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Griffin, Michael P. "Mindfulness, Meditation, and Anger." W&M ScholarWorks, 2001. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539626342.
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Kam, Wing-pong Roddy, and 甘榮邦. "Mindfulness (sati) meditation trends: merger of clinical psychology and the Buddhism mindfulness meditation." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2010. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45166158.
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Mohammed, Warhel Asim Mohammed. "Integrating mindfulness meditation into sport therapy." Thesis, University of Kent, 2018. https://kar.kent.ac.uk/70200/.
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Since 1979, once Kabat-Zinn developed Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), gradual changes in the domain of health have been observed. Hence, the flow of mindfulness into numerous fields of scientific research. One of fields which mindfulness meditation (MM) has been integrated into is sport. Many investigations have successfully documented how MM can enhance athletes' performance, as well as improving their negative mood state. Notably, the majority of this research has focused on sport performance. Despite the promising theory, there has been no experimental study regarding the increase in pain tolerance (PT), reduction of perception of pain (PP) and psychological distress for athletes once they have become injured. The Cold Pressor Test (CPT) had been used to discover the effectiveness of MM regarding physical pain with injured athletes (IA). Additionally, this was conducted in order to understand whether MM could benefit them with their condition. Therefore, a commonly used meditation technique, based on MBSR, had been used as an intervention during the period of recovery with IA. The first study set out to determine the role of MM training in increasing pain tolerance, reducing the perception of pain, mindful attention, reducing anxiety/stress and improving mood state. The experimental data found that PP increased in CPT for IA who received 8 weeks of formal and informal MM training. However, no reductions in CPT were observed in PP. Quantitative findings showed that mindful attention had significantly changed for IA in the intervention group. There was also an improvement in the control group, even though they had not received MM. This is might be due to the physiotherapy treatment that had increased their level of awareness. MM had also been investigated with therapists (physiotherapists and sport therapists) in the second study, through both formal and self-directed practise. Questionnaire assessments of MM were collected from 29 therapists who were involved in 4 weeks of the MM program from different countries and methods of practice. It was important to note that the process of data collection was through a website that was developed only for research purposes. There were two research questions that were investigated. The first was Does MM increase therapists' body-awareness and reduce their burnout in the workplace? Additionally, it looked at the positive effect of MM on their personal attitudes after 4 weeks of formal and self-directed practise. The second research question aimed to understand which methods (face-to-face and Skype (FFG) with an instructor or self-directed (SDG), MM program were more effective with therapists. The findings indicated that there was a positive effect of MM in increasing their body-awareness through the MAIA scale, particularly attention-regulation, self-regulation and trusting and BST personal-achievement for therapists in the FFG. As such, the findings found a significant improvement in FFMQ in acting with awareness, the PANAS positive affect and SCBC. As a result of these findings, therapists who practised MM face to face with an instructor obtained more benefits compared to their peers in the SDG. In previous studies, MM had been investigated through both experimental and quantitative methods. In order to aid further understanding about the effect of MM, a qualitative approach was implemented with both clinical and non-clinical populations through semi structured interviews. Two research questions were examined with both IA and therapists. In the third study, the qualitative study sought to understand and explain what experiences the "injured athletes" had experienced during the eight weeks' formal and self-directed MM program. In the last study of this thesis, the qualitative investigation sought to discover what the therapists' perceptions of the effectiveness of the MM program were. Taken together, both IA and therapists emphasised that the MM program had positively affected their attitudes after their participation. With regard to IA experiences', MM is a suitable mental training that can be used during the sport rehabilitation process (SRP). On the other side, the therapists stressed that MM is an effective strategy to use in the workplace and at home. The findings of this thesis provide a better understanding of practising MM in both clinical and non-clinical populations in sport. This is in addition to the variety of methods that were used to assess MM in all the studies. Consequently, this novel work in sport could contribute towards a broad theoretical and practical foundation in future research.
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Claus, Susan Lynne. "Mindfulness Meditation for Intimate Partner Violence." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/32520.
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This study examined meditative practices among group participants and therapists, participating in the Domestic Violence Focused Couples Treatment (DVFCT) group using the phenomenology and systems frameworks. Specifically, this inquiry explored whether or not group participants and therapists experienced intrapersonal effects as well as relational effects from meditating, both within and outside of session. Little research examines the relational impact of meditating, or the use of meditation as a strategy for helping couples who experienced intimate partner violence. Systems theory and existing research regarding mindfulness meditation contributed to the development of interview questions. Five group participants and four therapists who facilitated the Domestic Violence Focused Couples Treatment group within the last two years were interviewed. The main theme that had emerged from the study were the differences between meditating during session versus out of session for all study participants. In the study, it was noticed that group participants also experienced more relational effects then were noticed by the therapists. While the experience for the therapists and group participants varied, some similarities were found consistently through their interviews. Also included are a discussion of the connections between these themes and the existing literature, the strengths and limitations of this study, and the implications for future research.Master of Science
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Robertson, Gina L. K. "A Meditation on Meditation: Exploring Perceptions of Mindfulness and Meditation in the Claremont Community." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2017. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/1062.
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Wellness dialogues in the United States consistently promote "mindfulness" and "meditation" in relation to self-care, but what do these terms really mean? This research project explores perceptions of mindfulness and meditation in the Claremont community, investigating how understandings of these terms are socially exchanged and reproduced. It also illuminates how these understandings have transformed from concepts influenced by a perceived "eastern-ness" to concepts whose cultural roots remain often undiscussed. Through this research, readers will better understand how Claremont community members conceptualize "mindfulness" and "meditation" and hopefully better access these practices with their perceived related health benefits.
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Britton, Willoughby. "Meditation and Depression." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/195235.
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Although meditation-based interventions have been associated with improvement in depressive symptoms and prevention of relapse, the physiological mechanisms of meditation's therapeutic effects are unknown. At the same time, a growing body of literature has shown that meditation has profound effects on numerous physiological systems that are involved in the pathophysiology of depression. The first paper reviews many of the physiological abnormalities found in depression and the reversal or normalization of these same systems by meditation. The paper includes 1) a review of the physiological concomitants of depression, 2) a description of mindfulness meditation and its effects on mood disturbance, 3) the physiological effects of mindfulness and other related forms of meditation, and 4) suggestions for future research.The second paper summarizes the results of a randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation training on one of the previously identified candidate systems: sleep, as measured by overnight polysomnographic sleep studies as well as subjective reports (sleep diaries). The results indicate that mindfulness has an arousing effect on objectively measured sleep that corresponds with subjectively reported improvements in mood and sleep. This pattern is similar to the one observed in responders to antidepressant medications.
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Blackburn, Kara Fahey. "The Effects of classroom-based mindfulness meditation on MBA student mindfulness." Thesis, Boston College, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:104226.
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Thesis advisor: Karen ArnoldThis study was an experimental trial of a classroom-based intervention to influence mindfulness among MBA students at the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MBA students at MIT Sloan and elsewhere are conditioned to look forward and reflect on the past only to the degree that it helps plan for the future. They are rarely taught to be aware of what is occurring in the current moment. Training students to be more mindful, that is better able to be aware of and to pay attention to present moment experience would contribute to the mission of MBA programs to create leaders by giving students meaningful insight into their own thoughts, feelings, and actions. Within the literatures of medicine, neuroscience, psychology, and education, investigators have found that mindfulness has been positively correlated with improved well-being, reduced stress, better decision-making and perspective-taking, as well as improved personal relationships (Brown and Ryan, 2003; Block-Lerner, Adair, Plumb, Rhatigan, & Orsillo, 2007; Dekeyser, Raes, Leijssen, Leysen, & Dewulf, 2008; De Dea Roglio & Light, 2009; Kabat-Zinn, 1994). While the potential benefits of mindfulness have been established in multiple fields, there is scant research on mindfulness and MBA students. This research study explored whether brief mindfulness meditation exercises, embedded in an existing course, would influence MBA students' levels of mindfulness as measured by the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) (Brown & Ryan, 2003). In the fall 2014 semester, a sample of 158 first-year MBA students from MIT Sloan participated in an experiment with modified randomization of a pre/post design. Data analysis revealed that participant scores on the MAAS decreased significantly from pretest to posttest, though less so in the treatment group. These findings suggest that the intervention was not robust enough to exert a positive influence on participants' levels of mindfulness in the graduate business school context. This research contributes to the literature by providing important information about the requisite exposure to and scalability of the intervention in research on mindfulness meditation in higher education
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2015
Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education
Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education
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Farzaneh, Babak. "Adolescents’ initial experiences of sitting mindfulness meditation." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/33670.
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Mindfulness-based programs have become popular clinical interventions and are receiving attention in the scientific literature. This qualitative study explored the initial experiences of adolescents with “Sitting Mindfulness Meditation” (SMM: Kabat-Zinn, 1994, 2002), a technique that involves intentionally focusing one’s attention on the physical sensations of the breath while engaging in non-evaluative and non-judgmental observation of one’s thoughts, feelings, and sensations. This study explored SMM using a phenomenological design to answer the question, “What are the initial experiences of adolescents practicing SMM?” Participants, grade 11 and 12 students, were recruited from two secondary high schools in a large metropolitan Canadian city through poster advertisements and contacting high school counsellors. In order to capture the essence of the phenomenon being investigated, two semi-structured interviews were conducted. The first interview followed adolescents’ initial experiences with SMM, using CD instructions from Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (Kabat-Zinn, 2002). The second research interview was conducted a week after the adolescents had practiced SMM every second day for a total of three sessions at home using the CD. The adolescents were encouraged to keep a journal of their experiences at home. All data were analyzed according to Giorgi and Giorgi’s (2003) psychological phenomenological method. Eight major structures capturing participants’ experiences of SMM emerged: a) expectations of SMM; b) attention and concentration; c) distraction; d) awareness; e) self-reflection; f) getting in touch with feelings; g) beneficial experiences; and h) conceptualization of SMM. This study contributes to a greater understanding of how SMM may be experienced by adolescents. Implications for future research and application of mindfulness-based interventions are discussed.
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Baranski, Michael Francis Stephen. "Mindfulness Meditation May Enhance Working Memory Capacity." Kent State University / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1511986952024453.
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Alvarez, de Lorenzana John W. "Therapists who practice mindfulness meditation : implications for therapy." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/1339.
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In the past decade the healing potential of mindfulness and its practice has gained widespread recognition across various health disciplines and institutions, especially mental health. Past and current research on mindfulness interventions have focused almost exclusively on the beneficial effects for clients. However, there is a serious shortage of research on how mindfulness practice influences therapists and their work. The current study looked specifically at how the influence of mindfulness meditation (MM) was experienced by therapists in the context of their work.
An interpretive description methodology was used to guide the research process. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with six therapists who practiced MM regularly. A thematic analysis of interview transcripts highlighted commonalities and differences among participants’ perceptions of the influence of MM on their work. Eleven themes emerged from the data analysis. Thematic findings were considered in relation to key issues in psychotherapy, master therapist traits and other contemporary qualitative research addressing the influence of MM on practitioners. The results are discussed with an emphasis on the practical implications for future research, therapist training and clinical practice.
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Atchley, Rachel M. "Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Stress-Related Inhibitory Gating Impairment." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1401920790.
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Saad-Haukjaer, Samy R. "Can Mindfulness Meditation Make Your Organization More Attractive?" Xavier University / OhioLINK, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=xavier1566151754618979.
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May, Lisa. "Neural and Behavioral Mechanisms of Mindfulness and Meditation." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/22619.
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Meditation is a useful construct with which to bridge the divide between physiology and psychology because of its impacts on both physical and mental health. Examining the same construct from different perspectives allows for the synthesis of knowledge from psychology and from physiology, and establishing the mechanisms by which mindfulness exerts its eects is important for understanding and intervening on the proximal factors that contribute to mental and physical health. The goal of this dissertation is to advance the understanding of the mechanisms of meditation and mindfulness using a multi-method approach. Chapter 2 asks "How well is trait mindfulness perceived by outside observers?" via self-other agreement (SOA), observability, and evaluativeness of mindfulness. Study 1 investigated SOA of trait mindfulness. SOA correlations suggest that the internal process of mindfulness likely manifests in observable behaviors. Study 2 investigated the observability and evaluativeness of mindfulness. There were no strong relationships between SOA and either observability or evaluativeness of mindfulness, suggesting that SOA is not strongly impacted by enhancing biases in self report or the observability of the process of mindfulness. The behavioral outcomes of mindfulness, rather than the mental processes alone, may determine how mindfulness impacts relationships. Chapter 3 investigated the effects of mindfulness training on parents' neural activity and the parent-child relationship. Parents completed a fMRI mindfulness task before and after attending a mindfulness course with their early-adolescent children. Parent neural activation increased in areas related to self-awareness, interoception, and emotion regulation. Changes in parents' activation in an area related to empathy correlated with changes in children's reports of the parent-child relationship. These findings suggest that parent emotion regulation is a potential mechanism by which mindful parenting interventions affect change. Chapter 4 tested endogenous opioid involvement in meditation analgesia using cross-over administration of the opioid antagonist Naloxone and experienced meditators. Pain was significantly lower during meditation than at baseline under Naloxone, indicating that long-term meditation practice inhibits pain via a non-opioid pathway and presents the first evidence that opioids inhibit another neurochemical pathway leading to pain relief. This dissertation includes previously published and unpublished co-authored material.10000-01-01
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Rothenborg, Malin. "Meditation : Effekter & Upplevelser." Thesis, Karlstad University, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Communication and IT, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-3197.
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In this essay, the phenomenon and the concept "meditation" are treated. Meditation is a mental training technique where one develops the ability to choose where to put attention and ability to focus. Techniques for meditation is used individually of people who wants to develop themselves as persons and in therapeutic aims of professional within the field of psychology in order to help people to find solutions of problems within themselves. The aim with this essay were to do a qualitative study in order to see how possible effects of meditation influences daily life of contributory practisian's. Issue has been as follows; which effects have one regularly conducting of meditation on people and their lives? Interviews with four experienced meditators were done in India and the material were analyzed afterwards with the aid of thematic analysis, furthermore in order to link the results with clinical research and established theories about meditation. Meditation is an important part of the Buddhist tradition and its importance for people's wellbeing has been recognized within Buddhism since approximately 2500 years back. In 1960 knowledge about meditation established in the world of vest, where the interest grows and researchers in the field of meditation permanently report about new health profits with this type of "mental" exercise. Eastern concepts and methods are integrated within western psychology and the meeting between science in east and vest leads to an extended understanding of humans and its intrinsic force. The result shows that meditation has a significant effect on the participants' lives and the training first of all leads to an increased degree of " mindfulness"; awareness of the presence, which according to established researchers, has a positive impact on people's wellbeing. To live in " the present" is seen as one ability valuable in handling life, leads to a feeling of increased internal strength and furthermore is what leads to the effects that is presented within different themes in the result of this study.
Keywords:
meditation, power of the mind, mindfulness, focus, harmony
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Kulsrud, Cecilie Stoer. "MBCM - The Mindfulness Based Coaching Model: a mindfulness based approach to coaching : an integration ofBuddhist mindfulness training into the coaching practice." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2010. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B45621160.
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Parker, Chelsey Nichole. "Mindfulness for More: Piloting a Mindfulness Program for Underserved Populations." University of Dayton / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=dayton1525109153266523.
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Stoops, Todd Lyle. "Understanding mindfulness implications for instruction and learning /." Morgantown, W. Va. : [West Virginia University Libraries], 2005. https://eidr.wvu.edu/etd/documentdata.eTD?documentid=4286.
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Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2005.Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 137 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-100).
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Chu, Ho-tat Matthew, and 朱可達. "The effects of school-based program on mindfulness practice with lovingkindness." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2011. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B50638993.
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A growing body of research has supported the benefits of mindfulness practice. However, not many studies investigated its effects on positive human functioning. In addition, most studies treated mindfulness as skills and techniques for achieving bare awareness, without addressing its philosophical underpinnings. In the Buddhist tradition, mindfulness is paying close attention to one’s immediate experience in an attitude of lovingkindness. The essence of mindfulness will be lost if the practice is reduced to skills and techniques for achieving bare awareness.
In view of the limitations of past research, the present study compared the effects of the mindfulness practice with pure skills training and the mindfulness practice with lovingkindness. Instead of focusing on clinical problems, the present study examined the effects of mindfulness practice on the personal and social wellbeing of adolescents in school setting. Personal wellbeing was indicated by affect (positive vs. negative), general health, and emotion management whereas social wellbeing was indicated by sense of connectedness, self-report and actual prosocial behaviors. The present study also examined the psychological mechanisms that accounted for the intervention effects on personal and social wellbeing.
The participants were 188 junior secondary students (67 girls and 121 boys) from two schools. Their age ranged from 12 to 16 years (M = 13.24). They were assigned randomly to one of the three 8 week programs: Mindfulness, Lovingkindness, or Study Skills. The first program focused on skills and techniques on mindfulness practice. The second program was the same as the first program except that lovingkindness component was included. The last program focused on study skills and served as the control condition. The participants completed a battery of measures prior to and immediately after the training. To investigate the sustainability of intervention effect, they completed the same battery of measures again two months later. Four hypotheses were formulated. Hypothesis 1: Compared to the participants in the control condition, the participants in the mindfulness and lovingkindness programs would have better personal wellbeing after the intervention. Hypothesis 2: Compared to the participants in the control condition and the mindfulness program, the participants in the lovingkindness program would have better social wellbeing after the intervention. Hypothesis 3: With reference to personal wellbeing, emotion management would mediate the intervention effects on affect and general health. Hypothesis 4: With reference to social wellbeing, connectedness would mediate the intervention effect on prosocial behaviors.
Consistent with Hypothesis 1, the results showed that compared to the participants in the control condition, the participants in the mindfulness and lovingkindness programs had better personal wellbeing. As for Hypothesis 2, the participants of the mindfulness program also had significant improvement in social wellbeing although the participants of the lovingkindness program had the greatest improvement among the three programs. Consistent with Hypotheses 3, the results revealed that emotion management mediated the intervention effects (mindfulness and lovingkindness vs. control) on affect and general health. As for Hypothesis 4, connectedness mediated the intervention effect (lovingkindness vs. mindfulness and control) on self-report prosocial behaviors. It was also found that connectedness mediated the intervention effect (mindfulness and lovingkindness vs. control) on self-report prosocial behaviors. Intervention effects were still found two months after the training. These results have significant implications for school-based intervention programs on mindfulness practice.published_or_final_version
Educational Psychology
Doctoral
Doctor of Psychology
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Lutkajtis, Anna. "The dark side of Dharma: Why have adverse effects of meditation been ignored in contemporary Western secular contexts?" Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/20303.
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In contemporary Western society, meditation techniques that were previously taught within the context of Eastern religious traditions are now increasingly being practiced in secular settings. So-called ‘secular forms’ of meditation first came to mainstream public awareness in the early 1960s, when Hindu-inspired Transcendental Meditation (TM) gained popularity in the United States. In the 1970s, vipassana, a standardized residential 10-day meditation retreat undertaken in a secular format, also became popular among Westerners. More recently, ‘mindfulness’ meditation, a form of secular meditation derived from Theravada Buddhism, has found widespread use as both a therapeutic intervention and a mainstream self-help tool. ‘Meditation as self-help’ has become a booming commercial industry, and alongside these practices there now exists a variety of secular meditation courses, apps, podcasts and meditation-related wearable technologies. While the boundary between the secular and the religious is blurred, popular mainstream meditation techniques such as TM, vipassana and mindfulness are generally promoted as being derived from Eastern religions, but inherently non-religious, and suitable for a general audience. The popularity of secular meditation has been due in large part to its acceptance within the scientific community. Over the past forty years, thousands of research studies have been conducted suggesting that there are many psychological and physiological benefits associated with meditation. As a result, various meditation techniques have been incorporated into a number of therapeutic interventions and used as tools for the treatment of a variety of clinical issues. Interest in meditation has also grown as a result of mainstream media attention, particularly coverage of TM and mindfulness. The media has played a crucial role in driving public acceptance of meditation by positioning the practice as an inherently secular, side-effect free, therapeutic technique that is ‘good for everyone.’ Although the scientific studies and popular media coverage of secular meditation have been overwhelmingly positive, meditation has not gone without some criticism. In particular, a small but growing literature indicates there could be adverse effects associated with meditation practice, in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Close examination of the scientific literature reveals that even in early meditation research, adverse effects, including profound but de-stabilising insights, problematic spiritual emergencies, and the exacerbation of pre-existing mental health issues, were identified. In religious traditions, these types of difficulties associated with meditation are acknowledged, and are usually understood to be milestones on the path to enlightenment, the result of improper practice or due to individual differences. Additionally, in traditional contexts, meditation teachers are equipped to deal with complications that may arise. However, in a Western secular context, negative effects associated with meditation have largely been overlooked or ignored in both the academic literature and in the popular media. Why have meditation adverse effects been ignored in secular settings? This question is particularly relevant given the current popularity of secular meditation practices in a large variety of non-traditional settings including therapy, education and the workplace. If meditation has adverse effects, and these adverse effects are underreported, this has significant implications for the safe delivery of meditation practices in these settings, including the consideration of factors such as teacher competency, participant screening, ongoing monitoring and informed consent. This thesis argues that meditation adverse effects have been ignored in secular settings as a result of three factors related to the secularisation process: first, in contemporary Western society the goal of meditation has shifted from enlightenment to symptom relief and personal transformation, leading to the assumption that meditation is harmless and ‘good for everyone;’ second, secular meditation has been decontextualized and divorced from the religious literature and contemplative practitioners who could shed light on possible difficulties associated with meditation; and third, the image of meditation in popular media has been manipulated to fit contemporary market demands for a secular Westernised therapeutic technique that can be commodified. This thesis comprises an analysis of pop cultural sources and a close reading of clinical research sources regarding meditation in the modern West. This project incorporates data from a variety of meditation studies obtained from the scientific literature, including experimental studies, qualitative studies, unpublished PhD dissertations and case studies. It also considers ‘traditional’ religious sources on meditation, including stages of the path literature, Buddhist meditation manuals and spiritual autobiographies.
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Lutkajtis, Anna. "The dark side of Dharma: Why have adverse effects of meditation been ignored in contemporary Western secular contexts?" Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/20496.
Full textAbstract:
In contemporary Western society, meditation techniques that were previously taught within the context of Eastern religious traditions are now increasingly being practiced in secular settings. So-called ‘secular forms’ of meditation first came to mainstream public awareness in the early 1960s, when Hindu-inspired Transcendental Meditation (TM) gained popularity in the United States. In the 1970s, vipassana, a standardized residential 10-day meditation retreat undertaken in a secular format, also became popular among Westerners. More recently, ‘mindfulness’ meditation, a form of secular meditation derived from Theravada Buddhism, has found widespread use as both a therapeutic intervention and a mainstream self-help tool. ‘Meditation as self-help’ has become a booming commercial industry, and alongside these practices there now exists a variety of secular meditation courses, apps, podcasts and meditation-related wearable technologies. While the boundary between the secular and the religious is blurred, popular mainstream meditation techniques such as TM, vipassana and mindfulness are generally promoted as being derived from Eastern religions, but inherently non-religious, and suitable for a general audience. The popularity of secular meditation has been due in large part to its acceptance within the scientific community. Over the past forty years, thousands of research studies have been conducted suggesting that there are many psychological and physiological benefits associated with meditation. As a result, various meditation techniques have been incorporated into a number of therapeutic interventions and used as tools for the treatment of a variety of clinical issues. Interest in meditation has also grown as a result of mainstream media attention, particularly coverage of TM and mindfulness. The media has played a crucial role in driving public acceptance of meditation by positioning the practice as an inherently secular, side-effect free, therapeutic technique that is ‘good for everyone.’ Although the scientific studies and popular media coverage of secular meditation have been overwhelmingly positive, meditation has not gone without some criticism. In particular, a small but growing literature indicates there could be adverse effects associated with meditation practice, in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Close examination of the scientific literature reveals that even in early meditation research, adverse effects, including profound but de-stabilising insights, problematic spiritual emergencies, and the exacerbation of pre-existing mental health issues, were identified. In religious traditions, these types of difficulties associated with meditation are acknowledged, and are usually understood to be milestones on the path to enlightenment, the result of improper practice or due to individual differences. Additionally, in traditional contexts, meditation teachers are equipped to deal with complications that may arise. However, in a Western secular context, negative effects associated with meditation have largely been overlooked or ignored in both the academic literature and in the popular media. Why have meditation adverse effects been ignored in secular settings? This question is particularly relevant given the current popularity of secular meditation practices in a large variety of non-traditional settings including therapy, education and the workplace. If meditation has adverse effects, and these adverse effects are underreported, this has significant implications for the safe delivery of meditation practices in these settings, including the consideration of factors such as teacher competency, participant screening, ongoing monitoring and informed consent. This thesis argues that meditation adverse effects have been ignored in secular settings as a result of three factors related to the secularisation process: first, in contemporary Western society the goal of meditation has shifted from enlightenment to symptom relief and personal transformation, leading to the assumption that meditation is harmless and ‘good for everyone;’ second, secular meditation has been decontextualized and divorced from the religious literature and contemplative practitioners who could shed light on possible difficulties associated with meditation; and third, the image of meditation in popular media has been manipulated to fit contemporary market demands for a secular Westernised therapeutic technique that can be commodified. This thesis comprises an analysis of pop cultural sources and a close reading of clinical research sources regarding meditation in the modern West. This project incorporates data from a variety of meditation studies obtained from the scientific literature, including experimental studies, qualitative studies, unpublished PhD dissertations and case studies. It also considers ‘traditional’ religious sources on meditation, including stages of the path literature, Buddhist meditation manuals and spiritual autobiographies.
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Korrapati, Chaitanya, Renee M. Miranda, and Patricia Conner. "Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Stress in Healthcare Professionals." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2020. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/6872.
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Working in medical profession is stressful, and stress can affect performance, indirectly affecting patient care. Mindfulness has shown to decrease stress, which may improve patient care. At the East Tennessee State University Family Physicians of Bristol, there are no resources for learning mindfulness, so our goal was to educate all the medical professionals in our practice to learn mindfulness and evaluate the effect on their stress levels. First, a stress survey (Perceived Stress Scale) was administered to clinic providers. We presented instruction to clinic providers how to engage in mindfulness meditation. The technique of mindfulness meditation was taught by an expert through an audio clip. Six weeks after implementing the mindfulness meditation program, the Perceived Stress Scale was administered to the providers again to determine if their stress level had been reduced. Statistical analysis consisted of a t test. Higher scores on the Perceived Stress Scale indicate higher levels of experienced stress. The mean score in the pre-meditation condition was 16.71, and the mean score for the post-meditation condition was 12.62. The t test indicated that this difference was statistically significant, t(1,32)=2.14, p<05. The results of this study demonstrate that teaching healthcare providers skills regarding mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce their feelings of stress in the workplace. Future research should focus on examining if reducing stress has a measurable effect on patient outcomes.
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Thorn, Sara, and Nicole Wistrand. "Hantera och reducera stress med meditation/mindfulness : En litteraturstudie." Thesis, Högskolan i Skövde, Institutionen för hälsa och lärande, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-13888.
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Inledning: Samhället utvecklas och ställer allt högre krav på den enskilde individen som kan leda till ökad stressnivå. Långvarig stress kan leda till allvarliga folkhälsosjukdomar såsom utmattningssyndrom och depression. För att kunna påverka stressens negativa betydelse för hälsan är det viktigt att belysa behandlingsalternativ såsom meditation/mindfulness som kan inkluderas i vardagen. Syfte: Syftet med den här litteraturstudien är att undersöka vilka vetenskapliga belägg som finns om hur meditation/mindfulness kan hjälpa individer att hantera och reducera stress och på så sätt öka välbefinnandet och hälsan. Metod: Metoden är en litteraturstudie vilket innebär att artiklarna som ingår i studien har kritiskt granskats i en litteraturgenomgång. Tio artiklar ingår i studien som delats in i fyra teman som redovisas i resultatet. Resultat: Meditation/mindfulness kan vara effektiva metoder att hantera och reducera stress med, men alla studier var inte lika övertygande. Resultatet är indelat i fyra olika teman, positivt med meditation/mindfulness, tvivel om meditation/mindfulness effektivitet, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) och onlineprogram. Gällande meditation/mindfulness antydde några studier att det kan öka välbefinnandet och minska stress. Medan andra var mer osäkra på dess fördelar. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) visade på tydligare resultat gällande stressreduceringsprogram och likaså onlineprogram. MBSR kan användas av både sjuka och friska människor. Onlineprogram är effektiva både kostnadsmässigt och att individen kan nå programmen var som helst. Diskussion: Det fanns inte lika tydliga belägg för meditation/mindfulness effektivitet vid stresshantering som förväntat. Alla studier var inte överens om att det hade någon effekt men trots tvivel vill de forska mer innan de utesluter det som en bra metod. Hur effektivt det är för en individ kan variera för att programmen kräver träning, förståelse och förtroende. Meditation/mindfulness hjälper inte alla individer att hantera sin stress, men för vissa gör den det och för andra kan vara en bra metod i väntan på att få professionell hjälp.Introduction: The society develops and sets high standards on individuals and that make the stress increase. Long-term stress can lead to public health diseases such exhaustion syndrome and depression. To provide stress’s negative effect on health there is a need of reducing programs and interventions such meditation/mindfulness that can be included in the everyday life. Aim: The aim of this literature study is to investigate what scientific evidence exists about how meditation / mindfulness can help individuals manage and reduce stress, and then increase well-being and health. Methods: The method is a literature study, which means that the articles that are included in the study have been critically reviewed in a literature review. Ten articles are included in this study and they are divided into four themes that are reported in the result. Results: Meditation / mindfulness can be effective methods of managing and reducing stress, but all studies were not assured. The result is divided into four different themes, positive with meditation / mindfulness, doubts about meditation / mindfulness efficiency, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and online programs. Some studies suggested that it could increase well-being and reduce stress. While others were uncertain of its benefits. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) showed clearer results about stress reduction programs and online programs. MBSR can be used by both sick and healthy people. Online programs are effective both cost-effectively and that the individual can reach the programs from home. Discussion: There was not as clear evidence of meditation/mindfulness effectiveness in stress management as expected. All studies did not agree that it had any effect but in spite of doubt, more research is needed before ruling out as a good method. How effective it is for an individual may vary because the programs require training, understanding and trust. Meditation/mindfulness doesn’t help every individuals to manage their stress, but for some it does and for some it may be a good method while waiting for professional help.
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Ho, Quyen. "Mindfulness Meditation Practice by Individuals with Substance Dependent Behavior." ScholarWorks, 2017. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3783.
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Many people in the United States suffer from substance dependence, which leads to depression, anxiety, work impairment, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, crime, and health care problems. Mindfulness meditation has been applied in many aspects of mental health treatment and all belief systems. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore substance dependents' experiences related to their mindfulness meditation practice of at least 6 months and up to 3 years. A constructivist conceptual framework, which states that human beings create systems for understanding reality based on their individual beliefs, emotions, and interpretations, was used for this study. Research questions focused on 4 themes: (a) substance dependents' experiences of cravings, (b) their experiences of emotional states or feelings, (c) their experiences of their behavioral actions, and (d) their explanations about the effectiveness of mindfulness techniques. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 12 volunteer participants from a public meditation center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and they were analyzed using Moustakas' transcendental phenomenology framework. According to study results, positive social change may occur through increased understanding of varied emotional and behavioral states experienced by substance dependents as they strive for sobriety using mindfulness meditation techniques.
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Brown, Michelle. "Mindfulness Meditation: A Self-Awareness Approach to Weight Management." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/4598.
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Obesity is a crucial health care issue that has a global effect on the health care industry. Not only does obesity decrease the patients' quality of life, it also places an astronomical burden on health care delivery systems. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to establish a weight management program derived from evidence-based research. The research question is can the utilization of mindfulness meditations and practices with traditional weight loss methodologies produce sustainable weight loss? Pender's health belief model was the conceptual framework utilized to guide and provides structure for this project. The health belief model has been utilized in numerous health care studies and has provided researchers with tremendous insight on various health care issues. The goal of the project was to provide the inhabitants in a metropolitan city located in the Midwest region of the United States with weight management strategies that would support a declination in the number of patients struggling with obesity in that region. This project developed a turnkey solution to a community health problem consisting of the following strategies: executing mindfulness meditations and practices as part of their daily rituals, reading food labels and making healthier food selections, exercising 30 to 40 minutes a day, and documenting their progression or obstacles in a journal. Since the project consisted of only 20 participants, it is recommended that a larger population and region be utilized for future studies. This project has the potential for societal change by improving the quality of life of and productivity of patients struggling with obesity by decreasing their chances of developing chronic illnesses which can become debilitating.
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Holmström, Simon. "EFFECTS OF A TWO-WEEK MINDFULNESS INTERVENTION ON ASPECTS OF ATTENTION." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för psykologi, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-184806.
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Mindfulness is a form of meditation commonly used as a treatment against symptoms likestress, anxiety and depression that often arises in relation to chronic illnesses like cancer. Research have yielded positive results for mindfulness as a treatment for these symptoms butalso for improvements in attention in healthy people following mindfulness-training. Thepresent study used a within-group design where participants acted as their own control, withmeasures taken before and after a two-week internet-based meditation-intervention withexercises 5 days a week. This was done to investigate if mindfulness-training had any effect onthree different subsystems of attention: alerting, orienting and conflict monitoring. Analysis ofthe results yielded a significant difference in conflict monitoring from pre- to posttest whichsuggests that participants became more resilient towards distractors following mindfulnesstraining. Future research should focus on including more participants and to control fordifferences between already existing groups, for example gender- or age-related differences.Mindfulness är en form av meditation som vanligtvis användssom en behandling mot symptomsom stress, ångest och depression som ofta uppstår i samband med kroniska sjukdomar somexempelvis cancer. Forskning har visat positiva resultat för mindfulness som behandling fördessa symptom men även på förbättringar i uppmärksamhet hos friska människor till följd avmindfulness-träning. Denna studie använde en inomgrupps-design där deltagarna agerade somsin egen kontroll, med mätningar före och efter en två-veckors internetbaserad mindfulnessintervention med träning 5 dagar i veckan. Detta gjordes för att undersöka om mindfulnessträning har någon påverkan på tre olika subsystem av uppmärksamhet: Beredskap, Orienteringoch Konfliktövervakning. Analys av resultaten visade på en signifikant skillnad ikonfliktövervakning från för-test till efter-test vilket tyder på att deltagarna blev mermotståndskraftiga mot distraktorer vid uppmärksamhetsövningar till följd av mindfulnessträning. Vidare forskning borde fokusera på att inkludera fler deltagare och kontrollera förskillnader mellan redan existerande grupper som exempelvis köns- eller ålders-relateradeskillnader.
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Yeung, Kin-yan, and 楊健恩. "Calmness in mindful practice: emotional stroop performance following stress induction in a mindfulness camp." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2012. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B50700169.
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The current study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of mindfulness in understanding how it can bring about beneficial effects in clinical applications. We adopted a prospective design to examine the impact of a 3-day intensive mindfulness training camp on responses to different categories of words on the Emotional Stroop task (Watts, McKenna, Sharrock, & Trezise, 1986) and compared the performance of this group of participants with that of a control group. Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ; Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer, & Toney, 2006) and Trait Meta Mood Scale (TMMS; Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995) were also adopted to tap mindfulness and emotional intelligence respectively. Significant effect was found that mindfulness can improve the ability to describe experience, act with awareness, and repair negative mood. For the Emotional Stroop task, although there was no Stroop effect or significant group effect, post hoc analysis found intriguing results that the meditators respond slower for the emotionally neutral word while the changes for the emotional word was similar to the control group. The results provided preliminary supports for the notion that mindfulness training enhanced acuity in analyzing the environment, thus alerting the individual of previously unnoticed stimuli.published_or_final_version
Clinical Psychology
Master
Master of Social Sciences
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Mirisse, Dhammika. "Stress reduction for youth through mindfulness and loving-kindness meditation." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0008/MQ61471.pdf.
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Bersing-Steiner, Tammy. "Mindfulness meditation training for adults with ADHD| A grant proposal." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10024092.
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The purpose of this thesis project was to write a grant proposal to secure funding for a mindfulness meditation training program for adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at Venice Family Clinic in Venice, California. A literature review was conducted to examine topics related to ADHD including the unique and challenging experiences of adults with ADHD. The purpose of the proposed program was to increase knowledge in participants about ADHD, improve their mindfulness skills, reduce their ADHD symptoms, and improve their perceived well-being. The Ralphs M. Parsons Foundation was chosen for the proposed grant funding. The actual submission or funding or this grant proposal was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project.
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Feuille, Margaret H. "Migraines and Mindfulness Meditation: Does Engaging Spirituality Make A Difference?" Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1365431728.
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Bockrath, Margaret Feuille. "Mindfulness meditation training for spiritual struggles: A randomized controlled trial." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1445504635.
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Kotik, Jessica Dawn. "Using Mindfulness Meditation to Reduce Academic Anxiety in Struggling Readers." Kent State University Honors College / OhioLINK, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ksuhonors1525454078405536.
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Peck, Tucker. "Factor Structure among Possible Correlates of Skill at Mindfulness Meditation." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/577185.
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Despite the growing interest in the general public and popular press about the scientific research into mindfulness meditation (e.g. Pickert, 2014), several critiques of this research have been published in the past few years outlining methodological flaws in many published studies on the topic (Goyal et al., 2014; Ospina et al., 2007). One potential way to improve methodology in this field would be to find better ways of measuring skill at meditation, giving researchers an ability to compare more advanced practitioners to those who are more novice. A total of 69 participants were recruited. Pilot data were collected from 33 participants and analyzed using exploratory methods to assess whether any self-report measures of mindfulness practice might correlate with any physiological variables thought to possibly reflect a dimension of skill at meditation. Participants spent a night in the sleep lab, and prior to their sleep study spent six minutes in a baseline condition followed by six minutes in a meditation condition, and differences were recorded on a number of physiological measures. Correlational analyses revealed that, of the physiological and self-report measures, six were correlated with other measures, and principal component analysis found 2 factors, each with three components. 36 additional participants were then recruited in an attempt to determine whether these two factors would replicate, and this latter group participated only in the meditation protocol. Both factors were largely replicated independently in the second sample and remained stable collapsing the two groups together. Factor 1 combined an increase in both alpha and theta power centrally and occipitally between baseline and meditation with self-reported mindfulness practice, and Factor 2 combined the inverse of the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale, and the change in respiration between baseline and meditation.
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Griffin, Jeffrey Michael. "The effectiveness of mindfulness meditation on reducing test-taking anxiety." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1994. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/488.
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Morrissey, Sheryl Christian. "A Phenomenological Exploration of Mindfulness Meditation and the Creative Experience." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6459.
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Creating is the highest level of intellectual functioning in the cognitive domain. As standardized testing has increased, U.S. K-12 education has shown a decline in creativity for students. Mindfulness meditation (MM) increases creativity and could serve as a solution to this dilemma. This study's purpose was to enrich findings regarding MM's role in enhanced creativity by conducting an exploration regarding lived experiences of creating for individuals who practice MM. A gap in the literature exploring the topics of MM and creativity together using qualitative methods was identified; therefore, research understanding lived experiences of creating within the experiential context of MM was necessary. The main research question, followed by 3 closely related questions, examined the subjective meaning of the experience of creating for MM practitioners. To provide lived experiences regarding creating, 3 participants colored in a mandala and were interviewed. Descriptive transcendental phenomenology was used to explore the act of creating from the perspectives of these 3 individuals. Participants' described experiences supported Sternberg's theory that creativity developed as a habit and suggested that MM actuated Csikszentmihályi's creative flow. Positive societal implications of bringing MM into U.S. K-12 schools as a conduit for creativity cannot be overrated. MM offers an integrated modality to increased creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, or the 4 Cs. Future studies regarding MM and creativity's relationship are recommended to further enrich current literature and address the existing gap.
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Wetterholm, Petra. "Variationer av mindfulness i klinisk behandling." Thesis, Stockholm University, Department of Psychology, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-8016.
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Mindfulness i klinisk behandling är ingen enhetlig företeelse. Ett flertal sätt att definiera, operationalisera och tillämpa mindfulness samexisterar i det kliniska rummet. Syftet med denna studie var att åskådliggöra terapeuters kvalitativt varierande sätt att beskriva, använda och uppleva mindfulness i klinisk behandling och att undersöka faktorer av betydelse för dessa variationer. Elva terapeuters arbete studerades genom semistrukturerade intervjuer varpå en teoristyrd tematisk analys av intervjumaterialet genomfördes. Resultatet går i linje med den internationella forskningsdebatten och åskådliggör ett stort antal variationer av hur terapeuter beskriver, tillämpar och upplever sitt arbete med mindfulness. Beskrivningarna varierar på en bred skala, från teknik till andlighet, stresshantering till upplysning. Variationer som framkom i terapeutisk tillämpning kan delas in i tre delar; mindfulness för terapeuten, mindfulness i relation till klienten och mindfulness som intervention för klienten. Av skiftande betydelse för dessa var psykoterapeutisk inriktning, klientens problematik och egen erfarenhet av mindfulness, varav den mest inflytelserika var egen erfarenhet, i vilken utsträckning terapeuten själv utövat mindfulness och i vilken kontext.
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Lykins, Emily Lauren Brown. "EXPLORING FACETS OF MINDFULNESS IN EXPERIENCED MEDITATORS." UKnowledge, 2006. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/397.
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Mindfulness is increasingly recognized as an important phenomenon in both clinical and empirical domains, though debate regarding the exact definition of mindfulness continues. Selfreport mindfulness measures have begun to appear, which is important as each measure represents an independent attempt to conceptualize mindfulness. Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer, and Toney (2006) recently identified five facets of mindfulness (observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity) and developed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) to assess them. They also provided preliminary evidence that the five facets were aspects of an overall mindfulness construct, demonstrated support for the convergent and discriminant validity of total mindfulness and its facets, and provided evidence to support the utility of the facets in understanding the relationships of mindfulness with other constructs. Their research raised interesting questions, especially as findings for the observe facet were not entirely consistent with current conceptualizations of mindfulness. The current study attempted to build upon and clarify the results of Baer et al. (2006) by examining the factor structure of mindfulness and the patterns of relationships between total mindfulness and its facets with already examined and newly investigated (absorption, rumination, reflection, and psychological well-being) constructs in a sample of individuals with meditation experience. One hundred ninety-three individuals completed packets including multiple self-report measures. Results indicated that a model conceptualizing the five facets as aspects of an overall mindfulness construct had good fit to the data, that the observe facet was almost entirely consistent with the conceptualization of mindfulness, that total mindfulness and its facets were related to previously examined constructs in a manner overall consistent with Baer et al. (2006), though some important differences in the strength of facet relationships with other constructs emerged, that the facets related to newly investigated constructs in conceptually consistent ways, and that mindfulness and its facets are strongly related to psychological well-being. These results support the current conceptualization of mindfulness and the adaptive nature of mindfulness in individuals with meditation experience.
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Kittikong, Tanatchaporn. "Noting the self: From embodying Buddhist vipassaná meditation to meditation-based performance." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1564.
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My practitioner’s interest in Buddhism allows me to see the possibilities of examining what performance might be in relation to or towards the Buddhist meditational concept of nonself by unpacking issues related to a performer’s body and mind relationship, performance and experience, mindfulness and sense of self. This practice-led research explores how staging vipassaná meditation in the making of performance, and as performance itself, can be perceived as a form of experiential performance which questions the spectator/ performer relationship. The processes involved also act as a mode of identity-analysis in mind and body through mindfulness practice. Noting the self reveals that the crucial characteristic in a performer’s mode of being in this form of performance involves an internal distancing of the observer from the observed self.
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Cain, Monica. "A preliminary investigation into children's experiences of mindfulness meditation : a qualitative analysis of children's perspectives of mindfulness." Thesis, University of East London, 2012. http://roar.uel.ac.uk/3086/.
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Interest in Mindfulness Meditation (Kabat-Zinn, 1994) has exploded in recent years. It is therefore timely that the field of counselling psychology explores what mindfulness might have to offer, not only in terms of treating mental ill health, but also in building resilience and strength within a vulnerable population. The purpose of this study was to explore children’s experience of meditation from a critical realist perspective, using Thematic Analysis to investigate how they describe their experiences. Nineteen school children (a non-clinical sample), aged 9-10 years old, took part in 10-minute meditations facilitated by the researcher, daily for nine consecutive school days. They were then interviewed about their experiences. Eleven children were interviewed individually and eight participants were interviewed in two groups of four. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Thematic Analysis. From the analysis, four main themes were identified in terms of the participants’ experiences: Meditation is a Process, A Positive Impact, Effects of Self-Awareness and Identity and Improved Functioning. A model of Psychological Endurance is proposed which is based upon these findings. The results supported the use of mindfulness with this population group, both in mental health and in educational settings, to help deal with stress, build strength and resilience. A comprehensive literature review and a critique of this study are included and research implications are considered.
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Krygier, Jonathan Richard. "The Impact of Trait Mindfulness and Mindfulness Meditation Practice on Wellbeing, Emotion Regulation, and Heart Rate Variability." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29342.
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This thesis investigated links between trait mindfulness, mindfulness meditation practice and several indices of well-being, as well as emotion-regulation capacity and changes in high frequency (HF) and low frequency (HF) heart rate variability (HRV). The thesis consists of six chapters; a literature review, four empirical studies and a general discussion. We examined associations of trait mindfulness with - and effects of a 10-day mindfulness meditation (Vipassana) retreat on - wellbeing, HRV (at rest, and during meditation and emotion regulation), and emotional reactivity using a well-known emotion regulation paradigm (reappraisal vs. free-viewing of affective pictures), as well as differences between novice and experienced meditators. Trait mindfulness and meditation were associated with benefits for several measures of wellbeing and psychological symptoms. Meditation practice was associated with changes in HRV during meditation (but not at rest) during some but not all studies. Reappraisal reduced emotional reactivity, but did not increase HRV. Trait mindfulness was associated with more positive ratings of positive images, but not better emotion reappraisal, although more mindful participants did have greater HRV during reappraisal for negative images. Mindfulness practice was associated with reduced emotional reactivity, but not better emotion reappraisal. Meditation was not associated with greater HRV during emotion induction or emotion reappraisal, although experienced meditators had greater LF HRV while viewing negative (compared to positive) images. As a whole, the thesis found improvements in wellbeing associated with trait mindfulness and with mindfulness meditation practice, as well as reductions in emotional reactivity, but not better emotion reappraisal. There were no consistent changes in baseline HRV or HRV during meditation or emotion induction. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and directions for future research provided.
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Chlebak, Catherine Mary. "Graduate counselling psychology students' experiences of mindfulness meditation and gratitude journalling." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/44282.
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Stress-impacts, both short and long term, are well-documented occupational “land-mines” that counsellors navigate throughout their careers (Baker, 2003; Guy, Poelstra, & Stark, 1989). Novice therapists and trainees are particularly vulnerable to these effects (Shapiro, Brown, & Biegel, 2007). Protective practices to prevent impairment and distress are paramount; one significant antidote is through self-care (Baker, 2003), having positive impacts both personally and professionally (Elman, 2007). Mindfulness is naturally linked with self-care through cultivating self-regulation and self-awareness, balancing interests related to self and others, and through coping (Shapiro et al. 2007). Emerging research with health care professionals, including trainees, shows benefits both personally and professionally (e.g. Davis & Hayes, 2011). Gratitude, considered theoretically to be linked with mindfulness, also has self-care roots. This emotion is considered within a cluster of traits associated with wellness and health (McCullough, 2002); not suprisingly, then, a causal relationship between well-being and gratitude is established (Nelson, 2009). Despite this research, counselling training programs have historically done little to offer trainees self-care strategies (Baker, 2003).
In order to address these gaps, using a qualitative design with thematic analysis, a 15-minute mindfulness meditation and gratitude journalling intervention was conducted with 9 graduate counselling psychology students. Data was collected and analyzed from the weekly diaries and an interview at study-end. Four themes emerged from the interviews: Routine & Structure, Relationships, Attitudes of Mindfulness, and Overall Impressions. The diaries revealed three themes: Relationships, Situtational / Life Circumstances, and Ineffable Life Enhancers. A compelling argument is made for the inclusion of a mindfulness curriculum and for further studies of gratitude counselling interventions and the mindfulness and gratitude relationship.
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Steffens, Lani C. "Mindfulness meditation and relaxation as methods of coping with ego-depletion /." View online, 2009. http://ecommons.txstate.edu/psyctad/4.
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Fucci, Enrico. "Regulation of perceptual learning by mindfulness meditation : experiential and neurophysiological evidence." Thesis, Lyon, 2018. http://www.theses.fr/2018LYSE1266/document.
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De part sa mise en pratique considérable dans des conditions cliniques, l’étude neuroscientifique de la méditation de pleine conscience a vu un développement rapide ces deux dernières décennies. Malgré des preuves de modifications de l’activité et de la structure du cerveau, les mécanismes neuronaux et cognitifs sous tendant les pratiques méditatives sont encore peu connus. Dans le présent travail nous avons testé l’hypothèse que la méditation de pleine conscience implique un changement dans la cognition de l’expérience vécue, impactant de ce fait la formation des habitudes mentales. Pour cela nous avons étudié la relation entre la phénoménologie de différents styles de méditation, chez des pratiquants experts et novices, et des marqueurs neurophysiologiques de l’apprentissage perceptuel (i.e. négativité de discordance auditive) et de l’attention dans des conditions neutres et émotionnelles.Nous avons trouvé qu’un style de méditation non-duel augmente la vigilance sensorielle et réduit l’apprentissage perceptuel comparé à une pratique d’attention focalisée. Par ailleurs, nous avons démontré que l’apprentissage perceptuel auditif n’est pas influencé par une menace non prédictible, à part pour des sujets naturellement plus anxieux ; un effet qui pourrait être diminué par la méditation de pleine conscience. Nous avons aussi identifié des composants de la réponse évoquée auditive comme potentiels corrélats neuraux des processus de vigilance à l‘œuvre lors des états de pleine conscience. Enfin, nous avons mis en évidence, chez des pratiquants experts, un lien direct entre la régulation émotionnelle et des changements de l’expérience subjective.Au final, le travail actuel enrichit le dialogue entre les neurosciences cognitives et les modèles phénoménologiques de la méditation en apportant des preuves sur les possibles mécanismes neurocognitifs sous-tendant les pratiques méditatives et leur expertiseDue to its widespread implementation in clinical settings, the neuroscientific study of mindfulness meditation has seen a rapid growth in the last two decades. Despite the evidence of changes in brain activity and structures, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying meditation practices are largely unknown. In this work, we investigated the hypothesis that mindfulness meditation entails a cognitive stance towards experience which impacts the formation of mental habits. With this aim, we studied the relationship between the phenomenology of different styles of mindfulness meditation, in expert and novice practitioners, and neurophysiological markers of perceptual learning (i.e. auditory mismatch negativity) and attention in neutral and emotional settings. We found that a nondual style of mindfulness meditation increased sensory monitoring and reduced perceptual learning compared to a focused attention practice. Additionally, we demonstrated that auditory perceptual learning is not affected by unpredictable threat, except for individuals with high dispositional anxiety; an effect that might be downregulated by meditation states. Finally, we identified components of the auditory evoked response as putative neural correlates of monitoring processes during mindfulness practices and we highlighted a direct link between changes in subjective experience and emotion regulation in expert practitioners.Overall, the present work fosters the dialogue between cognitive neuroscience and phenomenological models of meditation and provides evidence of the possible neurocognitive mechanisms underlying meditation practices and expertise
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Partida, Deyssi. "MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENT PERSPECTIVES ON MINDFULNESS MEDITATION IN CURRICULA." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/936.
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Mindfulness meditation (MM) has been used as an intervention tool for mental health diagnosis in the field of social work for some time and there are numerous empirical literature and research about the benefits of MM in practice. Despite the evidence and the use of MM in the field, there is very limited incorporation or MM programs and courses in the Master of Social Work (MSW) education and curricula. This study aimed to explore MSW students’ perspectives on mindfulness meditation and whether they would find it beneficial in their curricula. The study collected qualitative data through interviews MSW graduates at a Southern California University. The data collected was analyzed through ATLAS software. The findings of the study give way for future research to help note the interest of MM within MSW students and how it can help benefit MSW students personally and professionally by providing education and practice in the MSW education field. Participants expressed desire to learn more about MM, as they did not feel equipped to confidently practice it in the field. Including MM practice and education could help fortify the field of social work by creating better MSW professionals due to its benefits.
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Sheffield, Kimberley. "Exploring 'Loving Kindness Meditation' : understanding the practice, and its relationship with wellbeing." Thesis, University of Northampton, 2017. http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/9732/.
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In this thesis I seek to establish an understanding of Loving Kindness Meditation (LKM), and to identify and evaluate the effects on wellbeing, that are claimed by practitioners and previous research. The context in which the thesis sits is the current focus on finding ways to improve wellbeing in the general public, to which LKM has the potential to contribute, given its unique focus on affect and connectedness, and their associated links with wellbeing. A mixed methods design was developed following a review of the limited current literature base. The review revealed discrepancies in how LKM was being employed. This included whether LKM was studied alone or in conjunction with other practices, the duration of exposure to LKM, and which aspects of the practice that were focused on during the practice. These differences may account for the variation in efficacy and the range of outcomes observed across the literature bases. As such, a programme exploring the impact of LKM on wellbeing, to test and affirm this assumption from theory and previous research findings, that employed a form of LKM that was reflective of realistic, everyday practice, was seen as useful. Two qualitative based studies were therefore used to establish an understanding of the practice, with practitioners who had a range of experience with LKM. The first study looked to clarify what the main aspects of the practice are, by interviewing very experienced LKM practitioners. Three themes emerged which spanned all aspects of the practice. Combined, these indicated that there was variation in how the practice is engaged with across the sample, with key components of the practice such as it being viewed more as a way of being, and elements such as connectedness and wholeness emerging as core underlying factors of the practice. The second study built on this, by expanding the sample to see whether the perception and understanding of the practice established from study one was consistent, or whether it was a viewpoint held by practitioners with extensive practice. To maintain depth of understanding, while identifying patterns of similar views, Q methodology was employed to sample a wide range of LKM practitioners. The resulting analysis indicated that there were consistent views held by the whole sample, evidenced by the placement of a few statements regarding the importance of the practice as a whole, as well as the self and enemies in the same area of the grid by all participants. This served to confirm, as well as add to, the key factors of the practice that had been observed in study one. The outcomes from the first two studies therefore fed into the design of the second two, which were more quantitative in design, and explored the impact of LKM in settings that were high in ecological validity; one online and one face to face. The third study made use of an existing programme, to explore the effects of the practice, as much of the previous literature focuses on interventions and programmes developed for purpose. The findings showed increases in wellbeing related measures, with exploratory analyses suggesting that self-compassion may be a key variable in linking LKM to improvements in wellbeing. The fourth study built on the findings from each of the previous studies, and explored the effects of an LKM programme developed to be in line with how existing practitioners engage with LKM. Additionally, to explore whether the focus of LKM resulted in different changes to other practices, a Mindfulness group was included as an active control. Findings suggested that LKM could impact positively on wellbeing related measures, with a measure of connectedness differing between the LKM and MM group in terms of magnitude of change. This indicated that connectedness is a core part of the LKM practice, compared to Mindfulness. Combined, the four studies complement one another in presenting a holistic understanding of LKM practice; how it can be understood, how it is practised, as well as what impacts the practice has. The thesis concludes by presenting the core components of the practice, but emphasises that connectedness is key. This was the factor that differentiates it from other practices such as mindfulness, the connection with the self and others may be one of the underlying mechanisms for how LKM results in positive change in the practitioner, and was a concept that was raised in every study in the thesis. In addition to this, the conclusions also suggest that given this core component of the practice, and the positive findings from the two studies that tested the impact of LKM, that the practice could be encouraged as a way of maintaining and improving wellbeing in the general public.
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Smith, E. "Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for partnerships." Thesis, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2012. http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/11053/.
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Section A summarises theory and research relevant to understanding the interaction between intimate-partnership and depressive relapse. Interpersonal theories of depression are introduced. Following this, extant empirical studies examining the effects of interpersonal processes on depressive relapse are critically evaluated. As these studies do not consider how depressive relapse might affect the intimate-partner over time, a separate body of literature examining the impact of depression on intimate-partners is reviewed. Limitations and gaps in the existing evidence-base are discussed, and areas for future research are outlined, such as studies to understand the bidirectional interaction and to explore alternative interventions that enable both partners to cope with relapses. Section B presents a Grounded Theory study of the process of engaging in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which is a relapse prevention strategy for depression, as an intimate-partnership. Twelve participants took part in a semi-structured interview about their experience of the MBCT course. These data were triangulated with sessional data from an MBCT course and facilitator validation. The proposed theory captured the ‘process of learning new mindfulness skills together’. While intimate-partnerships who engaged in an MBCT course seemed to learn similar mindfulness skills as in individual MBCT courses, learning as a partnership seemed to facilitate home practice, attendance and a sense of mutual support, which led to unique outcomes for the partnership and their sense of responsibility for each others’ wellbeing. Limitations and implications are discussed. Section C provides a critical appraisal of the process of conducting this research study, including the researcher’s learning experience, implications for clinical practice and future research.
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Justice, Emma. "Mindfulness and the therapeutic encounter." Thesis, Canterbury Christ Church University, 2014. http://create.canterbury.ac.uk/12792/.
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Mindfulness may be one way in which common factors could be enhanced in trainee therapists. Previous research has found some support for mindfulness increasing empathy, compassion and emotion regulation, but research is affected by a lack of active control groups and interventions with multiple components. An experimental design was used with a brief (15 min) mindfulness practice compared to a brief (15 min) ‘mind-wandering’ control group, in order to overcome some of these confounds. Participants were 48 trainee therapists who were randomly assigned to two groups of equal sizes. Measures were taken at baseline and post-induction. The predicted findings for empathy and compassion for others were not found. The mindfulness group did show lower negative affect at post-test than the control group, but only in participants who were high in negative affect at baseline, a result which should be viewed tentatively due to the small number of participants in each subgroup of the analysis. Issues limiting confidence in the results are discussed, particularly that the two groups did not report different levels of state mindfulness after the brief exercises. Implications for future research, particularly in considering appropriate active controls for mindfulness, are discussed.
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Jay, Melissa. "Women's Experiences of Mindfulness in Romantic Relationships." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6221.
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Mindfulness has been found to enhance romantic relationships through the practice of remaining open, calm, and emotionally regulated during times of struggle. There was a gap in the literature, however, related to how the practice of mindfulness is subjectively experienced in women's romantic relationships. The purpose of this heuristic study was to understand how women's practice of mindfulness effects their romantic relationships. The conceptual framework for this study was mindfulness-to-meaning theory, which highlights that wellbeing is supported through 2 main mechanisms of mindfulness: savoring and reappraisal. The nature of this study was a qualitative approach using Moustakas's heuristic method. After the data were collected through semistructured interviews, 6 themes were identified. The themes were (a) heightened presence in the relationship; (b) enhanced emotional regulation within the relationship; (c) expanded awareness in the relationship; (d) stronger connection to self and partner; (e) increased gratitude for self, partner, and their shared life; and (f) continued growth in the relationship. Women identified feeling a sense of enhanced emotional regulation within the relationship which enables them to remain calm, less reactive, and better able to communicate with their partners during times of difficulty. The findings from this study confirmed and expanded previous research. This study may enhance understanding of how mindfulness may lead to deeper connection and stability in romantic relationships. By doing so, this study may also contribute to positive social change by informing the work of those in the wellness industry who provide support to women.
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Christenson, Jenny. "Betydelsen av yoga och mindfulness för patienter med depression : En litteraturstudie." Thesis, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke högskola, Institutionen för vårdvetenskap, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:esh:diva-7290.
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Bakgrund: Mer än 300 miljoner människor i världen lider av depression vilket skapar ett stort lidande. Den psykiatriska hälso- och sjukvården bör arbeta enligt ett holistiskt förhållningssätt och sjuksköterskan ska stödja patientens egenvårdsförmåga. Yoga och mindfulness har visat sig ha en hälsofrämjande effekt på många somatiska tillstånd. Syfte: Att beskriva betydelsen av yoga och mindfulness för patienter med depression. Resultat: Litteraturstudie baserad på tio vetenskapliga artiklar med kvalitativ, kvantitativ och mixad design. Data analyserades med utgångspunkt från Wittenmore och Knafls (2005) metod för integrativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet om yogan och mindfulness betydelse utmynnade i två teman; ”Inre process” och ”Återhämtning” och åtta kategorier; Copingverktyg, Empowerment, Depressiva symtom, Kunskap och kompetens, Psykisk förändring, Fysisk hälsa, Holistisk upplevelse och Upplevda svårigheter. Yogan upplevdes som ett copingverktyg för symtomlindring och ledde till en ökad inre styrka och empowerment. Den minskade de depressiva symtomen. Deltagarna fick kunskap om hur kropp och sinne samverkar och de fick en ökad självacceptans. Yogaträningen gav lugn och avslappning samt fysiska hälsoförbättringar. Många upplevde en samhörighet och att vara del i ett större sammanhang. Upplevda svårigheter var fysiska begränsningar, koncentrationssvårigheter, inre press, dåligt samvete och planering. Diskussion: Resultatet diskuteras utifrån Phil Barkers Tidvattenmodell samt relevant forskning.Background: More than 300 million people in the world suffer from depression, which creates a great deal suffering. The psychiatric health care system should work according to a holistic approach and the nurse should support the patient's self-care ability. Yoga and mindfulness have shown to have a health-promoting effect on many somatic states. Aim: To describe the importance of yoga and mindfulness for patients with depression. Method: Literature review based on ten scientific articles with qualitative, quantitative and mixed design. Data was analyzed based on the Wittenmore and Knafls (2005) method for integrative content analysis. Results: The result of the yoga's significance resulted in two themes; “Internal Process” and “Recovery” and eight categories; Coping tools, Empowerment, Depressive symptoms, Knowledge and competence, Mental change, Physical health, Holistic experience and Perceived difficulties. The yoga was experienced as a coping tool for symptom relief and led to increased internal strength and empowerment. It reduced the depressive symptoms. The participants gained knowledge of how the body and mind interact and they gained an increased self-acceptance. Yoga training provided peace and relaxation as well as physical health improvements. Many experienced a sense of belonging and to be part of a larger context. Experienced difficulties were physical limitations, concentration difficulties, internal pressures, poor conscience and planning. Discussion: The results are discussed based on Phil Barker's Tide Model and relevant research.
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Martinez-Cengotitabengoa, Maria-Teresa. "Mindfulness, metacognition and the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder - single case studies." Thesis, University of East Anglia, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.368282.
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Lester, Ethan G. "Using Relational Responding to Examine the Acquisition of Mindfulness and Meditation Material: An Analogue Study." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2016. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc955063/.
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Mindfulness meditation is a growing area of interest for both mental health professionals and the general public alike. Beneficial outcomes are associated with these practices, although the variety of measurement techniques makes research difficult to interpret. Definitions of these constructs are varied, and anecdotal accounts point to the idea that many people hold misconceptions about mindfulness and meditation, even when meanings are made clear. Still, no formal research has been published on misconceptions of mindfulness – or, if they exist, how such misinformation affects acquisition of related skills. Furthermore, mindfulness has been incorporated into therapeutic modalities without much consideration for context, including the client's learning history. The current analogue study examined how the presentation of mindfulness meditations (i.e., inaccurate rationale/meditation and accurate rationale/meditation) affects an individual's practice. Specifically, self-reported mindfulness and meditation skills, mood questionnaires, a matching-to-sample task, and qualitative measurements were used to assess acquisition. Although primary hypotheses did not yield significant findings, results from both preliminary and exploratory analyses demonstrate significant findings with regard to teaching, learning, and measurement related to mindfulness meditation. The results, future directions, and limitations are discussed.