Wearable Technology: A Wellbeing Option for Serving Police Officers and Staff? A Comparison of Results of a Pilot Study with Firearms Officers and a Group of Mixed Officers and Staff

The high-stress nature of policing contributes to deterioration of officer health and wellbeing as well as high levels of absenteeism and attrition. Wearable technology (WT) has been identified as a potential tool that can help in improving officer health and wellbeing. This pilot study aimed to give initial insight into acceptability and engagement with WT amongst officers. The study also aimed to uncover any notable areas for exploration in future research within the domain of officer health and wellbeing. Two groups were observed, firearms officers and a mixed group of officers. Participants wore the WT for an extended period, completed a variety of health and wellbeing questionnaires and discussed their experience in focus groups. Firearms officers and mixed group officers displayed similar sleep efficiency, but firearms officers have worse sleep consistency and sleep performance. Firearms officers appear to have higher HRV and a slightly lower resting heart rate. Both groups display reasonable acceptance of the use of WT, speaking favorably during the focus groups of how monitoring the data had improved their quality of life in terms of their understanding of sleep, wellbeing and how they had consequently completed lifestyle modification. WT offers some promise in managing officer health and wellbeing; studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm this.

Student counsellor experiences of mindfulness-based intervention training: A systematic review of the qualitative literature

AIMS

This systematic review aimed to critically synthesize research examining trainee therapists' experiences of learning and using mindfulness. It explored the personal and professional benefits and challenges of mindfulness training, and whether there is merit including it in core education programmes.

METHODS

Key article databases (including PsycINFO, Web of Science, ERIC, Academic Search Premier, Medline, CINAHL Complete, Scopus, Google Scholar) were systematically searched for qualitative studies on post-graduate counselling, psychology and psychotherapy students' experiences of mindfulness courses. Reference sections of highly relevant studies were also searched. Thirteen identified studies were subjected to data extraction, critical appraisal using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for qualitative research, and synthesis.

RESULTS

Thematic synthesis highlighted positive personal and professional experiences of mindfulness, such as enhanced emotional regulation and wellbeing, better therapist-client boundaries, and stronger therapeutic relationships. These followed some minor initial challenges, such as discomfort and difficulty concentrating.

CONCLUSION

Although participants of included studies were more likely to have a predisposition for mindfulness, results clearly endorse the potential of mindfulness training to complement existing counsellor training by fostering essential clinical skills, qualities and attitudes, and self-care. As some students initially find mindfulness to be challenging, issues such as individual readiness need consideration.

From anxious loneliness to meditation: a mental health self-care strategy to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic

It has been a matter of public knowledge that physical and mental health are intertwining concerns. With a high association between the individuals’ experience of the novel Corona Virus Disease in 2019 (COVID-19) and their psychological distress, mental health experts recognized mental health as a coterminous public health concern with the COVID-19 pandemic. In this journal, a systematic review study pointed out that mental health is the most affected issue concerning implementing governments worldwide adopted policies like staying at home, social distancing and ‘lockdown’ measures. However, we argue that these containment measures could be non-detrimental to mental health when one transforms his or her experience of anxious loneliness into an avenue of practicing meditation as a strategy of mental health self-care.

Perceived Stress, Personality Traits, and State of Victim's Consciousness: Impact on Tourniquet Application Time and Effectiveness

INTRODUCTION

One of the main avoidable causes of combat-related injury death is extremity hemorrhage. Even with regular training, failure to properly apply a tourniquet is common. In this study, we sought to assess if rescuer's stress and personality traits, along with victim's state of consciousness, had a role to explain tourniquet application failure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty-seven soldiers completed a sociodemographic and personality questionnaire (perceived stress, active altruism, mindfulness, and empathy) during a forward combat casualty care course. Then, they underwent a leg hemorrhage simulation on a randomly conscious or unconscious victim. Tourniquet application time and effectiveness (using popliteal artery Doppler) were recorded.

RESULTS

Tourniquet application effective rate was 37% and soldiers with higher levels of perceived stress were at greater risk of failure, especially on a conscious victim. Participants who deployed overseas and those who have undergone combat rescue training were significantly quicker to apply a tourniquet. Altruist and empathetic caregivers were slower to apply the tourniquet while mindful ones were faster.

CONCLUSIONS

Combat-related injuries, even simulated, not only involve the rescuer's technical skills but also their ability to deal with stressful external stimuli. Tourniquet application speed seems to be influenced by perceived stress and personality traits of the rescuers. Frequent failures justify repeated training, and one way to pursue improvement could be to develop a personalized pedagogy adapting to the needs of the students according to their current skillset but also their perceived stress and personality determinants. In the pedagogical process (planning, goal setting, teaching, and evaluating), the state of consciousness of the victim seems to be a parameter that needs to be accounted for, but further studies are required to accurately describe its influence.

The role of acceptance in mood improvement during Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

OBJECTIVE

This study elucidates the association between acceptance, mindfulness, and psychological well-being in a community-based sample participating in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program.

METHOD

Participants (n = 52) completed an 8-week MBSR program at an academic medical center. Participants completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) at pre- and post-MSBR programs.

RESULTS

Serial mediation analysis suggested that changes in mindfulness preceded changes in acceptance, which improved well-being (indirect effect = -6.57, 95% confidence interval [CI; -13.38, -1.57]). Participants with low pre-MSBR acceptance significantly increased acceptance and well-being (p < .001). Moderated mediation models suggested that the pre-MBSR acceptance level moderated the mindfulness-acceptance and the acceptance-well-being link.

CONCLUSIONS

Acceptance may be related to mindfulness and pre-MSBR acceptance may differentially affect outcomes. Limitations include a nonclinical sample and a lack of a control group. Future research may examine mindfulness "dose" and other mechanisms that facilitate improvements in outcomes.

Healing Justice, Transformative Justice, and Holistic Self-Care for Social Workers

A self-care movement for social workers is beginning to embrace mindfulness and other forms of wellness. However, self-care is often framed as merely an individualistic pursuit and may be a tool of managerialism, reinforcing the social and economic structures and culture that are causing burnout and moral injury in the first place. Particularly for people who are marginalized, the self-care movement may ignore historical trauma and the ways that interlocking oppressions contribute to stress, trauma, moral injury, and burnout. Drawing from the evidence base on East-West mind-body practices and informed by a transformative practice lens, healing justice is presented as a framework and set of practices of the whole self. The whole self includes the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, social, and ecological selves. A transformative approach to healing can be supported by enhancing the capabilities of mindfulness, compassion, curiosity, critical inquiry, effort, and equanimity. The concept of the healing justice organization is introduced as an opportunity for organizational change beginning with a set of inquiries for social work organizations to attend structurally and more purposefully to collective care.

The impact of trait mindfulness on relational outcomes in novice yoga practitioners participating in an academic yoga course

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the role of dispositional mindfulness in impacting the relational benefits of yoga in novice practitioners in an undergraduate academic yoga course.

PARTICIPANTS

21 college students enrolled in a yoga course throughout a 15-week academic semester (January-April 2016).

METHODS

Participants attended lab assessments at the beginning and end of the semester and were asked to complete eight consecutive Internet-based daily surveys across six separate bursts, yielding 48 data points for each participant.

RESULTS

Multivariate time-series analyses revealed within-person subgroup differences such that in general, those in the high trait mindfulness group gleaned benefits from yoga practice with respect to relational outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated trait mindfulness impacts relational outcomes in novice yoga practitioners, suggesting those low in trait mindfulness may not garner immediate relational benefits from yoga and could benefit from additional strategies to bolster against any negative influences of initiating yoga practice.

Why therapists should walk the talk: The theoretical and empirical case for personal practice in therapist training and professional development

The key proposition of this invited essay is that personal practice (PP), coupled with self-reflection, is central to the development of the most effective therapists. To date, the discussion about personal practice in therapist training and professional development has largely revolved around the value of personal therapy, subscribed to by some schools of psychotherapy but not by others. However, since the turn of the century a new landscape of personal practices for therapists has emerged. In particular, two forms of personal practice, meditation programs and self-practice/self-reflection (SP/SR) programs, have developed a growing evidence base. Here it is proposed that there is now a strong theoretical and empirical case to accord personal practice an explicit role in therapist training and professional development. The case rests on recent research suggesting that: (1) personal and interpersonal qualities of therapists play a key role in client outcomes; and (2) personal practice is the most effective way to achieve changes in therapists' personal and interpersonal qualities. It is suggested that the research agenda needs to move beyond asking whether or not personal practice is effective towards a more sophisticated set of questions: what personal practice, facilitated by whom, is most effective with which practitioners, in what contexts, at what point in time? To make further progress, trainers and researchers need to be supported to include personal practices in therapist training and to undertake research to evaluate their impacts.

Mindfulness in allied health and social care professional education: a scoping review

Background: Investigations into the use of mindfulness with allied health and social care students, many of whom ultimately work in rehabilitation settings, is in the nascent stages and no systematic mapping of the literature has occurred. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify, summarise, and describe the current state of knowledge on mindfulness in allied health and social care professional education.Methods: Arksey and O'Malley's scoping review methodology was adopted. Five data bases were searched; inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied; and 50 papers were identified for inclusion in the study.Results: Quantitative studies depicted mindfulness interventions as contributing to: improved capacities for mindfulness; decreases in stress, anxiety, and depression; improvements in academic skills, quality of life and well-being, and empathy; improved physiological measures and emotional regulation; and mixed effects on burn-out. Qualitative studies highlighted: 1) mindfulness and self-care, 2) mindfulness within professional practice placements, 3) mindfulness in the classroom, and 4) the cultivation of mindful qualities.Conclusions: The study has important implications for the education of future rehabilitation professions and suggests that learning about mindfulness may be useful in assisting students to: manage academic stress, anxiety, and depression; cultivate a physical and mental state of calm; be more present and empathetic with clients; and be more focused and attentive in professional practice settings.Implications for rehabilitationFurther exploration of mindfulness as a promising educational intervention for the professional preparation of future rehabilitation practitioners in allied health and social care fields is recommended.Education and research about mindfulness and its potential opportunities for students in terms of the mediation of stress, anxiety, depression, and the cultivation of empathy, academic skills, quality of life, and resilience are recommended.Education and research about mindfulness and its potential for the cultivation of beneficial qualities of mind such as attention, self-awareness, compassion, non-judgment, and acceptance are recommended.Education and research about mindfulness as a potential means to develop capacities related to self-care, professional practice placements, and classroom performance in students is recommended.

Predicting personal self-care in informal caregivers

Caregiver research often focuses on negative health outcomes, yet little is known about the self-care practices of caregivers. The present study investigates self-care practices among family caregivers and the relationships between personal self-care, perceived stress, and other health variables. Data were collected from informal caregivers through self-administered Internet and paper surveys that included the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey, Perceived Stress Scale, and Self-Care Practices Scale. Personal self-care was most strongly associated with emotional well-being, pain, perceived stress, and general health. The relevance of study findings to strengthening family caregiver programs and future research is discussed.

Addressing holistic health and work empowerment through a body-mind-spirit intervention program among helping professionals in continuous education: A pilot study

To examine the effectiveness of a body-mind-spirit (BMS) intervention program in improving the holistic well-being and work empowerment among helping professionals in continuous education. Forty-four helping professionals, who were in their first-year part-time postgraduate study, participated in the present study. All participants attended a 3-day BMS intervention program which emphasized a holistic approach to health and well-being. Ratings on their levels of physical distress, daily functioning, affect, spirituality, and psychological empowerment at work were compared before and immediately after the intervention. Participants reported significantly lower levels of negative affect and physical distress, and were less spiritually disoriented after the intervention. Enhanced levels of daily functioning, positive affect, spiritual resilience, and tranquility were also reported. Results also suggested that participants were empowered at work, and specifically felt more able to make an impact on work outcomes. The 3-day BMS intervention program produced a positive and measurable effect on participants' holistic well-being and empowerment at work. Educators in related fields could incorporate holistic practices into the curriculum to better prepare the future practitioners, leading to better outcomes both to the professionals themselves and their clients or patients.

Self-Compassion Online: A Pilot Study of an Internet-Based Self-Compassion Cultivation Program for Psychology Trainees

OBJECTIVE

The current study sought to conduct a preliminary investigation of the effectiveness and feasibility of a novel, self-guided online self-compassion training for reducing psychological distress and increasing self-compassion and happiness among psychology trainees.

METHOD

A 6-week online self-compassion cultivation program was developed and delivered to Australian psychology trainees (n = 37), and a pre-experimental repeated-measures design was used to collect change data on self-compassion, happiness, perceived stress, emotion regulation difficulties as well as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

RESULTS

Participants reported significant increases in self-compassion and happiness and significant decreases in depression, stress, and emotion regulation difficulties between pretest and posttest, with the majority of changes maintained at 3-month follow up.

CONCLUSION

 This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness and acceptability of online self-compassion training as a positive, integrated, and meaningful way of reducing distress and promoting self-compassion and happiness among trainee psychologists.

Yoga for Self-Care and Burnout Prevention Among Nurses

The promotion of self-care and the prevention of burnout among nurses is a public health priority. Evidence supports the efficacy of yoga to improve physical and mental health outcomes, but few studies have examined the influence of yoga on nurse-specific outcomes. The purpose of this pilot-level randomized controlled trial was to examine the efficacy of yoga to improve self-care and reduce burnout among nurses. Compared with controls ( n = 20), yoga participants ( n = 20) reported significantly higher self-care as well as less emotional exhaustion and depersonalization upon completion of an 8-week yoga intervention. Although the control group demonstrated no change throughout the course of the study, the yoga group showed a significant improvement in scores from pre- to post-intervention for self-care ( p < .001), mindfulness ( p = .028), emotional exhaustion ( p = .008), and depersonalization ( p = .007) outcomes. Implications for practice are discussed.

Mindfulness, Psychological Flexibility, and Counseling Self-Efficacy

The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism by which counselor trainees’ mindfulness and psychological flexibility are positively associated with counseling self-efficacy. First, it was hypothesized that having fewer experiences of hindering self-focused attention (i.e., counselor trainees’ awareness of their own anxiety and distracting thoughts in sessions) would mediate the association between mindfulness and counseling self-efficacy. Second, it was hypothesized that having fewer experiences of hindering self-focused attention would mediate the association between psychological flexibility and counseling self-efficacy. Participants included 154 graduate counselor trainees. Results supported our hypotheses that counselor trainees with greater mindfulness reported having fewer experiences of hindering self-focused attention, which in turn was positively associated with counseling self-efficacy. Similarly, those with greater psychological flexibility also reported having fewer experiences of hindering self-focused attention, which in turn was positively associated with counseling self-efficacy. These findings were significant after controlling for age and number of practicum courses.

Mindfulness, self-compassion, and empathy among health care professionals: a review of the literature

The relationship between mindfulness and self-compassion is explored in the health care literature, with a corollary emphasis on reducing stress in health care workers and providing compassionate patient care. Health care professionals are particularly vulnerable to stress overload and compassion fatigue due to an emotionally exhausting environment. Compassion fatigue among caregivers in turn has been associated with less effective delivery of care. Having compassion for others entails self-compassion. In Kristin Neff's research, self-compassion includes self-kindness, a sense of common humanity, and mindfulness. Both mindfulness and self-compassion involve promoting an attitude of curiosity and nonjudgment towards one's experiences. Research suggests that mindfulness interventions, particularly those with an added lovingkindness component, have the potential to increase self-compassion among health care workers. Enhancing focus on developing self-compassion using MBSR and other mindfulness interventions for health care workers holds promise for reducing perceived stress and increasing effectiveness of clinical care.

Mindfulness-based coaching: Conceptualisation, supporting evidence and emerging applications

Purpose:

The present paper reviews the scholarly literature on mindfulness and coaching and explores the potential contributions to coaching psychology of empirically supported intervention approaches that are based on or incorporate mindfulness concepts or practices.

Method:

The main psychological mindfulness intervention approaches are described and their effects with non-clinical populations are reviewed. Evidence is then documented to suggest emerging applications of mindfulness interventions to coaching psychology.

Results:

The evidence reviewed suggests that mindfulness may enhance the well-being and effectiveness of coaches who have a personal practice of mindfulness; improves the well-being and psychological functioning of clients who are taught mindfulness skills; offers a rich repertoire of evidence-based techniques and strategies for facilitating change; and may contribute to theoretical base of coaching psychology, particularly with regards to understanding the process of individual change.

Conclusions:

This paper makes suggestions for coaching practitioners, discusses practical guidelines for integrating mindfulness into the practice of coaching, and makes recommendations for future research.

Restorative Integral Support (RIS) for Older Adults Experiencing Co-Occurring Disorders

The Restorative Integral Support (RIS) model is a whole person response that assists people to overcome adversity. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the association between stressors in childhood and multiple later-life health and social problems. Older adults experiencing co-occurring disorders are an under-served and vulnerable population where gaps in both practice models and research to inform effective service provision exist. The current empirical case study presents Senior Hope as one social service agency employing RIS to intervene on the linkage between ACEs and co-occurring disorders to assist older adults. RIS usefully articulates the way in which Senior Hope is developing ACE-informed programs that mobilize resilience and recovery to help older adults achieve positive mental health outcomes. Implementation and research on the RIS model is recommended to enhance services for groups with ACE characteristics.

Perceptions of the Long-Term Influence of Mindfulness Training on Counselors and Psychotherapists

Although self-care is often touted as being important to counselors and psychotherapists, historically little has been done within graduate school to provide future therapists with self-care strategies. This article proposes that mindfulness training offers a promising approach to therapist self-care and introduces qualitative research on the long-term impact of mindfulness training to substantiate this claim. Sixteen former students who are now practicing counselors were interviewed. Thirteen of them reported continuing to practice mindfulness techniques. Participants indicated that mindfulness continued to influence both their personal lives and self-care practices leading to positive influences in physical, emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal well-being. In their professional lives, participants described ways of incorporating mindfulness into their way of being a therapist, their interventions, and how they conceptualize their clients’ issues.

The Value of Mindfulness-Based Methods in Teaching at a Clinical Field Placement

The value of mindfulness-based methods in an undergraduate field placement was investigated in relation to the acquisition of self-care and other basic clinical competencies. The participants were 22 students in an applied behavioral analysis course, which included a mindfulness-based training module, and 20 students enrolled in an experimental psychology course without mindfulness training. The Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale, the Freiberg Mindfulness Inventory, and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills were used as measurements before and after intervention. Mindfulness-trained participants kept records and were asked to share their personal experiences during supervision and an exit interview. Results demonstrated that training significantly increased mindfulness. Qualitative data indicated enhanced self-care, attention to well-being, self-awareness, active involvement acquiring skills, and empathy and compassion. The need to expand the utility of mindfulness to the realm of education and the importance of including comparison groups with other self-care modules for future studies were discussed.