Mindfulness meditation practices (MMPs) are a subgroup of meditation practices which are receiving growing attention. The present paper reviews current evidence about the effects of MMPs on objective ...measures of cognitive functions. Five databases were searched. Twenty three studies providing measures of attention, memory, executive functions and further miscellaneous measures of cognition were included. Fifteen were controlled or randomized controlled studies and 8 were case–control studies. Overall, reviewed studies suggested that early phases of mindfulness training, which are more concerned with the development of focused attention, could be associated with significant improvements in selective and executive attention whereas the following phases, which are characterized by an open monitoring of internal and external stimuli, could be mainly associated with improved unfocused sustained attention abilities. Additionally, MMPs could enhance working memory capacity and some executive functions. However, many of the included studies show methodological limitations and negative results have been reported as well, plausibly reflecting differences in study design, study duration and patients' populations. Accordingly, even though findings here reviewed provided preliminary evidence suggesting that MMPs could enhance cognitive functions, available evidence should be considered with caution and further high quality studies investigating more standardized mindfulness meditation programs are needed.
► Mindfulness training could enhance several domains of attention. ► Mindfulness training could enhance some domains of memory and executive functions. ► Each specific subcomponent of mindfulness training has different effects on cognition. ► Methodological and theoretical issues limit the interpretation of current evidence. ► Further research is needed to explore more standardized mindfulness trainings.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating, often chronic condition with substantial cross-national lifetime prevalence. Although mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may help reduce ...PTSD symptoms, efficacy results are inconsistent. Despite many systematic reviews (SRs) examining MBIs for PTSD, SR quality has been neither evaluated nor synthesized. We conducted an umbrella review to summarize and evaluate existing evidence regarding MBIs for PTSD, identifying 69 SRs (27 meta-analyses), consisting of 83 primary studies. Using AMSTAR2 (a valid SR quality assessment tool), we evaluated each SR on key domains relevant to methodological rigor and rated the confidence of inferences. Results found SRs were 65.2% non-rigorous, 27.5% likely rigorous, and 7.2% rigorous; common limitations included inadequate risk of bias assessment, extractions not completed in duplicate, and lack of pre-registration, highlighting the need for higher quality SRs. We then performed a meta-meta-analysis to estimate the efficacy of MBIs to reduce PTSD symptoms, yielding a medium effect size (SMD=0.41, p < .001), derived from 22 meta-analyses (with replicable data) and 35 unique articles. Analyses were consistent across control conditions and MBI type (first-generation/narrow i.e., MBIs with well-established protocols) versus broad (i.e., other MBI types), comparable with second-line treatments (e.g., pharmacotherapy). Findings were narratively synthesized; areas for methodological improvements in MBI research were identified.
•69 systematic reviews of mindfulness-based interventions for PTSD were identified.•AMSTAR2 assessed rigor of systematic reviews; meta-analyses were re-analyzed.•Reviews were rated as 65.2% non-rigorous, 27.5% likely rigorous, and 7.2% rigorous.•Mindfulness-based interventions have medium effect-size on PTSD symptom reduction.•Efficacy of MBSR and MBCT did not differ compared to other mindfulness treatments.
Objective
This study elucidates the association between acceptance, mindfulness, and psychological well‐being in a community‐based sample participating in a Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) ...program.
Method
Participants (n = 52) completed an 8‐week MBSR program at an academic medical center. Participants completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS), Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ‐II) at pre‐ and post‐MSBR programs.
Results
Serial mediation analysis suggested that changes in mindfulness preceded changes in acceptance, which improved well‐being (indirect effect = −6.57, 95% confidence interval CI; −13.38, −1.57). Participants with low pre‐MSBR acceptance significantly increased acceptance and well‐being (p < .001). Moderated mediation models suggested that the pre‐MBSR acceptance level moderated the mindfulness‐acceptance and the acceptance‐well‐being link.
Conclusions
Acceptance may be related to mindfulness and pre‐MSBR acceptance may differentially affect outcomes. Limitations include a nonclinical sample and a lack of a control group. Future research may examine mindfulness “dose” and other mechanisms that facilitate improvements in outcomes.
Recently, there has been an increased interest in studying the effects of mindfulness-based interventions for people with psychological and physical problems. However, the mechanisms of action in ...these interventions that lead to beneficial physical and psychological outcomes have yet to be clearly identified.
The aim of this paper is to review, systematically, the evidence to date on the mechanisms of action in mindfulness interventions in populations with physical and/or psychological conditions.
Searches of seven databases (PsycINFO, Medline (Ovid), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, ClinicalTrials.gov) were undertaken in June 2014 and July 2015. We evaluated to what extent the studies we identified met the criteria suggested by Kazdin for establishing mechanisms of action within a psychological treatment (2007, 2009).
We identified four trials examining mechanisms of mindfulness interventions in those with comorbid psychological and physical health problems and 14 in those with psychological conditions. These studies examined a diverse range of potential mechanisms, including mindfulness and rumination. Of these candidate mechanisms, the most consistent finding was that greater self-reported change in mindfulness mediated superior clinical outcomes. However, very few studies fully met the Kazdin criteria for examining treatment mechanisms.
There was evidence that global changes in mindfulness are linked to better outcomes. This evidence pertained more to interventions targeting psychological rather than physical health conditions. While there is promising evidence that MBCT/MBSR intervention effects are mediated by hypothesised mechanisms, there is a lack of methodological rigour in the field of testing mechanisms of action for both MBCT and MBSR, which precludes definitive conclusions.
•A systematic review of mechanisms of action in MBCT/MBSR for physical and/or psychological conditions•There was evidence that global changes in mindfulness are linked to better outcomes•More evidence was available for interventions targeting psychological as opposed to physical health problems•Lack of methodological rigour found in testing mechanisms in MBCT/MBSR for both physical and psychological conditions populations
Display omitted
•A dual Z-scheme MBSr ternary composite was developed.•The dual Z-scheme heterojunction enhanced visible-light adsorption and the transfer of photoinduced charged carriers.•The ...photocatalytic performance of MBSr is superior to that of single and binary composites.•Possible photodegradation pathway and mechanism of RhB were proposed.
In this study, we synthesized the MBSr (MIL-88A(Fe)/BiOBr/SrFe12O19) dual Z-scheme heterojunction via an accessible hydrothermal method and investigated the photocatalytic performance of MBSr composites for Rhodamine B (RhB) and Methylene blue (MB). The MBSr-1% photocatalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance, resulting the degradation rate of RhB reached approximately 96.2% within 60 min, which was higher than that of M88 (34%), BiOBr (89%) and M88/BiOBr-7% (93.7%) composites. And the MBSr-1% could eliminate 90.1% of MB within 90 min, which displayed the best photodegradation efficiency of prepared photocatalysts. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be ascribed to the formation of dual Z-scheme heterojunction, which enhanced visible-light absorption and facilitated the transfer of photoinduced carriers. The MBSr-1% was proved to have excellent stability and reusability after six-recycling run. Furthermore, the major reactive species were h+, •O2− and •OH by radical trapping experiments. Finally, a possible photocatalytic pathway and mechanism of MBSr photocatalysts was proposed.
Abstract Background An increasing number of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) studies are being conducted with nonclinical populations, but very little is known about their effectiveness. ...Objective To evaluate the efficacy, mechanisms of actions, and moderators of MBSR for nonclinical populations. Data sources A systematic review of studies published in English journals in Medline, CINAHL or Alt HealthWatch from the first available date until September 19, 2014. Study selection Any quantitative study that used MBSR as an intervention, that was conducted with healthy adults, and that investigated stress or anxiety. Results A total of 29 studies ( n = 2668) were included. Effect-size estimates suggested that MBSR is moderately effective in pre–post analyses ( n = 26; Hedge's g = .55; 95% CI .44, .66, p < .00001) and in between group analyses ( n = 18; Hedge's g = .53; 95% CI .41, .64, p < .00001). The obtained results were maintained at an average of 19 weeks of follow-up. Results suggested large effects on stress, moderate effects on anxiety, depression, distress, and quality of life, and small effects on burnout. When combined, changes in mindfulness and compassion measures correlated with changes in clinical measures at post-treatment and at follow-up. However, heterogeneity was high, probably due to differences in the study design, the implemented protocol, and the assessed outcomes. Conclusions MBSR is moderately effective in reducing stress, depression, anxiety and distress and in ameliorating the quality of life of healthy individuals; however, more research is warranted to identify the most effective elements of MBSR.
Baer's review (2003; this issue) suggests that mindf ulness‐based interventions are clinically efficacious, but that better designed studies are now needed to substantiate the field and place it on a ...firm foundation for future growth. Her review, coupled with other lines of evidence, suggests that interest in incorporating mindfulness into clinical interventions in medicine and psychology is growing. It is thus important that professionals coming to this field understand some of the unique factors associated with the delivery of mindfulness‐based interventions and the potential conceptual and practical pitfalls of not recognizing the features of this broadly unfamiliar landscape. This commentary highlights and contextualizes (1) what exactly mindfulness is, (2) where it came from, (3) how it came to be introduced into medicine and health care, (4) issues of cross‐cultural sensitivity and understanding in the study of meditative practices stemming from other cultures and in applications of them in novel settings, (5) why it is important for people who are teaching mind‐fulness to practice themselves, (6) results from 3 recent studies from the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society not reviewed by Baer but which raise a number of key questions about clinical applicability, study design, and mechanism of action, and (7) current opportunities for professional training and development in mindfulness and its clinical applications.
There is a growing interest in the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for sleep disturbed populations. Our study sought to evaluate the effect of mindfulness meditation interventions on sleep ...quality. To assess for relative efficacy, comparator groups were restricted to specific active controls (such as evidenced‐based sleep treatments) and nonspecific active controls (such as time/attention‐matched interventions to control for placebo effects), which were analyzed separately. From 3303 total records, 18 trials with 1654 participants were included. We determined the strength of evidence using four domains (risk of bias, directness of outcome measures, consistency of results, and precision of results). At posttreatment and follow‐up, there was low strength of evidence that mindfulness meditation interventions had no effect on sleep quality compared with specific active controls (ES 0.03 (95% CI –0.43 to 0.49)) and (ES –0.14 (95% CI –0.62 to 0.34)), respectively. Additionally, there was moderate strength of evidence that mindfulness meditation interventions significantly improved sleep quality compared with nonspecific active controls at postintervention (ES 0.33 (95% CI 0.17–0.48)) and at follow‐up (ES 0.54 (95% CI 0.24–0.84)). These preliminary findings suggest that mindfulness meditation may be effective in treating some aspects of sleep disturbance. Further research is warranted.
There is a growing interest in the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation for sleep disturbed populations. Our study sought to evaluate the effect of mindfulness meditation interventions on sleep quality. To assess for relative efficacy, comparator groups were restricted to specific active controls, such as evidenced‐based sleep treatments and nonspecific active controls, such as time/attention‐matched interventions to control for placebo effects, which were analyzed separately.
One proposed pathway that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may offer a salutogenic effect on somatic disorders is by enhancing immune function. As such, we conducted a meta-analysis of ...randomised controlled trials examining the effect of MBIs at post-intervention and follow-up for six immune-related biomarkers, including CD4+ cells, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, nuclear factor-κB, telomere length, and telomerase activity. Potential studies were identified by searching ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, AMED, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, and PsycINFO. Searches returned 1959 studies, of which 48 (70 effects) were included (N = 4683). Pooled effect sizes indicated a reduction in C-reactive protein (SMCD = -.14, 95% CI -.26 – -.01) and interleukin-6 (SMCD = -.35, 95% CI -.67 – -.03), and an increase in CD4+ (SMCD = .09, 95% CI -.05 – .22), telomere length (SMCD = .12, 95% CI .00 – .24) and telomerase activity (SMCD = .81, 95% CI .17 – 1.46) at post-intervention. At follow-up, results showed a reduction in interleukin-6 (SMCD = -.13, 95% CI -.29 – .03) and C-reactive protein (SMCD = -.39, 95% CI -.68 – -.10) and increase in CD4+ (SMCD = .22, 95% CI -.08 – .52). Meta-regression results showed that some heterogeneity in effect size could be accounted for by intervention dosage, study population, and study design. Our findings quantify MBIs’ potential for improving immune function and thus impacting somatic disorders.
•We examined the impact of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on six immune-related biomarkers at post-intervention and follow-up.•48 RCTs (N = 4683) were included comparing MBIs to control conditions.•Findings provide new evidence that MBIs improve markers associated with inflammatory regulation, immune cell ageing, and immune system response.•Some heterogeneity in MBIs’ efficacy is likely accounted for by intervention dosage, medical status of the sample, and type of control group.
PDF
