Revisión sistemática de la efectividad de la meditación en el bienestar psicológico en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud

La meditación es una herramienta eficaz para promover el bienestar psicológico y manejar el estrés y los trastornos psicológicos asociados con situaciones académicas, clínicas y asistenciales altamente demandantes en contextos académicos sanitarios. Este artículo evalúa el impacto de intervenciones basadas en la meditación, en el bienestar psicológico de estudiantes de ciencias de la salud. Se buscaron ensayos clínicos controlados en la Biblioteca virtual de Salud (BVS), Biblioteca Cochrane, Trip Database, Sage Pub, Springer Link, Wiley Online Library, Medline (vía PubMed), Europe PMC, ScienceDirect, APA PsycInfo y ERIC. Se identificaron 651 estudios. Se incluyeron 13 estudios que cumplieron con los criterios de elegibilidad. Se encontró que la práctica de meditación no clínica, predominantemente mediante intervenciones basadas en la atención plena (mindfulness), realizadas en contextos académicos tiene un efecto positivo en el bienestar psicológico y en la competencia socioemocional del estudiantado. Los beneficios a largo plazo dependen de que los estudiantes practiquen la meditación regularmente. Estos hallazgos tienen implicaciones para la educación sanitaria. Sugieren integrar la meditación como un enfoque preventivo para mejorar el bienestar psicológico del estudiantado.

A meditação é uma ferramenta eficaz para promover o bem-estar psicológico, administrar o estresse e os transtornos psicológicos associados a situações acadêmicas, clínicas e assistenciais altamente demandantes em contextos acadêmicos sanitários. Este artigo avalia o impacto de intervenções baseadas na meditação para o bem-estar psicológico de estudantes de Ciências da Saúde. Foram buscados ensaios clínicos controlados na Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde (BVS), Biblioteca Cochrane, Trip Database, Sage Pub, Springer Link, Wiley Online Library, Medline (via PubMed), Europe PMC, Science Direct, APA PsycInfo e ERIC. Foram identificados 651 estudos. Foram incluídos 13 estudos que cumpriram os critérios de elegibilidade. Foi encontrado que a prática da meditação não clínica, predominantemente por meio de intervenções baseadas na atenção plena (mindfulness), realizadas em contextos acadêmicos, tem um efeito positivo no bem-estar psicológico e na competência socioemocional dos estudantes. Os benefícios a longo prazo dependem de que os estudantes pratiquem a meditação regularmente. Essas descobertas têm implicações para a educação sanitária. Sugerimos integrar a meditação como uma abordagem preventiva para melhorar o bem-estar psicológico dos estudantes.

Meditation is an effective tool to promote psychological well-being and manage stress and psychological distress associated with highly demanding academic, clinical and healthcare situations in academic health contexts. This paper evaluates the impact of meditation-based interventions on the psychological well-being of health occupations students. Controlled clinical trials were searched in the Biblioteca virtual de Salud (BVS), Cochrane Library, Trip Database, Sage Pub, Springer Link, Wiley Online Library, Medline (via PubMed), Europe PMC, ScienceDirect, APA PsycInfo, and ERIC. 651 studies were identified. Thirteen studies that met the inclusion criteria were included. It was found that non-clinical meditation practice, mainly through mindfulness-based interventions, carried out in academic contexts has a positive effect on the psychological well-being and socio-emotional competence of the student body. Long-term benefits depend on students practicing meditation regularly. These findings have implications for health education. They suggest integrating meditation as a preventive approach to improve the psychological well-being of students.

Acceptability and Scalability of a Meditation App Among Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background Adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) experience stress from general life stressors and diabetes-specific stressors. This stress manifests in a range of ways, such as mood swings, heightened frustration, strained familial relationships, and difficulties in T1DM self-management, which then leads to worse health outcomes. There is small to moderate evidence that frequent use of mental health applications (MHapps) improves mental and physical health outcomes. Meditation apps may help reduce some of the stress associated with living with T1DM. This study explores the acceptability and scalability of a self-guided, smartphone-based meditation app, the Healthy Minds Program (HMP) app, among adolescents with T1DM using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Methods Eight adolescents ages 15-19 were recruited from a pediatric clinic in a Midwestern state and introduced to the HMP app. After using the HMP app for one week, they were invited to participate in three successive focus group meetings. During the meetings, they shared their perspectives on the content, navigation, and acceptability of the HMP app and strategies to introduce and scale app utilization among adolescents with T1DM. Researchers conducted conventional content analysis using a hybrid coding approach. Data was managed and analyzed using NVivo 10 (Lumivero, Denver, Colorado, USA). Findings Participants believed that the HMP app has the potential to enhance their stress management, mood, and coping abilities when dealing with the challenges of T1DM management. They found the app enjoyable and easy to use but expressed concerns about time constraints as a potential barrier. To address this, they shared recommendations for facilitating app uptake and usage. Conclusions This study's results provide an in-depth understanding of how positively this subset of adolescents with T1DM viewed the HMP app. The participants also offered valuable suggestions that can promote the adoption and sustained use of MHapps by adolescents living with T1DM.

Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention (eMBI) in management of dyspnea in patients with interstitial lung disease: A randomized clinical trial.

RATIONALE: Dyspnea and cough are frequent symptoms in ILD patients. The management of these symptoms is challenging, and evidence-based therapies are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of an online Mindfulness-Based Intervention (eMBI) on reducing dyspnea in patients affected by different ILDs. METHODS: This study was a prospective, open-label, controlled trial that included patients ≥18 years and a modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale score of ≥ 1. Patients were randomized into either the eMBI or the control group (CG) for 8 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in the dyspnea mMRC scale. The Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), King's Brief Interstitial Lung Disease (K-BILD) questionnaire, and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were performed before and after the eight weeks. All analyses were conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. The study was registered at the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (ReBEC), RBR-3s4mf9y. RESULTS: 24 patients in the eMBI and 25 in the CG completed the intervention. In the eMBI group, compared to the control group, there was a greater proportion of patients with a reduction in dyspnea according to the mMRC scale score (48.9% versus 15.4%, p = 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups in the LCQ (p = 0.666), or in the K-BILD (p = 0.108), depression (p = 0.08), or anxiety (p = 0.869 or stress (p = 0.789). No moderate or severe adverse events were observed in either group. CONCLUSIONS: Eight weeks eMBI is a potentially viable and safe approach, that can help manage dyspnea in ILD patients.

Psychological and physiological health outcomes of virtual reality-based mindfulness interventions: A systematic review and evidence mapping of empirical studies.

Objective: In the past two decades, mindfulness, rooted in Buddhist traditions, has gained considerable scientific interest. Virtual reality (VR) technology, in particular head-mounted displays, offers immersive experiences and is examined in this systematic review in terms of VR-based mindfulness interventions and their effects on psychological and physiological health outcomes. Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta Analyses guidelines, a systematic search was conducted with the following search terms: [(mindful* OR "meditat*") AND ("virtual reality" OR "VR") AND (health OR physio* OR psycho* OR mental OR physical)]. Considering critiques of methodological quality in existing systematic reviews, this study adopts Boell and Cecez-Kecmanovic's hermeneutic approach, critically evaluating research outcomes. Results: Psychological benefits include improved anxiety, mindfulness, emotions, disease patterns, affect, stress, (presleep) arousal, meditation and others. Physiological effects focus on neurobiological markers, heart rate/heart rate variability, pain, blood pressure, cortisol and galvanic skin resistance. Evidence mapping shows that more research has been conducted in the last 6 years, particularly by North American and South Korean authors, and points to gaps in study methodology. In addition, attention regulation is identified as a primary mindfulness mechanism in VR scenarios, often in nature-based virtual environments, with mainly single-session studies lasting 5 or 10 minutes. Discussion: Critical mapping reveals the need for additional studies to support and extend initial findings in this emerging research field. Methodologically, there is a call for more true-experimental studies to enhance rigor. From a content perspective, VR protocols are currently still strongly characterized by single-session interventions, which makes it especially difficult to make a dose-response statement regarding long-term effects. Conclusion: In summary, the studies provide important initial findings on psychological and physiological effects of VR-based mindfulness interventions on health. In addition, the need for more methodologically rigorous studies was emphasized, along with other methodological adjustments that must be carefully considered in the planning of future studies.

Thanato-technics: Temporal Horizons of Death and Dying.

Advances in end-of-life technologies increasingly destabilize received notions of personhood, identity, and ethics. As notions of personhood and identity within such systems are made to conform to discrete, binary and less fluid categories, some in the West have sought guidance in the techniques and views related to the dying process cultivated in other cultures, particularly Tibetan Buddhism. This article considers such dynamics as they unfolded in research focused on the postmortem bodies of Tibetan Buddhist practitioners in India. This article introduces the term thanato-technics to highlight the temporalities, imaginary or otherwise, evoked, enabled, and invested through the use of technologies to ascertain or conjecture about the intrasubjectivity of the dead and dying.

Effectiveness of Yoga and Meditation on Quality of Life Among Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis.

The rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease poses a future challenge for healthcare and the economy. For patients diagnosed with kidney failure, hemodialysis is the sole recourse until a suitable renal donor is acquired, exerting a discernible impact on the overall quality of life. Yoga and meditation emerge as pivotal elements in enhancing quality of life (QoL), significantly influencing diverse aspects of well-being. The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of yoga and meditation on QoL among hemodialysis patients. An experimental research design with one group pretest - post-test on 100 participants was conducted in Muljibhai Patel Urology Hospital, Nadiad. Pre-tests were conducted on day 1, followed by a 12-week yoga and meditation program with a post-test. Data analysis utilised SPSS-20 software, employing descriptive and inferential statistics. Yoga and meditation effectively demonstrated improvement in QoL in each domain (p < 0.001.) post-intervention. These results emphasize QoL enhancement after incorporating these practices into hemodialysis care.

Enhanced Correlation between Arousal and Infra-Slow Brain Activity in Experienced Meditators.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Meditation induces changes in the nervous system, which presumably underpin positive psychological and physiological effects. Such neural changes include alterations in the arousal fluctuation, as well as in infraslow brain activity (ISA, <0.1 Hz). Furthermore, it is known that fluctuations of arousal over time correlate with the oscillatory phase of ISA. However, whether this arousal-ISA correlation changes after meditation practices remains unanswered.; Methods: The present study aims to address this question by analyzing a publicly available electroencephalogram (EEG) dataset recorded during meditation sessions in the groups of experienced meditators and novices. The arousal fluctuation is measured by galvanic skin responses (GSR), and arousal-ISA correlations are measured by phase synchronization between GSR and EEG ISAs.; Results: While both groups exhibit arousal-ISA correlations, experienced meditators display higher correlations than novices. These increased arousal-ISA correlations in experienced meditators manifest more clearly when oscillatory phase differences between GSR and EEG ISAs are either 0 or π radians. As such, we further investigate the characteristics of these phase differences with respect to spatial distribution over the brain. We found that brain regions with the phase difference of either 0 or π radians form distinct spatial clusters, and that these clusters are spatially correlated with functional organization estimated by the principal gradient, based on functional connectivity.; Conclusions: Since increased arousal-ISA correlations reflect enhanced global organization of the central and autonomic nervous systems, our findings imply that the positive effects of meditation might be mediated by enhanced global organization of the nervous system.

Mindfulness-Based Interventions for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged in recent years as a strong candidate for the treatment of a range of difficulties faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including cognitive, emotional, and social aspects. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a review that systematically examined the efficacy of MBIs for individuals with ASD and their caregivers. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Our literature search was conducted within the MEDLINE database. We included in the review only longitudinal or intervention studies focusing mainly on mindfulness principles, while we excluded mixed intervention studies. We only included studies that explicitly utilized quantitative methodologies for evaluating the outcomes of the interventions, including mental health indices (e.g., stress, anxiety, depression) and assessments of cognitive and social skills (e.g., attention, prosociality). We conducted also a risk of bias assessment through the method of the Cochrane risk of bias tool for intervention studies ROBINS-I. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies were included in the review, and we grouped the studies by the targets of the interventions, i.e., adults (n = 12), children and adolescents (n = 9), caregivers and medical staff (n = 13), and combined intervention for both children/adolescents and their parents/caregivers (n = 5). The reviewed papers seem to support the feasibility and utility of mindfulness interventions for persons with ASD and their caregivers, but any recommendations based on this body of evidence should be made with caution due to the overall low quality of the studies conducted so far. CONCLUSIONS: The review reveals a positive outcome, including the alleviation of psychological distress, reduced behavioral problems, and enhanced cognitive and social skills in individuals with ASD. Despite such promising results, the review notes a limitation in the scarcity of MBIs for young patients, emphasizing caution in universally endorsing the existing literature. Moreover, the results underline the urgency of the exploration of tailored interventions for different ASD subgroups, considering varying levels of autism, and expanding support to teachers in educational settings.

Effects of Mantram Repetition on Spiritual Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Spiritual well-being is an essential component of whole-person care and is increasingly recognized in various clinical disciplines as positively affecting mental health. Mantram repetition (MR) is an intervention rooted in Eastern spiritual traditions that has been shown to have clinical benefits, including reduction of psychological distress, among individuals with chronic psychological conditions. The central aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the effects of MR on spiritual well-being. Methods: Fifteen databases were searched from their inception year to July 19, 2023. Two independent reviewers extracted and coded data from randomized or quasi-experimental studies with comparison groups, conducted to test MR, measured spiritual well-being, and reported their study in English. Coded data included study quality indicators which were used in moderator analyses. Results: After the initial and updated searches and removal of duplicates, we reviewed 2,072 articles; seven studies met inclusion criteria with a total sample size of 556 (MR = 272, comparison = 284). Overall, MR had a positive effect on spiritual well-being with a pooled effect size of 0.535 with Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman adjusted 95% confidence intervals of 0.18 and 0.89 (p = 011). Using moderator analyses, we examined the effect of the quality indicators and intervention characteristics on effect size; only session length was significant. Longer MR intervention sessions (i.e., 90 min) had greater effects than shorter sessions (i.e., 50-60 min). Conclusions: Across these seven studies, MR showed moderate to strong effects on spiritual well-being. Additional studies are needed to determine the reliability of these findings.

How Bud Craig's Insights Reshape the Research on Pain and Mind-Body Therapies.

With his elegant studies, Bud Craig determined the structural neural basis for interoception and critically expanded our conceptual understanding of it. Importantly, he placed pain in the framework of interoception and redefined pain as a homeostatic emotion. Craig understood emotions and pain as experiences based on inferential brain processes within the theoretical model of prediction processing. This chapter aims to give a brief overview of relevant research. Mind-body therapies, such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, and others, are included as first-line non-pharmacological approaches in clinical guidelines for the management of chronic pain. Craig's groundbreaking work provided the background for our contemporary understanding of mind-body therapies and for the key role that interoceptive processes play in these therapies as they apply to a wide range of clinical conditions, including pain. This chapter reviews the tremendous influence that Craig's work had on the current state of research on mind-body therapies for managing chronic pain and how it led to new directions for cutting-edge clinical and neuroscientific research.

Exploring neural markers of dereification in meditation based on EEG and personalized models of electrophysiological brain states.

With mounting evidence for the benefits of meditation, there has been a growing interest in measuring and quantifying meditative states. This study introduces the Inner Dereification Index (IDI), a class of personalized models designed to quantify the distance from non-meditative states such as mind wandering based on a single individual's neural activity. In addition to demonstrating high classification accuracy (median AUC: 0.996) at distinguishing meditation from thinking states moment by moment, IDI can accurately stratify meditator cohorts by experience, and correctly identify the practices most effective at training the dereification aspect of meditation (decentering from immersion with thoughts and perceptions and recognizing them as mental constructs). These results suggest that IDI models may be a useful real-time proxy for dereification and meditation progress, requiring only 1 min of mind wandering data (and no meditation data) during model training. Thus, they show promise for applications such as real-time meditation feedback, progress tracking, personalization of practices, and potential therapeutic applications of neurofeedback-assisted generation of positive states of consciousness.

The Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Relaxation, Meditation, and Mindfulness Experiences Questionnaire Utilized Among Patients with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran.

Mindfulness is increasingly recognized as an effective strategy for managing chronic illnesses and improving mental well-being in cancer patients. This study sought to adapt and validate a Persian version of Relaxation, Meditation, and Mindfulness Experiences Tracker Questionnaire trait month 3.1″ (P-RMMtm 3.1) for use with Iranian cancer patients. This cross-sectional study was conducted in several hospitals affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences in southeastern Iran. Validity and reliability tests were administered between March and December 2023. Results showed strong psychometric properties, with a six-factor solution explaining 72.387% of the variance. The identified factors were mindful transcendence, mindful relaxation, mindful emotion, mindful focus/awareness, mindful quiet, and mindful action. Confirmatory factor analysis indices were generally satisfactory (χ2/d.f. = 2.253, RMSEA = 0.079, GFI = 0.833, CFI = 0.923, and IFI = 0.924). Cronbach's alpha values for the RMMtm 3.1 factors ranged from 0.802 to 0.89. In conclusion, the Persian version of RMMtm 3.1 is a reliable instrument for assessing relaxation, meditation, and mindfulness experiences in Iranian cancer patients. Its concise format makes it suitable for future research with this population.

Lightening the mind with audiovisual stimulation as an accessible alternative to breath-focused meditation for mood and cognitive enhancement.

In this randomized, controlled, and double-blind experiment with a relatively large sample (n = 262), a novel technique of audiovisual stimulation (AVS) was demonstrated to substantially improve self-reported mood states by reducing several negative affects, including anxiety and depression, and enhancing performance on mood-sensitive cognitive tasks. Most of the AVS effects were highly similar whether binaural beats were present or not and regardless of the duration of experience. Remarkably, the mood benefits from AVS closely aligned with those achieved through breath-focused meditation with additional evidence that a brief AVS exposure of approximately five minutes may be sufficient or even optimal for improving mood to a comparable or greater degree than meditation sessions of equal or longer durations (11-22 min). These exciting findings position AVS as a promising avenue for mood and cognition enhancement and a potentially more accessible "plug-and-play" alternative to meditation, which is especially relevant considering the high attrition rates commonly observed in meditation practices.

Closed-Loop Systems and Real-Time Neurofeedback in Mindfulness Meditation Research.

Mindfulness meditation has numerous purported benefits to psychological wellbeing, however, problems such as adherence to mindfulness tasks, quality of mindfulness sessions, or dosage of mindfulness interventions may hinder individuals from accessing the purported benefits of mindfulness. Methodologies including closed-loop systems and real-time neurofeedback may provide tools to help bolster success in mindfulness task performance, titrate the exposure to mindfulness interventions, or improve engagement with mindfulness sessions. This review explores the use of closed-loop systems and real-time neurofeedback to influence, augment, or promote mindfulness interventions. Various closed-loop neurofeedback signals from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) have been used to provide subjective correlates to mindfulness states including: fMRI region-of-interest based signals (e.g., posterior cingulate cortex), fMRI network-based signals (e.g., default mode network, central executive network, salience network), and EEG spectral-based signals (e.g., alpha, theta, and gamma bands). Past research has focused on how successful interventions has aligned with the subjective mindfulness meditation experience. Future research may pivot towards using appropriate control conditions (e.g., mindfulness-only or sham-neurofeedback) to quantify the effects of closed-loop systems and neurofeedback-guided mindfulness meditation in improving cognition and wellbeing.

A Tai chi and qigong mind-body program for low back pain: A virtually delivered randomized control trial.

Background: Mind-body treatments have the potential to manage pain, yet their effectiveness when delivered online for the treatment of low back pain (LBP) is unknown. We sought to evaluate whether a virtually delivered mind-body program integrating tai chi, qigong, and meditation (VDTQM) is effective for treating LBP. Methods: This randomized controlled trial compared VDTQM (n=175) to waitlist control (n=175). Eligible participants were at least 18 years old, had LBP for at least 6 weeks, were not pregnant, had not previously taken tai chi classes, and had not undergone spine surgery within 6 months. The treatment group received a 12-week VDTQM program in live online 60-minute twice-weekly group classes from September 2022 to December 2022. All participants continued their usual activities and care. Primary outcome was pain-related disability assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score. Secondary outcomes included pain intensity, sleep quality, and quality of life (QOL). Intent-to-treat analyses were conducted. Results: Of the 350 participants 278 (79%) were female, mean age was 58.8 years (range: 21-92), 244 (69.7%) completed the 8-week survey, 248 (70.9%) the 12-week, and 238 (68%) the 16 -week. No participants withdrew due to adverse treatment effects. Compared with control group, treatment group experienced statistically and clinically significant improvement in ODI score by -4.7 (95% CI: -6.24 to -3.16, p<.01), -6.42 (95% CI: -7.96 to -4.88, p<.01), and -8.14 (95% CI: -9.68 to -6.59, p<.01) points at weeks 8, 12, and 16, respectively. Treatment group also experienced statistically significant improvement at all time points in the other outcomes. Conclusions: Among adults with LBP, VDTQM treatment resulted in small to moderate improvements in pain-related disability, pain intensity, sleep quality, and QOL. Improvements persisted 1 month after treatment concluded. These findings suggest VDTQM may be a viable treatment option for patients with LBP.Trial registration: clincaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT05801588.

Integration of Mindfulness Educational Innovation in Nursing Programs.

Purpose: The study's purpose was to assess: (1) Students' perceptions toward mindfulness interventions, and (2) Instructors' perceptions in implementing mindfulness interventions in their classes. Study design: Descriptive study. Methods: A total of 96 students from the second-degree option and BSN programs in the host institution participated in a mindfulness intervention prior to course activities. The four mindfulness interventions utilized in this study included: music, meditation, guided breathing, and positive affirmation. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics on postintervention surveys. Findings: The mindfulness intervention was overwhelmingly received by the students and faculty as reflected in the result of the confidential postsurveys. The majority of the students and faculty felt that this mindfulness intervention was worth implementing in their course. Conclusion: The mindfulness intervention can promote students' feelings of "at ease" and confidence prior to a nursing course activity.

Impact of Dance or Music and Meditation on the Progression of Parkinson Disease With Mild or Moderate Severity: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor dysfunctions and nonmotor symptoms. Current treatments do not alter disease progression, highlighting the need for alternative therapies. Music, dance, and mindfulness meditation have shown the potential to improve symptoms and quality of life in patients with PD. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of dance or music and meditation on PD progression, cognitive functions, mood, behavior, and caregiver burden. METHODS: This study is a single-blinded, longitudinal, parallel, randomized controlled trial. The participants consist of 30 patients with mild to moderate PD residing in Mumbai, India, who can physically participate in the activities. The exclusion criteria include advanced PD, severe balance issues, age >80 years, and other movement disorders. Participants in the intervention group will engage in dance or music sessions and guided meditation thrice weekly for 6 months. The control group will continue their usual activities and medication. The primary outcome is the progression of PD symptoms, measured using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale I-III, and quality of life, measured using the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39. The secondary outcomes include cognitive functions (Mini-Mental State Examination), mood (Beck Depression Inventory and Parkinson Anxiety Scale), mobility (timed up and go and Berg Balance Test), behavioral disorders (Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale), and caregiver burden (Zarit Burden Interview and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-Carer). RESULTS: Data collection was completed in February 2024, with 28 participants finishing the study (intervention group: n=15, 54% and control group: n=13, 46%). Data analysis is underway, with results expected to be published in December 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to provide significant insights into the effectiveness of dance or music and meditation in improving the quality of life and slowing the progression of PD. The findings are anticipated to support using these nonpharmaceutical therapies as complementary approaches to managing PD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI/2023/03/051064; https://tinyurl.com/2xdus53j. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/59018.

The impact of extremely brief meditation and brief mindfulness interventions on assisted reproductive technologies success rates: A randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of extremely brief meditation (EBMI) or brief mindfulness interventions (Brief MI) on pregnancy rate in women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). METHODS: This is a prospective, three-armed, randomized controlled trial with women undergoing ART cycle, age ranging from 18 to 50 years. In the day of embryo transfer, the patients randomized to Brief MI group received a 15-minute audio of mindfulness. They were instructed to practice it daily, starting from the day of embryo transfer to the day of the pregnancy test, leading to a total of 180-210 minutes. Women randomized to EBMI met once a week during the waiting time between the embryo transfer and pregnancy test day in the same virtual room with a meditator instructor for 40 minutes, totalizing two sessions (80 minutes). The pregnancy rate was assessed via a blood test to measure hCG performed 2 weeks after embryo transfer. RESULTS: A total of 68 women aged 37.5 ± 4.3y were included (EBMI, n = 24; Brief MI, n = 22 and CG, n = 22). Pearson's Chi-square test and Student's t-test for independent samples showed no significant differences between intervention and control groups. Both EBMI and Brief MI had no significant effect on pregnancy rate in women undergoing ART. CONCLUSION: This randomized control trial revealed that the extremely brief meditation (EBMI) or self-managed brief mindfulness intervention (Brief MI) had no significant effect on pregnancy rates in infertile women undergoing ART cycles. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04058262.

Assessment of Acceptability, Usage, and Impact on Caregivers of Children With Autism's Stress and Mindfulness: Multiple-Method Feasibility Study of the 5Minutes4Myself App's Mindfulness Module.

Background: Caregiver wellness programs need to be easily accessible to address caregivers' constraints to participation. Objective: We aimed to assess the feasibility of 5Minutes4Myself app's mindfulness module (usability, usage, and impact on caregivers' levels of mindfulness and perceived stress). Methods: Before and after participation in the 5Minutes4Myself program, 15 participants were asked to complete the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Data on the usage of app-delivered meditations were collected electronically via the app, and app usability was rated on the Modified System Usability Scale. Analyses assessed participants' frequency of use of app-delivered meditations, app usability, and changes in participants' stress and mindfulness post intervention. Results: Overall, participants completed 10.9 minutes of mindfulness meditations per week and rated the app 76.7, indicating above-average usability. Related samples t tests (2-tailed) found that group PSS (t10=1.20, P=.26) and FFMQ (t10=-1.57, P=.15) pre- or postintervention mean scores were not significantly different. However, a visualization of pre- and post-PSS and mindfulness scores suggested there was a group of responders who had decreased stress with increased mindfulness. This was confirmed via an individual change analysis. The effect size of the FFMQ scores (d=0.47) suggests there may be treatment effects with a larger sample. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis examined the degree mindfulness impacted perceived stress; 20% of the variance in participants' perceived stress could be attributed to increases in self-rated mindfulness (P=.04) when controlling for preintervention stress levels. Conclusions: Caregivers found the app highly usable and on average used low-dose levels of mindfulness meditations (10 min/wk). For responders, increased mindfulness was related to stress reduction to population-based levels.