RESUMO
Mindfulness and meditation (MM) are increasingly used in trauma treatment, yet there is little research about therapist qualifications and clinical applications of these practices. We surveyed trauma therapists (N = 116) about their clinical uses, training, and personal practice of MM. Most respondents reported use of MM in trauma therapy, primarily MM-related imagery and breathing exercises and mindfulness in session or daily life. Almost a third used mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or mindfulness-based relapse prevention. Across all respondents, 66 % were trained by a mental health (MH) professional, 16 % were trained exclusively by a spiritual teacher, and 18 % received no training. On average, therapists used four types of MM. Less than half maintained a personal meditation practice and only 9 % reported practicing daily meditation. Therapists who were trained by a MH professional were more likely to integrate MM into trauma psychotherapy; those who were trained by a spiritual teacher were more likely to teach clients to use MM between sessions and reported more personal practice of MM. Results indicate divergence from standard recommendations for therapist personal practice and professional training in manualized uses; however, there is little guidance about requisite training and personal practice to support individualized uses of MM such as breathing exercises and imagery. Further research should address relationships of therapist training and personal practice to clinical outcomes in MM-informed trauma therapy.
RESUMO
In this study, we examined the effects of upper-body pre-cooling before intermittent sprinting exercise in a moderate environment. Seven male and three female trained cyclists (age 26.8+/-5.5 years, body mass 68.5+/-9.5 kg, height 1.76+/-0.13 m, V O2peak 59.0+/-11.4 mL. kg(-1). min(-1); mean+/-s) performed 30 min of cycling at 50% V O2peak interspersed with a 10-s Wingate cycling sprint test at 5 min intervals. The exercise was performed in a room controlled at 22 degrees C and 40% relative humidity. In the control session, the participants rested for 30 min before exercise. In the pre-cooling session, the participants wore the upper segment of a liquid conditioning garment circulating 5 degrees C coolant until rectal temperature decreased by 0.5 degrees C. Rectal temperature at the start of exercise was significantly lower in the pre-cooling (36.5+/-0.3 degrees C) than in the control condition (37.0+/-0.5 degrees C), but this difference was reduced to a non-significant 0.4 degrees C throughout exercise. Mean skin temperature was significantly lower in the pre-cooling (30.7+/-2.3 degrees C) than in the control condition (32.5+/-1.6 degrees C) throughout exercise. Heart rate during submaximal exercise was similar between the two conditions, although peak heart rate after the Wingate sprints was significantly lower in the pre-cooling condition. With pre-cooling, mean peak power (909+/-161 W) and mean overall power output (797+/-154 W) were similar to those in the control condition (peak 921+/-163 W, mean 806+/-156 W), with no differences in the subjective ratings of perceived exertion. These results suggest that upper-body pre-cooling does not provide any benefit to intermittent sprinting exercise in a moderate environment.