investigated in the present study. Methods: In this open-label outpatient study, the dose level and frequency for the ketamine infusions were adjusted individually in close consultation with the patients suffering from depression with the overall goal to maximize antidepressant benefits—a novel dose regimen that we term personalized antidepressant dosing. In general, treatment started with an initial series of ketamine infusions with a dosage of 0.5 mg/kg body weight and was then adjusted (usually increased). A possible relationship between ketamine-induced antidepressant benefits and retrospectively reported peri-infusion experiences of opposite diminishing and non-judging was assessed based on a total of 45 ketamine-infusion treatment sessions from 11 different patients suffering from depression. Opposite diminishing and non-judging were measured with the two items from the Altered States of Consciousness Inventory (ASCI) that measure these concepts. Depression was measured with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Results: Peri-infusion experiences of both opposite diminishing and non-judging were associated with antidepressant responses confirming our hypothesis. Furthermore, opposite diminishing and non-judging were closely related to one another while relating to antidepressant response in distinguishable ways. Conclusion: Future controlled randomized trials with dissociative and other psychedelics and with a larger number of participants are needed to establish the possible link of psychedelically induced opposite diminishing and non-judging with an antidepressant response more firmly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt Stocker
- Psychopharmacology Research, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Chair of Cognitive Science, Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences, ETH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, Brig, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Kurt Stocker,
| | | | | | - Andreas Kist
- Medical Office for Anesthesiology Zelenka and Colleagues, Villingen-Schwenningen, Germany
| | - Matthias E. Liechti
- Psychopharmacology Research, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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The Advances of Immersive Virtual Reality Interventions for the Enhancement of Stress Management and Relaxation among Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12147309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The rapid changes in human contacts due to the COVID-19 crisis have not only posed a huge burden on the population’s health but may have also increased the demand for evidence-based psychological programs delivered through digital technology. A systematic review, following the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)” guidelines, was therefore conducted to explore the advances in stress management interventions utilizing VR and suggest up-to-date directions for future practice. The relevant literature was screened and the search resulted in 22,312 records, of which 16 studies were considered for analysis. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) was also employed to assess the quality of the included studies. The results suggest that VR-based interventions can facilitate positive changes in subjective stress levels and stress-related biomarkers. However, special attention should be paid to the development of rigorous VR protocols that embrace natural elements and concepts deriving from traditional treatment approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. Overall, this review aims to empower future researchers to grasp the opportunity that the COVID-19 pandemic generated and utilize digital technologies for strengthening individuals’ mental health. Future projects need to conduct large-scale VR studies to evaluate their effectiveness compared to other mental health interventions.
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Kor PPK, Li ML, Kwok DKS, Leung AYM, Lai DLL, Liu JYW. Evaluating the effectiveness of a 6-week hybrid mindfulness-based intervention in reducing the stress among caregivers of patients with dementia during COVID-19 pandemic: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:178. [PMID: 35854347 PMCID: PMC9295093 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00876-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Mindfulness-based intervention (MBI), an emotion-focused approach, has been shown promising and sustainable effects on enhancing the well-being of caregivers of patients with dementia (PWD). However, the conventional MBI was quite demanding, had high rates of attrition and inconsistent long-term effect. The social distancing measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic also restricted face-to-face psychosocial intervention. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a 6-week hybrid MBI in caregivers of PWD over a 6-month follow up. Methods This is a single-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT). Eligible participants from three local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) will be randomly divided into intervention groups and control groups in a ratio of 1:1. The participants in the intervention group will receive 6 weekly 90-min group-based sessions delivered through a face-to-face and online approach. The participants in the control group will receive brief education on dementia care with the same group size, duration, and frequency as the sessions in the intervention group. Immediately after the intervention and at the 6-month follow-up, caring stress and other outcomes will be assessed. Besides, a focus group interview will be conducted to identify the strengths, limitations, and therapeutic components of the intervention from their perspectives. For quantitative data, intention-to-treat analysis and Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) will be used. For qualitative data, content analysis will be used. Discussion This proposed hybrid model of MBI has several advantages, such as lower duration, longer follow-up period and easier access by family caregivers. Also, physiological indicators (e.g., heart rate viability and neuropsychiatric symptoms) will be measured in this study to show the body change after MBI. The quantitative and qualitative data of this research can also benefit the development of online or hybrid MBI for caregivers of PWD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these strengths, it does have practical challenges and limitations. However, this proposed intervention has the potential to benefit not only the participants, but also the researcher as well as public health providers. Trial registration: NCT05242614. Registered on 2022-02-16, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05242614
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meng Li Li
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Denis Ka Shaw Kwok
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
| | - Angela Yee Man Leung
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.,WHO Collaborating Centre for Community Health Services, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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Wu JL, Hamilton JL, Fresco DM, Alloy LB, Stange JP. Decentering predicts attenuated perseverative thought and internalizing symptoms following stress exposure: A multi-level, multi-wave study. Behav Res Ther 2022; 152:104017. [PMID: 35316616 PMCID: PMC9007852 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2021.104017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
While research identifies a growing list of risk factors for anxiety and depression, it is equally important to identify potential protective factors that may prevent or reduce vulnerability to developing internalizing psychopathology. We hypothesized that forms of perseverative thinking, such as rumination and worry, act as mechanisms linking negative life experiences and prospective symptoms of anxiety and depression. More specifically, we investigated whether decentering, the meta-cognitive capacity to adopt a distanced perspective toward one's thoughts and feelings, serves as a protective factor at various points along this mediational pathway. A sample of 181 undergraduate students were recruited and assessed at five time points over a 12-week period. Multilevel modeling indicated that decentering was associated with an attenuated impact of (1) negative events on prospective depressive symptoms; (2) negative events on prospective brooding, and (3) brooding, pondering and worry on prospective internalizing symptoms. Multilevel moderated mediation analyses provided partial support for the hypothesis that perseverative thinking would mediate the longitudinal associations between negative life events and internalizing symptoms, with decentering attenuating risk at several connections of the indirect pathways. The strongest support was provided for moderated mediation models in which decentering was associated with attenuated relationships between negative events, brooding, and symptoms of depression. This study is the first to elucidate the role of decentering as a protective factor against anxiety and depressive symptoms at different points in the path from stress to perseverative thought to internalizing symptoms. Decentering therefore may be a critical target for clinical intervention to promote resilience against anxiety and depression.
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18
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Ramstead MJD, Seth AK, Hesp C, Sandved-Smith L, Mago J, Lifshitz M, Pagnoni G, Smith R, Dumas G, Lutz A, Friston K, Constant A. From Generative Models to Generative Passages: A Computational Approach to (Neuro) Phenomenology. REVIEW OF PHILOSOPHY AND PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 13:829-857. [PMID: 35317021 PMCID: PMC8932094 DOI: 10.1007/s13164-021-00604-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents a version of neurophenomenology based on generative modelling techniques developed in computational neuroscience and biology. Our approach can be described as computational phenomenology because it applies methods originally developed in computational modelling to provide a formal model of the descriptions of lived experience in the phenomenological tradition of philosophy (e.g., the work of Edmund Husserl, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, etc.). The first section presents a brief review of the overall project to naturalize phenomenology. The second section presents and evaluates philosophical objections to that project and situates our version of computational phenomenology with respect to these projects. The third section reviews the generative modelling framework. The final section presents our approach in detail. We conclude by discussing how our approach differs from previous attempts to use generative modelling to help understand consciousness. In summary, we describe a version of computational phenomenology which uses generative modelling to construct a computational model of the inferential or interpretive processes that best explain this or that kind of lived experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell J. D. Ramstead
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
- VERSES Research Lab and Spatial Web Foundation, Los Angeles, California USA
| | - Anil K. Seth
- School of Engineering and Informatics, University of Sussex, Brighton, BN1 9QJ UK
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Program on Brain, Mind, and Consciousness, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1M1 Canada
| | - Casper Hesp
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Centre, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute for Advanced Study, University of Amsterdam, Oude Turfmarkt 147, 1012 GC Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lars Sandved-Smith
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon 1 University, Lyon, France
| | - Jonas Mago
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Michael Lifshitz
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Montreal Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - Giuseppe Pagnoni
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Ryan Smith
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
| | - Guillaume Dumas
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
- Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Antoine Lutz
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon 1 University, Lyon, France
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London, UK
- VERSES Research Lab and Spatial Web Foundation, Los Angeles, California USA
| | - Axel Constant
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Drueke B, Gauggel S, Weise L, Forkmann T, Mainz V. Metacognitive judgements and abilities in patients with affective disorders. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-02838-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Cognitive and metacognitive deficits depict important factors in depression, but the relationship between these concepts remains to be elucidated. The present study investigated the difference between patients with depression and controls in metacognitive judgements regarding the domain of attention. Furthermore, the associations between different metacognitive abilities, depressiveness and confidence were investigated, as well as in how far the derived correlates would predict depression.
Methods
Thirty patients with a major depressive episode and 30 healthy participants were enrolled in the current study. Attention and executive functioning ability were assessed including metacognitive judgements of performance and confidence with regard to the test performance in the Stroop test. To examine further aspects related to (meta-)cognitive abilities, decentering skills, aspects of self-conscious attention, self-assessed intelligence and metacognitive beliefs, judgements and monitoring tendencies were assessed.
Results
Albeit groups’ metacognitive judgements of performance did not differ, patients indicated to be significantly less confident in their judgements. Depressive patients showed less decentering abilities compared to healthy participants and there was a significant association between decentering and confidence ratings. Moreover, depressiveness was associated with dysfunctional self-consciousness and low cognitive confidence. Finally, lower decentering skills and higher dysfunctional self-attention were the best predictors for depressiveness.
Conclusions
Results favor the assumption that patients’ metacognitive abilities regarding the domain of attention are not generally deficient. Rather, the lower confidence in their judgements and dysfunctional (meta-)cognitive abilities, like decentering, metacognitive beliefs and aspects of self-conscious attention and intelligence, seem to mirror the patients’ impairments.
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20
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Goldin PR, Thurston M, Allende S, Moodie C, Dixon ML, Heimberg RG, Gross JJ. Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Mindfulness Meditation in Brain Changes During Reappraisal and Acceptance Among Patients With Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry 2021; 78:1134-1142. [PMID: 34287622 PMCID: PMC8295897 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.1862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are thought to help patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) via distinct emotion-regulation mechanisms. However, no study has compared the effects of CBGT and MBSR on brain and negative emotion indicators of cognitive reappraisal and acceptance in patients with SAD. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of CBGT and MBSR on reappraisal and acceptance in patients with SAD and to test whether treatment-associated brain changes are associated with social anxiety symptoms 1 year posttreatment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this randomized clinical trial, a total of 108 unmedicated adults diagnosed with generalized SAD were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of CBGT, MBSR, or waitlist. The final sample included 31 patients receiving CBGT, 32 patients receiving MBSR, and 32 waitlist patients. Data were collected at the psychology department at Stanford University from September 2012 to December 2014. Data were analyzed from February 2019 to December 2020. INTERVENTIONS CBGT and MBSR. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Changes in self-reported negative emotion and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal within an a priori-defined brain search region mask derived from a meta-analysis of cognitive reappraisal and attention regulation 1 year posttreatment. RESULTS Of 108 participants, 60 (56%) were female. The mean (SD) age was 32.7 (8.0) years. Self-reported race and ethnicity data were collected to inform the generalizability of the study to the wider population and to satisfy the requirements of the National Institutes of Health. From the categories provided by the National Institutes of Health, 47 participants selected White (43.5%), 42 selected Asian (38.9%) 10 selected Latinx (9.3%), 1 selected Black (1%), 1 selected Native American (1%), and 7 selected more than 1 race (6.5%). CBGT and MBSR were associated with a significant decrease in negative emotion (partial η2 range, 0.38 to 0.53) with no significant between-group differences when reacting (β, -0.04; SE, 0.09; 95% CI, -0.11 to 0.08; t92 = -0.37; P = .71), reappraising (β, -0.15; SE, 0.09; 95% CI, -0.32 to 0.03; t92 = -1.67; P = .10), or accepting (β, -0.05; SE, 0.08; 95% CI, -0.20 to 0.11; t92 = -0.59; P = .56). There was a significant increase in BOLD percentage signal change in cognitive and attention-regulation regions when reappraising (CBGT = 0.031; MBSR = 0.037) and accepting (CBGT = 0.012; MBSR = 0.077) negative self-beliefs. CBGT and MBSR did not differ in decreased negative emotion and increased reappraisal and acceptance BOLD responses. Reappraisal-associated MBSR (vs CBGT) negative emotions and CBGT (vs MBSR) brain responses were associated with social anxiety symptoms 1 year posttreatment. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE The results of this study suggest that CBGT and MBSR may be effective treatments with long-term benefits for patients with SAD that recruit cognitive and attention-regulation brain networks. Despite contrasting models of therapeutic change, CBT and MBSR may both enhance reappraisal and acceptance emotion regulation strategies. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02036658.
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21
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Duncan NS, Zimmer-Gembeck MJ, Gardner AA, Modecki K. The measurement and benefit of decentering for coping self-efficacy, flexibility, and ways of coping with interpersonal stress. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2021.110932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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22
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Sandved-Smith L, Hesp C, Mattout J, Friston K, Lutz A, Ramstead MJD. Towards a computational phenomenology of mental action: modelling meta-awareness and attentional control with deep parametric active inference. Neurosci Conscious 2021; 2021:niab018. [PMID: 34457352 PMCID: PMC8396119 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niab018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Meta-awareness refers to the capacity to explicitly notice the current content of consciousness and has been identified as a key component for the successful control of cognitive states, such as the deliberate direction of attention. This paper proposes a formal model of meta-awareness and attentional control using hierarchical active inference. To do so, we cast mental action as policy selection over higher-level cognitive states and add a further hierarchical level to model meta-awareness states that modulate the expected confidence (precision) in the mapping between observations and hidden cognitive states. We simulate the example of mind-wandering and its regulation during a task involving sustained selective attention on a perceptual object. This provides a computational case study for an inferential architecture that is apt to enable the emergence of these central components of human phenomenology, namely, the ability to access and control cognitive states. We propose that this approach can be generalized to other cognitive states, and hence, this paper provides the first steps towards the development of a computational phenomenology of mental action and more broadly of our ability to monitor and control our own cognitive states. Future steps of this work will focus on fitting the model with qualitative, behavioural, and neural data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Sandved-Smith
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon 1 University, 95 Bd Pinel, Lyon 69500, France
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Casper Hesp
- Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition Centre, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam 1098 XH, Netherlands
- Institute for Advanced Study, University of Amsterdam, Oude Turfmarkt 147, Amsterdam 1012 GC, Netherlands
| | - Jérémie Mattout
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon 1 University, 95 Bd Pinel, Lyon 69500, France
| | - Karl Friston
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
| | - Antoine Lutz
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR5292, Lyon 1 University, 95 Bd Pinel, Lyon 69500, France
| | - Maxwell J D Ramstead
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, London WC1N 3BG, UK
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, 1033 Pine Ave W, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
- Culture, Mind, and Brain Program, McGill University, Montreal, 1033 Pine Ave W, QC H3A 1A1, Canada
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Li J, Qin X. Efficacy of mindfulness‐based stress reduction on fear of emotions and related cognitive behavioral processes in Chinese University students: A randomized controlled trial. PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pits.22578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- School of Public Administration Chongqing Technology and Business University Chongqing China
- Population Development and Policy Research Center Chongqing Technology and Business University Chongqing China
| | - Xinghong Qin
- School of Management Science and Engineering Chongqing Technology and Business University Chongqing China
- School of Management and Economics University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu China
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Messina I, Grecucci A, Viviani R. Neurobiological models of emotion regulation: a meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies of acceptance as an emotion regulation strategy. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2021; 16:257-267. [PMID: 33475715 PMCID: PMC7943364 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsab007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotional acceptance is an important emotion regulation strategy promoted by most psychotherapy approaches. We adopted the Activation Likelihood Estimation technique to obtain a quantitative summary of previous fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) studies of acceptance and test different hypotheses on its mechanisms of action. The main meta-analysis included 13 experiments contrasting acceptance to control conditions, yielding a total of 422 subjects and 170 foci of brain activity. Additionally, subgroups of studies with different control conditions (react naturally or focus on emotions) were identified and analysed separately. Our results showed executive areas to be affected by acceptance only in the subgroup of studies in which acceptance was compared to natural reactions. In contrast, a cluster of decreased brain activity located in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus was associated with acceptance regardless of the control condition. These findings suggest that high-level executive cortical processes are not a distinctive feature of acceptance, whereas functional deactivations in the PCC/precuneus constitute its specific neural substrate. The neuroimaging of emotional acceptance calls into question a key tenet of current neurobiological models of emotion regulation consisting in the necessary involvement of high-level executive processes to actively modify emotional states, suggesting a complementary role for limbic portions of the default system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Messina
- Correspondence should be addressed to Irene Messina, Universitas Mercatorum, Piazza Mattei 10, Rome 00186, Italy. E-mail: ,
| | - Alessandro Grecucci
- Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Trento 38068, Italy
| | - Roberto Viviani
- Institute of Psychology, University of Innsbruck 6020
- Austria—Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Clinic III, University of Ulm, Ulm 89075, Germany
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Tatar B, Pázmányová R, Papies EK. "The thought is gonna come and the thought is gonna go": A qualitative study on how non-meditators learn and apply brief mindfulness-based instructions for food cravings. Appetite 2021; 166:105482. [PMID: 34217760 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
While brief mindfulness-based interventions have emerged as tools to modulate automatic responding in various domains of health and wellbeing, findings are primarily based on quantitative experimental research. However, these group-level findings do not capture the rich subjective experiences of individuals learning mindfulness. In the following qualitative study, we explored how non-meditators learn and apply brief mindfulness instructions in the domain of food cravings. Ten non-meditators listened to 'normal viewing' instructions, which asked them to view foods in the way that they normally would. They then viewed a video of attractive foods, and were interviewed about their experiences of learning and applying the instructions. Next, participants listened to a 5-min recording of mindfulness instructions, viewed another food video while applying the mindfulness instructions, and were interviewed again. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. When participants applied brief mindfulness, their relationship to the food stimuli changed such that they started perceiving their experiences as transient. Certain factors (e.g., use of visual metaphors) and processes (e.g., listening to the 'normal viewing' instructions first) facilitated this change. The ease of applying the instructions fluctuated with food preferences and perceived strength of cravings. Participants reported that they would apply the instructions in daily life if they felt a need for this, including in domains other than food. However, they anticipated challenges such as remembering and finding time to apply. Our findings highlight the specific aspects that influence how brief mindfulness instructions are learned and applied. These insights may change how brief mindfulness is studied empirically, and may inform the development of simple and empowering techniques that can promote wellbeing in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betül Tatar
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, UK.
| | | | - Esther K Papies
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, UK
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Hase A, Behnke M, Mazurkiewicz M, Wieteska KK, Golec de Zavala A. Distress and retaliatory aggression in response to witnessing intergroup exclusion are greater on higher levels of collective narcissism. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13879. [PMID: 34128555 PMCID: PMC8459248 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The negative consequences of personal exclusion have been demonstrated by multiple studies. Less is known about the consequences of witnessing one's own group being excluded by other groups, although studies suggest exclusion can be experienced vicariously and negatively affects members of the excluded group. Results of the present lab‐based experiment (N = 153) indicate, in line with our predictions, that witnessing intergroup exclusion (a national majority excluded by a minority, manipulated by an adapted intergroup Cyberball paradigm) produced a sense of personal exclusion. It also increased self‐reported distress and behavioral aggression measured in the Taylor Aggression Paradigm), especially among participants high on collective narcissism: a belief that the exaggerated greatness of the in‐group is not sufficiently appreciated by others. Contrary to expectations, a short mindful decentration intervention (instructing participants to observe thoughts and emotions as transient mental products without engaging with them) delivered while participants were witnessing intergroup exclusion (vs. inclusion) produced changes in heart rate variability reactivity indicative of emotional arousal, especially among collective narcissists. We concluded that collective narcissism is associated with distress in the face of intergroup exclusion, aggressive retaliation, and in consequence, it is a risk‐factor predisposing group members to stress‐related health and psychosocial problems. Furthermore, a mindful decentration, despite being an effective strategy to reduce maladaptive stress in most people, may be counterproductive in addressing high collective narcissists' responses to threat to the in‐group's image. This study demonstrated that mindfulness‐based interventions may not mitigate, but rather exacerbate the distressing effects of observed intergroup exclusion in individuals scoring high on collective narcissism. The finding was observed on the psychophysiological level (HF HRV), but not on the psychological level (self‐reported distress), indicating that individuals high in collective narcissism may not consciously perceive, or choose to report their stronger reactions occurring after a mindfulness‐based intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Hase
- Medicine Section, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Maciej Behnke
- Faculty of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Magdalena Mazurkiewicz
- Faculty of Psychology and Law in Poznań, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznan, Poland
| | - Kamil Kordian Wieteska
- Faculty of Psychology and Law in Poznań, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznan, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Golec de Zavala
- Faculty of Psychology and Law in Poznań, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznan, Poland.,Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK.,ISCTE University Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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De Coninck S, Aben B, Van den Bussche E, Mariën P, Van Overwalle F. Embodying Stressful Events: No Difference in Subjective Arousal and Neural Correlates Related to Immersion, Interoception, and Embodied Mentalization. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:640482. [PMID: 34054442 PMCID: PMC8161507 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.640482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Repetitive thought about oneself, including one's emotions, can lead to both adaptive and maladaptive effects. Construal level of repetitive self-referential thought might moderate this. During interoception, which engages areas such as the insula, the anterior and/or posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the somatosensory cortex, concrete low level construal self-referential thought is applied, which has been shown to lead to more positive emotions after upsetting events. Contrarily, during immersion, related to neural activity in the default mode network (DMN), abstract high level construal self-referential thought is applied, which is linked to depression. The current study investigated whether the integration of concrete and abstract self-referential thought by means of embodied mentalization leads to less subjective arousal, decreased DMN activity and increased somatosensory activity as compared to immersion, and to more DMN activity as compared to interoception. In the fMRI scanner, participants imagined stressful events while adopting immersion, interoception or embodied mentalization. After each imagined stressful event, participants rated their subjective arousal and how difficult it was to apply the mode of self-referential thought. Results showed that participants felt that immersion was easier to apply than embodied mentalization. However, no differences in subjective arousal or neural activity were found between immersion, interoception and embodied mentalization. Possible reasons for this lack of significant differences are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah De Coninck
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain, Body and Cognition and Center of Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Units Sustainable Resources, Smart Organizations and Inclusive Society, University College Leuven Limburg, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Bart Aben
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eva Van den Bussche
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Mariën
- Faculty of Language and Literature, Centre for Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Van Overwalle
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Brain, Body and Cognition and Center of Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
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Kang M, Gibbs H, Selzer R, Hudaib AR, Aung AK, Gibbs J. A collective pause: Improving staff performance in acute medicine through a brief mindfulness-based group program. Intern Med J 2021; 52:1394-1401. [PMID: 33977640 DOI: 10.1111/imj.15351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hospital wards are a complex and dynamic environment which rely on optimal staff performance. However, there is little research evaluating group interventions to improve staff attention and teamwork. AIMS To evaluate whether a regular, short and guided group mindfulness practice for staff in an acute general medicine team improves attention and teamwork. METHODS A 10-min program comprising mindfulness exercises and techniques was delivered daily to a multidisciplinary general medicine team based in a tertiary hospital for four weeks. This was undertaken immediately prior to the team's interdisciplinary ward round. We used a mixed-method design, with self-rated surveys to measure mindfulness and staff perception of hospital safety culture, and a focus group to understand participants' experiences. We estimated mean differences using Kruskal-Wallis tests across 10 time-points and thematically analysed recorded transcripts. RESULTS There was an increase in staff attention to the team meeting as measured by the decentering domain across time (p < 0.001). There was a trend to greater staff openness with a non-significant increase in curiosity (p = 0.14). We identified two overarching qualitative themes: feasibility of the program and impact on staff and workplace. The program was a calming circuit breaker to staff's day, which aided in feeling more connected to the group and subjectively better ward round experience. The logistics of the program including timing, and the facilitator developing trust with the participants, appear important in implementation. CONCLUSION A brief mindfulness-based intervention delivered to a general medical team improves staff attention at a multidisciplinary team meeting and team functioning. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Kang
- Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Alfred Health & Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPRc), United States
| | - Harry Gibbs
- Department of General Medicine, Alfred Health, United States
| | - Rob Selzer
- Alfred Mental and Addiction Health, Alfred Health & Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPRc), United States
| | | | - Ar Kar Aung
- Department of General Medicine, Alfred Health, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
| | - Jo Gibbs
- Therapeutic Relaxation and Enhanced Awareness Training (TREAT) Healthcare
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Wilson E, Senior V, Tapper K. The effect of visualisation and mindfulness-based decentering on chocolate craving. Appetite 2021; 164:105278. [PMID: 33905790 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
According to the elaborated intrusion (EI) theory of desire, loading visual working memory should help prevent and reduce cravings because cravings occur when intrusive thoughts are elaborated upon in working memory, often as vivid mental images. Mindfulness-based decentering strategies may also help prevent and reduce cravings since they may divert attention away from craving-related thoughts and mental imagery. To compare the effects of visualisation versus decentering on cravings, participants (N = 108) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) decentering, (b) visualisation, (c) mind-wandering control. Participants in each condition received two audio exercises: (1) a 2-min exercise, preceding a craving induction but after initial deprivation and cue exposure, (2) a 4-min exercise, following a craving induction. The audios instructed participants to look at a plate of chocolate that was in front of them whilst either (a) decentering from their thoughts and feelings, (b) engaging in visualisation or (c) letting their mind wander. Participants were asked to rate the strength of their cravings at four time points (Time 1, baseline; Time 2, after the 2-min audio; Time 3, post-craving induction; Time 4, post-4 minute audio). Frequency of craving-related thoughts was also measured at Time 4. Compared to the control condition, results showed a significant reduction in strength of cravings for the decentering condition after both the 2-min audio and the 4-min audio. Decentering was superior to visualisation only after the 2-min audio. Participants in both the visualisation and decentering conditions also had significantly lower frequencies of craving-related thoughts compared to control participants. The findings support EI theory and suggest that mindfulness-based decentering strategies may be useful for both the prevention and reduction of cravings. Pre-registration: https://osf.io/jv3pq.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Wilson
- King's College London, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK; University of London, Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Whiskin Street, London, EC1R 0JD, UK; BPP University, Department of Psychology, 137 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NN, UK.
| | - Victoria Senior
- BPP University, Department of Psychology, 137 Stamford Street, London, SE1 9NN, UK.
| | - Katy Tapper
- University of London, Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Whiskin Street, London, EC1R 0JD, UK.
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30
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Světlák M, Linhartová P, Knejzlíková T, Knejzlík J, Kóša B, Horníčková V, Jarolínová K, Lučanská K, Slezáčková A, Šumec R. Being Mindful at University: A Pilot Evaluation of the Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Support Program for Students. Front Psychol 2021; 11:581086. [PMID: 33505332 PMCID: PMC7829670 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.581086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
University study can be a life period of heightened psychological distress for many students. The development of new preventive and intervention programs to support well-being in university students is a fundamental challenge for mental health professionals. We designed an 8-week online mindfulness-based program (eMBP) combining a face-to-face approach, text, audio, video components, and support psychotherapy principles with a unique intensive reminder system using the Facebook Messenger and Slack applications in two separate runs (N = 692). We assessed the program's effect on mindful experiencing, perceived stress, emotion regulation strategies, self-compassion, negative affect, and quality of life. The results of the presented pilot study confirmed that eMBP is a feasible and effective tool in university students' mental health support. The students who completed the eMBP reported a reduction of perceived stress with a large effect size ( p η2 = 0.42) as well as a decrease of negative affect experience frequency and intensity ( p η2 = 0.31), an increase of being mindful in their life (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire subscales: p η2 = 0.21, 0.27, 0.25, 0.28, 0.28), and a higher rate of self-compassion ( p η2 = 0.28) with a medium effect size. A small effect size was found in the frequency of using a cognitive reappraisal strategy ( p η2 = 0.073). One new result is the observation of an eMBP effect ( p η2 = 0.27) on the decrease in attributed importance to the quality-of-life components replicated in two consecutive runs of the program. The study affirms that mindfulness-based interventions can be effectively delivered in an eHealth form to university students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Světlák
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Pavla Linhartová
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Terezia Knejzlíková
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Jakub Knejzlík
- Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Barbora Kóša
- Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Veronika Horníčková
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Kristýna Jarolínová
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Klaudia Lučanská
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Alena Slezáčková
- Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Rastislav Šumec
- Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia.,First Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University and St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czechia
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31
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Ma Y, Siu AF. Dispositional mindfulness and mental health in Hong Kong college students: The mediating roles of decentering and self‐acceptance. AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ajpy.12269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ma
- School of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China,
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32
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Schans KL, Karremans JC, Holland RW. Mindful social inferences: Decentering decreases hostile attributions. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kim Lien Schans
- Behavioural Science Institute Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Johan C. Karremans
- Behavioural Science Institute Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Rob W. Holland
- Behavioural Science Institute Radboud University Nijmegen Nijmegen The Netherlands
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33
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Trautwein FM, Kanske P, Böckler A, Singer T. Differential benefits of mental training types for attention, compassion, and theory of mind. Cognition 2020; 194:104039. [PMID: 31450018 PMCID: PMC6891878 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2019.104039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mindfulness- and, more generally, meditation-based interventions increasingly gain popularity, effectively promoting cognitive, affective, and social capacities. It is unclear, however, if different types of practice have the same or specific effects on mental functioning. Here we tested three consecutive three-month training modules aimed at cultivating either attention, socio-affective qualities (such as compassion), or socio-cognitive skills (such as theory of mind), in three training cohorts and a retest control cohort (N = 332). While attentional performance improved most consistently after attention training, compassion increased most after socio-affective training and theory of mind partially improved after socio-cognitive training. These results show that specific mental training practices are needed to induce plasticity in different domains of mental functioning, providing a foundation for evidence-based development of more targeted interventions adapted to the needs of different education, labor, and health settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden, Chemnitzer Straße 46, 01187 Dresden, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anne Böckler
- Department of Psychology, Würzburg University, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tania Singer
- Max Planck Society, Social Neuroscience Lab, Berlin, Germany
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Banks JB, Jha AP, Hood AV, Goller HG, Craig LL. Reducing the TUTs that hurt: the impact of a brief mindfulness induction on emotionally valenced mind wandering. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2019.1676759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan B. Banks
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Amishi P. Jha
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Audrey V.B. Hood
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Haley G. Goller
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Lindsay L. Craig
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
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35
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The epistemic and pragmatic value of non-action: a predictive coding perspective on meditation. Curr Opin Psychol 2019; 28:166-171. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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36
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Acceptance versus reappraisal: Behavioral, autonomic, and neural effects. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 19:927-944. [DOI: 10.3758/s13415-019-00690-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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37
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Gopinath K, Krishnamurthy V, Sathian K. Accounting for Non-Gaussian Sources of Spatial Correlation in Parametric Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Paradigms I: Revisiting Cluster-Based Inferences. Brain Connect 2018; 8:1-9. [PMID: 28927289 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2017.0521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In a recent study, Eklund et al. employed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data as a surrogate for null functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) datasets and posited that cluster-wise family-wise error (FWE) rate-corrected inferences made by using parametric statistical methods in fMRI studies over the past two decades may have been invalid, particularly for cluster defining thresholds less stringent than p < 0.001; this was principally because the spatial autocorrelation functions (sACF) of fMRI data had been modeled incorrectly to follow a Gaussian form, whereas empirical data suggested otherwise. Here, we show that accounting for non-Gaussian signal components such as those arising from resting-state neural activity as well as physiological responses and motion artifacts in the null fMRI datasets yields first- and second-level general linear model analysis residuals with nearly uniform and Gaussian sACF. Further comparison with nonparametric permutation tests indicates that cluster-based FWE corrected inferences made with Gaussian spatial noise approximations are valid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaundinya Gopinath
- 1 Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - K Sathian
- 2 Department of Neurology, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia .,3 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia .,4 Department of Psychology, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia .,5 Rehabilitation R&D Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation , Atlanta VAMC, Decatur, Georgia
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38
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Conklin QA, Crosswell AD, Saron CD, Epel ES. Meditation, stress processes, and telomere biology. Curr Opin Psychol 2018; 28:92-101. [PMID: 30553080 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Both theoretical and empirical work support the notion that meditation training can improve telomere regulation, which may ultimately contribute to healthy aging. Yet, the psychological and biological mechanisms underlying these changes remain underspecified, as do the contexts and boundary conditions in which these changes occur. Here we summarize studies investigating the effects of various meditation-based interventions on telomere biology, making suggestions for future research. We then propose a model describing how meditation training may impact acute and habitual stress responses as pathways to improved cell aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Elissa S Epel
- University of California, San Francisco, United States.
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39
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Vukelić M, Čizmić S, Petrović IB. Acceptance of Workplace Bullying Behaviors and Job Satisfaction: Moderated Mediation Analysis With Coping Self-Efficacy and Exposure to Bullying. Psychol Rep 2018; 122:1883-1906. [PMID: 30115005 DOI: 10.1177/0033294118793985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Previous research explored workplace climate as a factor of workplace bullying and coping with workplace bullying, but these concepts were not closely related to workplace bullying behaviors (WBBs). To examine whether the perceived exposure to bullying mediates the relationship between the climate of accepting WBBs and job satisfaction under the condition of different levels of WBBs coping self-efficacy beliefs, we performed moderated mediation analysis. The Negative Acts Questionnaire - Revised was given to 329 employees from Serbia for assessing perceived exposure to bullying. Leaving the original scale items, the instruction of the original Negative Acts Questionnaire - Revised was modified for assessing (1) the climate of accepting WBBs and (2) WBBs coping self-efficacy beliefs. There was a significant negative relationship between exposure to bullying and job satisfaction. WBB acceptance climate was positively related to exposure to workplace bullying and negatively related to job satisfaction. WBB acceptance climate had an indirect relationship with job satisfaction through bullying exposure, and the relationship between WBB acceptance and exposure to bullying was weaker among those who believed that they were more efficient in coping with workplace bullying. Workplace bullying could be sustained by WBB acceptance climate which threatens the job-related outcomes. WBBs coping self-efficacy beliefs have some buffering effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Vukelić
- Department of Psychology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Svetlana Čizmić
- Department of Psychology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ivana B Petrović
- Department of Psychology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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40
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Weisstanner C, Kägi G, Krammer W, Eap CB, Wiest R, Missimer JH, Weder BJ. The effect of a single dose of escitalopram on sensorimotor networks. Brain Behav 2018; 8:e00975. [PMID: 30106253 PMCID: PMC5991571 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Serving as a pilot study of poststroke pharmacotherapy, the present investigation was intended to establish the effect of a single dose of escitalopram on motor task performance in normal volunteers. METHODS Ten healthy volunteers of median age 63 years including four females performed a well-studied tactile manipulation task in two fMRI sessions using a double-blind cross-over design. The sessions began approximately three hours after ingestion of 20 mg escitalopram or placebo presented in pseudorandom order. The fMRI image sequences were submitted to principal component analysis (PCA). RESULTS Based on volume correlations of task-related principal components with the mean component images derived in our previous study, we established the reproducibility of two networks of sensorimotor activity proposed there. The network reflecting motor control (cerebral pattern I) appeared invariably in placebo and verum conditions. In contrast, the other network, attributed to diminished motor control due to distracting mental processing (cerebral pattern II), emerged less regularly and exhibited more variability. Second-level PCAs of both conditions confirmed the findings of the initial analysis. Specifically, it validated the dominant and invariable expression of cerebral pattern I after application of a single dose of escitalopram. Dynamic causal modeling confirmed enhanced motor output as a result of a significantly increased connectivity between primary motor cortex and dorsal premotor cortex. CONCLUSION This pilot study suggests the promise of stimulation by a specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor in regard to recovery and preservation of motor control after stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Weisstanner
- Support Center for Advanced Imaging (SCAN), Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Georg Kägi
- Department of Neurology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Werner Krammer
- Support Center for Advanced Imaging (SCAN), Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Chin B Eap
- Unit of Pharmacogenetics and Clinical Psychopharmacology, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Lausanne University Hospital, Prilly, Switzerland
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva and University of Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Roland Wiest
- Support Center for Advanced Imaging (SCAN), Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - John H Missimer
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research, Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Bruno J Weder
- Support Center for Advanced Imaging (SCAN), Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
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41
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Compared to self-immersion, mindful attention reduces salivation and automatic food bias. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13839. [PMID: 29062033 PMCID: PMC5653876 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13662-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Immersing ourselves in food images can sometimes make it feel subjectively real, as if the actual food were right in front of us. Excessive self-immersion into mental content, however, is a hallmark of psychological distress, and of several psychiatric conditions. Being aware that imagined events are not necessarily an accurate depiction of reality is a key feature of psychotherapeutic approaches akin to mindfulness-based interventions. Yet, it is still largely unknown to what extent one's engagement with mental content, considering it as real, biases one's automatic tendencies toward the world. In this study, we measured the change in subjective realism induced by a self-immersion and a mindful attention instruction, using self-reports and saliva volumes. Then, we measured behaviorally the impact of subjective realism changes on automatic approach bias toward attractive food (FAB) using an approach-avoidance task. We found a reduction in saliva volume, followed by a reduction in FAB in the mindful condition compared to the immersed condition. During the immersed condition only, saliva volumes, state and trait measures of subjective realism, and food craving traits were positively correlated with FAB values, whereas meditation experience was negatively correlated to it. We conclude that mindful attention instructions can de-automatize food bias.
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Mindfulness Reduces Reactivity to Food Cues: Underlying Mechanisms and Applications in Daily Life. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2017; 4:151-157. [PMID: 28580229 PMCID: PMC5435775 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-017-0134-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Mindfulness-based interventions are becoming increasingly popular as a means to facilitate healthy eating. We suggest that the decentering component of mindfulness, which is the metacognitive insight that all experiences are impermanent, plays an especially important role in such interventions. To facilitate the application of decentering, we address its psychological mechanism to reduce reactivity to food cues, proposing that it makes thoughts and simulations in response to food cues less compelling. We discuss supporting evidence, applications, and challenges for future research. RECENT FINDINGS Experimental and correlational studies consistently find that the adoption of a decentering perspective reduces subjective cravings, physiological reactivity such as salivation, and unhealthy eating. SUMMARY We suggest that the decentering perspective can be adopted in any situation to reduce reactivity to food cues. Considering people's high exposure to food temptations in daily life, this makes it a powerful tool to empower people to eat healthily.
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Lebois LAM, Hertzog C, Slavich GM, Barrett LF, Barsalou LW. Establishing the situated features associated with perceived stress. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2016; 169:119-32. [PMID: 27288834 PMCID: PMC4987261 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2016.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We propose that the domain general process of categorization contributes to the perception of stress. When a situation contains features associated with stressful experiences, it is categorized as stressful. From the perspective of situated cognition, the features used to categorize experiences as stressful are the features typically true of stressful situations. To test this hypothesis, we asked participants to evaluate the perceived stress of 572 imagined situations, and to also evaluate each situation for how much it possessed 19 features potentially associated with stressful situations and their processing (e.g., self-threat, familiarity, visual imagery, outcome certainty). Following variable reduction through factor analysis, a core set of 8 features associated with stressful situations-expectation violation, self-threat, coping efficacy, bodily experience, arousal, negative valence, positive valence, and perseveration-all loaded on a single Core Stress Features factor. In a multilevel model, this factor and an Imagery factor explained 88% of the variance in judgments of perceived stress, with significant random effects reflecting differences in how individual participants categorized stress. These results support the hypothesis that people categorize situations as stressful to the extent that typical features of stressful situations are present. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to establish a comprehensive set of features that predicts perceived stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A M Lebois
- Division of Depression and Anxiety, McLean Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, United States
| | | | - George M Slavich
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Lisa Feldman Barrett
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, United States; Massachusetts General Hospital, United States; Harvard Medical School, United States
| | - Lawrence W Barsalou
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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Papies EK, van Winckel M, Keesman M. Food-Specific Decentering Experiences Are Associated with Reduced Food Cravings in Meditators: A Preliminary Investigation. Mindfulness (N Y) 2016; 7:1123-1131. [PMID: 27642374 PMCID: PMC5010617 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-016-0554-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This study examined the association of food-specific decentering experiences with food cravings in a sample of meditators. Decentering refers to viewing one's thoughts as transient mental events and thus experiencing them as less subjectively real. This process has been suggested to be a key mechanism underlying the effects of mindfulness and many contemplative practices. Although most earlier studies have focused on the effects of decentering with regard to negative affect, some studies have shown that brief inductions of decentering among non-meditators reduce food cravings as well as unhealthy food choices. Here, we report a preliminary investigation of whether the food-specific decentering experiences that meditators have in daily life are associated with fewer food cravings. A small sample of meditators (N = 33, female = 15) answered a number of questions about decentering experiences with regard to thoughts about food, and they completed the short version of the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait and a measure of meditation experience. Results confirmed that both more meditation experience and more food-specific decentering experiences were associated with fewer food cravings in daily life. In addition, results suggested that when participants had stronger decentering experiences, they experienced fewer food cravings, regardless of their level of meditation experience. Exploratory analyses further revealed that decentering was more strongly associated with reduced cravings in women than in men. These preliminary findings suggest that food-specific decentering experiences indeed help meditators deal with food desires, and thus extend the evidence for decentering effects into the domain of reward. Future research might investigate this in larger samples, validate a food-specific measure of decentering, and consider the broader implications of decentering experiences in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther K. Papies
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, 58 Hillhead Street, Glasgow, G12 8QB UK
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Mike Keesman
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Kessel R, Gecht J, Forkmann T, Drueke B, Gauggel S, Mainz V. Exploring the relationship of decentering to health related concepts and cognitive and metacognitive processes in a student sample. BMC Psychol 2016; 4:11. [PMID: 26955861 PMCID: PMC4784351 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-016-0115-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Decentering, a central change strategy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, is a process of stepping outside of one’s own mental events leading to an objective and non-judging stance towards the self. The study aimed at investigating associated mechanisms of decentering. Method The present study investigated the relation of decentering, operationalized by means of the German Version of the Experiences Questionnaire, to severity of depressive symptoms, assessed by the adaptive Rasch-based depression screening, and self-focussed attention, assessed by the Questionnaire of Dysfunctional and Functional Self-Consciousness. Furthermore, the relationship between decentering and a) the ability to shift and allocate attention by means of the Stroop test, and b) metacognitive monitoring, i.e. the absolute difference between judged and real task performance, was investigated. These relationships were examined in 55 healthy students using Pearson’s correlations. Results In line with our assumptions, higher decentering scores were significantly associated with lower scores on severity of depressive symptoms, with higher functional- and lower dysfunctional self-focussed attention. Contrary to our expectations, results neither indicated a relationship between decentering and attention ability, nor between decentering and metacognitive monitoring. Conclusions The present results suggest that decentering is associated with concepts of mental health (i.e. less severity of depressive symptoms and higher functional self-focussed attention). Overall, the concept decentering seems to be mainly composed of self-focussed aspects when investigated in a healthy sample without intervention. Further investigations of associated concepts of decentering should consider aspects of self-relevance and emotional valence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramona Kessel
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Judith Gecht
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Thomas Forkmann
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Barbara Drueke
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Siegfried Gauggel
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Verena Mainz
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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Golubickis M, Tan LB, Falben JK, Macrae CN. The observing self: Diminishing egocentrism through brief mindfulness meditation. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.2186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucy B.G. Tan
- School of Psychology; Australian Catholic University; Brisbane Australia
| | | | - C. Neil Macrae
- School of Psychology; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen Scotland UK
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Abstract
A brief mindfulness intervention diminished bias in favor of one's in-group and against one's out-group. In the linguistic intergroup bias (LIB), individuals expect in-group members to behave positively, and out-group members to behave negatively. Consequently, individuals choose abstract language beset with character inferences to describe these expected behaviors, and in contrast, choose concrete, objective language to describe unexpected behaviors. Eighty-four participants received either mindful attention instructions (observe their thoughts as fleeting mental states) or immersion instructions (become absorbed in the vivid details of thoughts). After instruction, participants viewed visual depictions of an imagined in-group or out-group member's positive or negative behavior, selecting the best linguistic description from a set of four descriptions that varied in abstractness. Immersion groups demonstrated a robust LIB. Mindful attention groups, however, exhibited a markedly tempered LIB, suggesting that even a brief mindfulness-related instruction can implicitly reduce the propensity to perpetuate stereotypical thinking through language. These results contribute to understanding the mechanisms that facilitate unprejudiced thinking.
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