An experiment involving 115 undergraduate students (74.8% females; mean age = 20.5 years,
SD = 4.3) was conducted to explore effects of meditation on social
connectedness, nature connectedness, and ...affect. Participants listened to one of three
brief guided meditation Mp3 recordings via the internet, which involved mindfulness
meditation (MM), loving-kindness meditation (LKM), or progressive muscle relaxation
(active control group). Participants in the MM and LKM groups reported greater social and
nature connectedness at post-test than those in the control group. There were no
significant differences in connectedness between the MM and LKM groups, suggesting they
are both effective for enhancing connectedness. There were no significant changes in
negative or positive affect at post-test due to the interventions. Recommendations for
future research are provided.
A model of the dynamics of self-regulation describes two patterns of commitment or progress that individuals may follow when selecting goal directed behaviors. In the commitment pattern, individuals ...are more likely to highlight congruent goal behavior choices while in the progress pattern individuals are more likely to balance between incongruent and congruent goal behavior choices. This study set out to test the model in the context of problematic Internet usage. After being primed about problematic Internet usage, a sample of 97 undergraduate university students completed an online survey rating the value of Internet, academic and social-related behaviors across three conditions. The three conditions paired behaviors so that they appeared to complement each other, appeared to compete against each other, and presented them individually. Results showed that Internet behaviors were rated more highly when presented as complementary than when presented as competing, supporting the prediction that presentation format primes progress and commitment frameworks and leads to higher ratings of incongruent goal behavior in the progress condition. While results did not fully support the model’s predictions regarding congruent goal behavior, they were in the predicted direction with small to moderate effect sizes. This study may inform clinical interventions by suggesting that individuals experiencing issues with problematic Internet usage would benefit from framing self-regulatory dilemmas in a competing format.
•Goals can be represented as commitment to, or progress towards, a desired end state.•Commitment and progress representations cause different behavior evaluations.•Presentation formats (complementary or competing) primes representation frameworks.•Self-regulation dilemmas would benefit from framing behaviors in a competing format.
Problem Internet Usage (PIU) is a growing public health concern and despite an upsurge in research, there is limited information regarding effective psychological interventions. A model of the ...dynamics of self-regulation may provide a useful framework for psychological intervention with PIU. The model describes two patterns that individuals may follow when choosing goal directed behaviors, according to whether they hold commitment or progress frameworks. The model explains and predicts how opposite behavior outcomes can be achieved by holding commitment or progress frameworks.
Three online studies tested the model in the context of PIU using a student population. Incongruent goal behavior was operationalised as internet activity and congruent goal behaviors as academic and social activities. Study 1 (N = 173) tested priming of commitment or progress frameworks and examined what effects positive and negative feedback had on subsequent behavior intentions. Study 2 (N = 167) examined high versus uncertain goal engagement priming effects and whether focusing on accomplished or unaccomplished actions produced the opposite behavior intentions. Study 3 (N = 172) tested if focusing on an abstract goal versus concrete steps would prime commitment or progress frameworks.
Results supported the model's predictions for the framing cues and subsequent opposite behaviors for internet and academic activities with moderate and large effects. No support was found for predictions of social activities. Results of the study provide support for the self-regulation model in a clinical domain. Results may inform clinical interventions for PIU, demonstrating how opposite behavior outcomes may be achieved for the same scenarios given different underlying mental frameworks, and indicating how those frameworks may be cued in the first place.
•Goals can be represented as commitment to, or progress towards, a desired end state.•Commitment and progress representations cause different behavior evaluations.•Certain cues can prime these representation frameworks.•Positive and negative goal attainment cause opposite behavior outcomes for progress and commitment frames.
Mindfulness training has been related in previous research to reduced stress and increases in therapy-relevant characteristics, such as empathy, in health professionals. The present study ...investigated the experience of clinical psychology trainees as they completed mindfulness training and the impact it had on their stress and development as psychologists. Eleven trainee clinical psychologists completed the eight-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy programme. Assessments were conducted prior to and following training, and again after two months, using semi-structured interviews and self-report measures of perceived stress, empathy and mindfulness. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed four higher level themes: challenging experience; altered stress experience; altered therapy experience; and expanded knowledge. Statistically significant changes were found for one empathy sub-scale and three facets of a self-report mindfulness scale. Benefits developed through the mindfulness training were largely maintained, or developed further, over the two-month follow-up period. The impact of the course appeared to be influenced more by participants' personal engagement with the training rather than amount of meditation practice. The implications for the training of psychologists are discussed.
Objectives
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many unique challenges and experience higher parenting stress than other parenting groups. These parents also experience ...internalised stigma by association with their ASD affected child, known as affiliate stigma. These factors predict greater psychological distress and subsequently decreased well-being for parents. Recent evidence has suggested that the psychological construct of self-compassion may act as a protective factor against stigma, as well as positively influencing the experiences of parents.
Methods
An online survey was conducted with parents of children with ASD (
N
= 237), administering standardised measures to investigate levels of stigma and self-compassion, as well as psychological outcomes.
Results
Self-compassion was positively correlated with subjective well-being and negatively correlated with psychological distress and parenting stress. Hierarchical multiple regression controlled for background factors, known predictors (child symptom severity and social support), and various aspects of stigma. Self-compassion and affiliate stigma significantly added to explained variance as a predictor of well-being, psychological distress, and parenting stress.
Conclusions
Self-compassion was found to predict psychological well-being, lower distress, and lower parenting stress. If self-compassion is found to be causally related to these outcomes, interventions aimed at cultivating self-compassion and decreasing affiliate stigma may have benefits for parents of children with ASD.
ObjectiveProblem Internet Usage (PIU) is associated with numerous psychological concerns. The dynamics of self-regulation (DSR) model may provide a useful framework for psychological interventions ...with PIU, given previous research showing that the framework can be successfully applied to PIU behaviours.MethodThe authors conducted a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based intervention to reduce daily personal internet hours, and PIU severity, for university students who reported PIU issues. Assessments were undertaken at baseline, on each day of the 21-day intervention, and 6-week follow-up. Seventy-four participants completed the intervention and 38 completed follow-up assessments.ResultsThe experimental group reduced daily personal internet usage to a greater degree than the active control group at the end of the intervention. Findings also demonstrated a greater reduction in Internet Addiction Test (IAT) scores for the experimental group compared to the active control, with a third of participants in the experimental condition demonstrating clinically significant change in IAT scores.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the DSR framework may provide a promising approach to reducing PIU.
Self-forgiveness theorising and research has advanced significantly, especially with respect to responding to human wrongdoing and failings. However, there are three emotional contexts, namely ...chronic guilt, blameworthy (moral) shame and blameless (non-moral) shame, where the path to self-forgiveness remains hindered or obscure. In this paper, we seek to answer the question: “Is there a way from non-moral shame and high levels of moral guilt/shame to genuine self-forgiveness?” We argue that psychological flexibility provides a unifying framework to explicate the self-forgiveness process, including the roles of problematic guilt/shame. In so doing, we provide a theoretical rationale for how it is possible for individuals with extreme moral guilt/shame and non-moral shame to genuinely forgive themselves.
•Integrates CBS theorising/perspectives to identify processes of change implicated in the self-forgiveness process.•Argues for the relevance and applicability of self-forgiveness to attenuate non-moral (blameless) shame.•Proposes a path from chronic guilt/shame to achieve genuine self-forgiveness.•Highlights future avenues for research including implications for self-forgiveness models/interventions.
Mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) has been demonstrated to be effective for reducing chronic pain symptoms; however, the use of MBT for Chronic Tension-Type Headache (CTH) exclusively has to date not ...been examined. Typically, MBT for chronic pain has involved an 8-week program based on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Recent research suggests briefer mindfulness-based treatments may be effective for chronic pain.
To conduct a pilot study into the efficacy of brief MBT for CTH.
We conducted a randomized controlled trial of a brief (6-session, 3-week) MBT for CTH.
Results indicated a significant decrease in headache frequency and an increase in the mindfulness facet of Observe in the treatment but not wait-list control group.
Brief MBT may be an effective intervention for CTH.
Forensic mental health settings are complex, influenced by legal, clinical and policy paradigms. Patients are generally subject to mandatory detention, psychiatric treatment and supervision. Social ...reform has resulted in implementation of the recovery paradigm in mental health services, which advocates least-restrictive practice, empowerment, hope and collaborative decision-making. However, there is tension between the recovery paradigm and risk management in forensic mental health settings. Eight forensic residents of a forensic step-down rehabilitation unit (FSDRU) were interviewed about their experiences in and attitudes towards the unit. Thematic analysis identified five main themes: two associated with the treatment context of Mental Health Recovery (Mental Health Management, Relationships) and three associated with the Forensic Setting (Court Influence, Resident Journeys and FSDRU). The FSDRU model was regarded as adaptive, supportive, well-considered and multi-faceted, owing to the FSDRU setting, risk management approach and fostering of positive peer and staff relationships. Resident perspectives indicated that the recovery model had been implemented effectively and was feasible for forensic residents, although many aspects were affected by the judicial system.
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