The Effects of an Online Positive Psychology Course on Happiness, Health, and Well-Being.

This study investigated the effects of an 8-week online positive psychology course on happiness, health, and well-being. There were 65 undergraduate students in the course and a comparison group of 63 undergraduates taking other online psychology courses. The participants were assessed on positive mental health (e.g., happiness, positive emotions), negative mental health (e.g., anxiety, depression), general health, and personal characteristics (e.g., hope, resilience) during the first and last week of the courses. The anxiety and depression measures had cut-offs for clinically significant symptoms. The hypotheses were that the positive psychology students would have significant improvements on all measures and a reduction in the percent anxious and depressed relative to the comparison group. The hypotheses were supported with large effect sizes for positive and negative mental health (mean ds = 0.907 and - 0.779, respectively) and medium-to-large effects for general health and personal characteristics (d = 0.674 and mean ds = 0.590, respectively). There was a reduction from 49.2 to 23.1% percent anxious and from 18.6 to 6.2% percent depressed with no change in the comparison group. In addition, improvements in the online positive psychology course were compared with a previous study of a similar face-to-face positive psychology course (Smith et al., 2021) showing the effect sizes for improvements relative to the comparison groups were larger in the online vs. face-to-face course (mean ds = 0.878. vs. 0.593). Possible explanations for these differences are discussed along with the implications for maximizing the benefits of positive psychology courses in the future.

The age-invariant role of resilience resources in emotional symptomatology.

Objectives 1) To study the relationship between resilience resources (both social and individual) and emotional symptomatology (depression and anxiety symptoms), taking into account the potential indirect effects through perceived stress; 2) to investigate whether this network of relationships varies in different age groups. METHOD: A sample of 718 Brazilians completed self-reports on perceived stress, depressive and anxious symptomatology, social support and individual resilience. The sample comprised two age groups: a sample of adults aged 60 or older (n = 361; 38.78% men; Mage = 67.32 years, SDage = 5.76, range = 60-86), and a sample of younger adults (n = 357; 29.41% men; Mage = 41.37 years, SDage = 7.23, range = 18-59). Multigroup multiple indicator, multiple cause (MIMIC) modelling was used to test for the direct and indirect effects of resilience resources on emotional symptom development, considering the age groups. RESULTS: The relationship between individual resilience resources and depressive or anxiety symptomatology was found to take place exclusively through stressfulness appraisal. On the other hand, social resilience resources showed a direct and indirect effect on emotional symptoms. This pattern of relationships was found to be invariant across age groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that both individual and social resilience resources are negatively related to both depressive and anxiety symptoms in adults regardless of age, thus opening the way to future research analysing how interventions may build resilience resources to minimise the influence of stressful and traumatic events across the lifespan.

Social Support Protects Against Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: Key Variations in Latinx and Non-Latinx White College Students.

Social support protects against perceived stress and its harmful effects on psychological well-being. College students in general are at high risk for mental health disorders, and Latinx college students face unique stressors placing them at greater risk of psychological distress. Social support may be a key construct in improving outcomes for college students; however, few studies have empirically tested whether the protective effect of social support is equivalent across racial/ethnic groups. Using a series of regression models, we investigated whether social support moderates the relationship between perceived stress and endorsement of depression and anxiety symptoms in Latinx (n = 265) and non-Latinx White college students (n = 216) and whether this moderating effect varied by group membership. Participants completed a series of questionnaires measuring social support, perceived stress, and depression and anxiety symptoms. The moderating effects of social support varied by group membership and outcomes (i.e., depression and anxiety). Social support moderated the relationship between perceived stress and depression symptoms for both Latinx and non-Latinx White students. However, social support only buffered the effect of perceived stress on anxiety symptom endorsement for Latinx college students. These findings suggest that social support does not function uniformly across racial/ethnic groups or the endorsement of depression and anxiety symptoms. Social support may be particularly important for Latinx students by providing a buffer between perceived stress and symptoms of anxiety.

El apoyo social protege contra el estrés y sus efectos en el bienestar psicológico. El riesgo de desarrollar trastornos psicológicos es elevado en estudiantes universitarios. Estudiantes universitarios Latinxs enfrentan situaciones relacionadas con identificatión de minoría que pueden contribuir a una elevación en el riesgo de desarrollar problemas psicológicos. Como tal, el apoyo social es un área clave para la preventión y mejoría del bienestar psicológico. Sin embargo, pocas investigaciones han comparado los efectos protectores del apoyo social a través de raza y etnia. Usamos una serie de modelos de regresión para investigar si el apoyo social modera la relación entre la percepción de estrés y el reporte de síntomas de depresión y ansiedad en estudiantes universitarios Latinxs y anglosajones. Además, investigamos si este efecto de moderación varia en dependencia de la membresía etnia. Participantes completaron una serie de cuestionarios midiendo variables de interés, incluyendo apoyo social, percepcicón de estrés, síntomas de depresión y ansiedad. El apoyo social modera la relación entre la percepcición de estrés y síntomas de depresión en los dos grupos étnicos, Latinxs y anglosajones. Sin embargo, para los síntomas de ansiedad, el efecto protector del apoyo social fue distinto para los estudiantes Latinxs. Estos resultados sugieren que la función del apoyo social no es uniforme a través de grupos étnicos o en términos de protectión contra diferentes problemas psicológicos. El apoyo social es particularmente importante para los estudiantes Latinxs en términos de proveer protectión contra síntomas de ansiedad en la presencia de la perceptión del estrés.

Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) Portuguese Version: validity and metrics for the older adult population.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the psychometric properties of the new Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Brief Resilience Scale (B-BRS) in older adults. METHOD: A sample of 1251 participants (54.20% women; M = 68.02 years, SD = 6.52) completed the B-BRS and seven scales on successful aging and mental health. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to study the B-BRS dimensionality. Convergent and divergent validity was analyzed by means of examining the relationships of B-BRS with scales on successful aging and mental health. RESULTS: The results supported the unidimensionality of the B-BRS after controlling for wording method, as well as satisfactory reliability (ω = .79). B-BRS structure remained invariant across education level and income groups. B-BRS scores positively correlated with successful aging factors and negatively with psychopathology symptoms. CONCLUSION: To conclude, our findings provide some evidence on the reliability and validity of the B-BRS, as well as its validation for use in the senior population.

Hope-related goal cognitions and daily experiences of fatigue, pain, and functional concern among lung cancer patients.

PURPOSE: Cross-sectional research suggests that thinking about multiple ways to reach goals (hope pathways) and the belief that one can reach them (hope agency) may be adaptive for lung cancer patients. We examined the between-person and within-person associations among aspects of hope agency and pathways thinking, daily fatigue, pain, and functional concerns (e.g., sense of independence, usefulness) among lung cancer patients during active treatment. METHODS: Data from a daily diary study were used to examine relations among hope agency, hope pathways, fatigue, pain, and functional concern in 50 patients with advanced lung cancer. Participants were accrued from one outpatient cancer center and completed the study between 2014 and 2015. RESULTS: Adjusting for covariates and the previous day's symptoms or concern, patients who engaged in higher pathways thinking reported lower daily symptoms, whereas those who engaged in higher agency thinking reported less functional concern. Within-person increases in pathways thinking were associated with less daily fatigue, pain, and functional concern; within-person increases in agency thinking were associated with less daily fatigue and pain. Models examining symptoms and concerns as predictors of hope suggested within-person increases in functional concern and fatigue and pain were related to lower agency and pathways thinking the same day. Patients with higher fatigue and pain did not report lower agency or pathways thinking, but patients with more functional concern did. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in hope pathways thinking may be associated with lower symptoms and better functioning in lung cancer patients. This suggests that it is important to determine the efficacy of interventions that emphasize the pathways the component of hope.

Mindfulness and Meditative Movement Interventions for Men Living With Cancer: A Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based interventions, Tai Chi/Qigong, and Yoga (defined here as meditative cancer interventions [MCIs]) have demonstrated small to medium effects on psychosocial outcomes in female breast cancer patients. However, no summary exists of how effective these interventions are for men with cancer. PURPOSE: A meta-analysis was performed to determine the effectiveness of MCIs on psychosocial outcomes (e.g., quality of life, depression, and posttraumatic growth) for men with cancer. METHODS: A literature search yielded 17 randomized controlled trials (N = 666) meeting study inclusion criteria. The authors were contacted to request data for male participants in the study when not reported. RESULTS: With the removal of one outlier, there was a small effect found in favor of MCIs across all psychosocial outcomes immediately postintervention (g = .23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02 to 0.44). Studies using a usual care control arm demonstrated a small effect in favor of MCIs (g = .26, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.42). However, there was insufficient evidence of a superior effect for MCIs when compared to an active control group, including attention control. Few studies examined both short-term and long-term outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence for MCIs improving psychosocial outcomes in male cancer survivors. However, this effect is not demonstrated when limited to studies that used active controls. The effect size found in this meta-analysis is smaller than those reported in MCI studies of mixed gender and female cancer patient populations. More rigorously designed randomized trials are needed that include active control groups, which control for attention, and long-term follow-up. There may be unique challenges for addressing the psychosocial needs of male cancer patients that future interventions should consider.

Daily diary study of hope, stigma, and functioning in lung cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: Given its lethality, associated stigma, and symptom burden, a lung cancer diagnosis poses a substantial challenge for patients. The goal of this study was to examine how daily hope, defined as goal-directed effort and planning to meet goals, and daily stigma were related to same- and next-day functioning in lung cancer patients receiving cancer treatment. METHODS: Fifty lung cancer patients (39 non-small-cell stages IIIa-IV; 11 limited and extensive small cell) completed a baseline questionnaire and 21 daily diaries (n = 1,042) assessing hope, stigma, physical symptoms, treatment factors, and functioning. Hypotheses were tested in same- and next-day models with multilevel modeling. RESULTS: Patients who reported more daily hope reported higher social and role functioning in same- and next-day models. On days that patients reported more hope than usual (compared with their own across-day average), they had higher social, role, and physical functioning; this effect did not carry into the next day. Treatment days were associated with lower social and role functioning when patients reported lower hope and associated with higher functioning when patients reported higher hope. Within-person hope was not predicted by disease symptoms. On days that patients reported more stigma than usual, they reported lower social and role functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Hope is associated with functioning in lung cancer patients, regardless of physical symptoms from disease and treatment. Hope and stigma may therefore be appropriate intervention targets to support daily social and role functioning during lung cancer treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record

Social support attenuates the harmful effects of stress in healthy adult women.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that social support buffers the effects of perceived stress on physical symptoms in healthy women. METHODS: The study was conducted in the Southwest United States and data were collected from 2006 to 2010. Participants were 52 healthy adult women who completed a baseline questionnaire and a 21-day daily diary. Social support was assessed in the baseline questionnaire and perceived stress and physical symptoms were assessed in the daily diary. Multilevel analyses were used to predict both same day and next day physical symptoms from baseline social support and daily perceived stress. RESULTS: The hypotheses were supported when predicting both same and next day physical symptoms. For the same day, perceived stress and the social support × perceived stress interaction were both related to physical symptoms. For the next day, the social support × perceived stress interaction but not perceived stress was related to physical symptoms when controlling for previous day physical symptoms. The interactions were such that women higher in social support had smaller increases in same and next day physical symptoms on days of higher perceived stress than women lower in social support. CONCLUSIONS: Social support may buffer the effects of daily perceived stress on physical symptoms in healthy women. Future research should investigate what aspects and in what contexts social support may reduce the effects of perceived stress on physical symptoms and examine how social support may affect the development of long-term health problems through increases in daily physical symptoms.

The Subjective Experience of Pain: An FMRI Study of Percept-Related Models and Functional Connectivity.

OBJECTIVE: Previous work suggests that the perception of pain is subjective and dependent on individual differences in physiological, emotional, and cognitive states. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) studies have used both stimulus-related (nociceptive properties) and percept-related (subjective experience of pain) models to identify the brain networks associated with pain. Our objective was to identify the network involved in processing subjective pain during cold stimuli. METHODS: The current FMRI study directly contrasted a stimulus-related model with a percept-related model during blocks of cold pain stimuli in healthy adults. Specifically, neuronal activation was modelled as a function of changes in stimulus intensity vs as a function of increasing/decreasing levels of subjective pain corresponding to changes in pain ratings. In addition, functional connectivity analyses were conducted to examine intrinsic correlations between three proposed subnetworks (sensory/discriminative, affective/motivational, and cognitive/evaluative) involved in pain processing. RESULTS: The percept-related model captured more extensive activation than the stimulus-related model and demonstrated an association between higher subjective pain and activation in expected cortical (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, insula, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex [dACC] extending into pre-supplementary motor area) and subcortical (thalamus, striatum) areas. Moreover, connectivity results supported the posited roles of dACC and insula as key relay sites during neural processing of subjective pain. In particular, anterior insula appeared to link sensory/discriminative regions with regions in the other subnetworks, and dACC appeared to serve as a hub for affective/motivational, cognitive/evaluative, and motor subnetworks. CONCLUSIONS: Using a percept-related model, brain regions involved in the processing of subjective pain during the application of cold stimuli were identified. Connectivity analyses identified linkages between key subnetworks involved in processing subjective pain.

Mindfulness meditation in older adults with postherpetic neuralgia: a randomized controlled pilot study.

This parallel-group, randomized controlled pilot study examined daily meditation in a diverse sample of older adults with postherpetic neuralgia. Block randomization was used to allocate participants to a treatment group (n = 13) or control group (n = 14). In addition to usual care, the treatment group practiced daily meditation for six weeks. All participants completed questionnaires at enrollment in the study, two weeks later, and six weeks after that, at the study's end. Participants recorded daily pain and fatigue levels in a diary, and treatment participants also noted meditation practice. Results at the 0.10 level indicated improvement in neuropathic, affective, and total pain scores for the treatment group, whereas affective pain worsened for the control group. Participants were able to adhere to the daily diary and meditation requirements in this feasibility pilot study.

Pain patients and who they live with: a correlational study of coresidence patterns and pain interference.

BACKGROUND: Mixed associations have been observed between various aspects of 'social support' and patient pain experiences. OBJECTIVE: To explore the possibility that more basic social factors, namely coresidence patterns, may be associated with variability in patient pain experiences. METHODS: Relationships between coresidence partners and self-reported pain that interferes with activities were examined in a large representative sample of home health care patients (n=11,436; age range 18 to 107 years, mean [± SD] age 66.3±16.1 years; 55% females). RESULTS: After controlling for sex, age and behavioural risks, compared with living alone, coresidence with an intimate affiliate (eg, spouse, relative) predicted greater pain interference (Cohen's d = 0.10 to 1.72), and coresidence with a less intimate type of affiliate (eg, friend, paid help) predicted lower pain interference (Cohen's d = -0.21 to -0.83). In general, however, coresidence patterns accounted for small proportions of variance in pain interference, and the magnitudes of these effects varied widely according to patients' sex, age and diagnosis. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that fundamental components of patient's home-living environment may be associated with potential costs and benefits related to clinically relevant pain functioning for some subgroups of patients. CONCLUSION: Further research that incorporates quantitative and qualitative assessments of patient pain functioning is warranted to better understand how objective and subjective characteristics of patients' home-living environment may inform the development of more individualized pain treatment options for patients with differing social circumstances.

Social integration and pulmonary function in the elderly.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine whether social integration, defined as number of social roles, is associated with better pulmonary function in the elderly and which roles are associated with greatest benefit. It also examined pathways that connect social integration to better lung health. METHODS: High functioning men (n = 518) and women (n = 629) ages 70-79 were recruited as part of the MacArthur Study of Successful Aging, and data were collected on social roles as well as pulmonary function as assessed by peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Multiple regressions predicting PEFR from the number of social roles controlled for age, sex, race, education, weight, and height. Physiological, behavioral, social, and psychological factors were tested as mediators of the association between the number of social roles and PEFR. RESULTS: More social roles were associated with better PEFR. Analysis of specific roles indicated that marriage was the strongest positive correlate of PEFR. However, greater numbers of roles were also associated with better PEFR independent of marriage. Being a relative or friend were each also individually associated with better PEFR. Even so, greater numbers of social roles were associated with better PEFR independent of relative and friend. The data were consistent with greater happiness, not smoking, and more physical activity acting as pathways linking the number of roles to PEFR. CONCLUSIONS: Number of social roles is an important correlate of healthy lung function in the elderly. This association may be driven by healthier behaviors and greater feelings of well-being.

Using effort-reward imbalance theory to understand high rates of depression and anxiety among clergy.

The clergy occupation is unique in its combination of role strains and higher calling, putting clergy mental health at risk. We surveyed all United Methodist clergy in North Carolina, and 95% (n = 1,726) responded, with 38% responding via phone interview. We compared clergy phone interview depression rates, assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), to those of in-person interviews in a representative United States sample that also used the PHQ-9. The clergy depression prevalence was 8.7%, significantly higher than the 5.5% rate of the national sample. We used logistic regression to explain depression, and also anxiety, assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. As hypothesized by effort-reward imbalance theory, several extrinsic demands (job stress, life unpredictability) and intrinsic demands (guilt about not doing enough work, doubting one's call to ministry) significantly predicted depression and anxiety, as did rewards such as ministry satisfaction and lack of financial stress. The high rate of clergy depression signals the need for preventive policies and programs for clergy. The extrinsic and intrinsic demands and rewards suggest specific actions to improve clergy mental health.

Lens wavefront compensation for 3D photomask effects in subwavelength optical lithography.

As semiconductor optical lithography is pushed to smaller dimensions, resolution enhancement techniques have been required to maintain process yields. For some time, the customization of illumination coherence at the source plane has allowed for the control of diffraction order distribution across the projection lens pupil. Phase shifting at the photomask plane has allowed for some phase control as well. Geometries smaller than the imaging wavelength introduce complex wavefront effects that cannot be corrected at source or mask planes. Three-dimensional photomask topography effects can cause a loss of both focal depth and exposure latitude across geometry of varying density. Wavefront manipulation at the lens pupil plane becomes necessary to provide the degrees of freedom needed to correct for such effects. The focus of this research is the compensation of the wavefront phase error introduced by the topographical photomask structures of high resolution phase shift masking combined with off-axis illumination. The compensation is realized through phase manipulation of the lens pupil plane, specifically in the form of spherical aberration. Subwavelength resolution optimization and imaging is presented showing how phase pupil filtering can measurably improve the depth of focus for several photomask structures and types.

Coping and PTSD symptoms in Pakistani earthquake survivors: purpose in life, religious coping and social support.

BACKGROUND: High rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms have been observed in earthquake survivors from less developed areas of the world. This study, conducted three years after the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, aimed to identify potentially protective psychosocial factors associated with lower PTSD and depressive symptom levels. METHODS: Adult earthquake survivors (N=200) were recruited from affected areas in Northwestern Pakistan and completed self-report questionnaires measuring PTSD and depressive symptoms, positive and negative affect, and four psychosocial variables (purpose in life, positive and negative religious coping, and social support). RESULTS: Sixty five percent of participants met criteria for probable PTSD. Purpose in life was associated with lower symptom levels and higher positive emotions. A form of negative religious coping (feeling punished by God for one's sins or lack of spirituality) was associated with higher symptom levels and negative emotions. Higher perceived social support was associated with higher positive emotions. Other significant relationships were also identified. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include the recruitment of a sample of convenience, a modest sample size, and the cross-sectional nature of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that some psychosocial factors may be protective across cultures, and that the use of negative religious coping is associated with poorer mental health outcomes in earthquake survivors. This study can inform preventive and treatment interventions for earthquake survivors in Pakistan and other less industrialized countries as they develop mental health care services.

Reduced dorsal anterior cingulate cortical activity during emotional regulation and top-down attentional control in generalized social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and comorbid generalized social phobia/generalized anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND: Generalized social phobia (GSP) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are both associated with emotion dysregulation. Research implicates dorsal anterior cingulate cortex in both explicit emotion regulation (EER) and top-down attentional control (TAC). Although studies have examined these processes in GSP or GAD, no work compares findings across the two disorders or examines functioning in cases comorbid for both disorders (GSP/GAD). Here we compare the neural correlates of EER and TAC in GSP, GAD, and GSP/GAD. METHODS: Medication-free adults with GSP (EER n = 19; TAC n = 18), GAD (EER n = 17; TAC n = 17), GSP/GAD (EER n = 17; TAC n = 15), and no psychopathology (EER n = 18; TAC n = 18) participated. During EER, individuals alternatively viewed and upregulated and downregulated responses to emotional pictures. During TAC, they performed an emotional Stroop task. RESULTS: For both tasks, significant group × condition interactions emerged in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and parietal cortices. Healthy adults showed significantly increased recruitment during emotion regulation, relative to emotion-picture viewing. GAD, GSP, and GSP/GAD subjects showed no such increases, with all groups differing from healthy adults but not from each other. Evidence of emotion-related disorder-specificity emerged in medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala. This disorder-specific responding varied as a function of emotion content but not emotion-regulatory demands. CONCLUSIONS: GSP and GAD both involve reduced capacity for engaging emotion-regulation brain networks, whether explicitly or via TAC. A reduced ability to recruit regions implicated in top-down attention might represent a general risk factor for anxiety disorders.

Mindfulness is associated with fewer PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems in urban firefighters.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association between mindfulness, other resilience resources, and several measures of health in 124 urban firefighters. METHOD: Participants completed health measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems and measures of resilience resources including mindfulness, optimism, personal mastery, and social support. The Mindful Awareness and Attention Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003) was used to assess mindfulness. Participants also completed measures of firefighter stress, number of calls, and years as a firefighter as control variables. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted with the health measures as the dependent variables with 3 levels of independent variables: (a) demographic characteristics, (b) firefighter variables, and (c) resilience resources. RESULTS: The results showed that mindfulness was associated with fewer PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, physical symptoms, and alcohol problems when controlling for the other study variables. Personal mastery and social support were also related to fewer depressive symptoms, firefighter stress was related to more PTSD symptoms and alcohol problems, and years as a firefighter were related to fewer alcohol problems. CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness may be important to consider and include in models of stress, coping, and resilience in firefighters. Future studies should examine the prospective relationship between mindfulness and health in firefighters and others in high-stress occupations.

Pilot study: Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL): weight, eating behavior, and psychological outcomes associated with a mindfulness-based intervention for people with obesity.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to pilot a brief (6-week) group curriculum for providing mindfulness training to obese individuals, called Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL). SETTING AND DESIGN: Participants were recruited through a local Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in spring 2006. Data was collected at three time points: baseline, completion of intervention (6 weeks), and 3-month follow-up (12 weeks). INTERVENTION: Six weekly two-hour group classes (with two monthly follow-up classes). Content included training in mindfulness meditation, mindful eating, and group discussion, with emphasis on awareness of body sensations, emotions, and triggers to overeat. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Key variables assessed included changes in weight, body-mass index (BMI), eating behavior, and psychological distress. In addition, physiological markers of cardiovascular risk were evaluated including C-reactive protein (hsCRP), adiponectin, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). RESULTS: Ten obese patients enrolled with a mean BMI of 36.9 kg/m² [SD±6.2]. The mean weight was 101 kg/m² and the mean age was 44 years (SD=8.7; range=31-62). Compared to baseline data, participants showed statistically significant increases in measures of mindfulness and cognitive restraint around eating, and statistically significant decreases in weight, eating disinhibition, binge eating, depression, perceived stress, physical symptoms, negative affect, and C-reactive protein. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides preliminary evidence that a eating focused mindfulness-based intervention can result in significant changes in weight, eating behavior, and psychological distress in obese individuals.

The role of resilience and purpose in life in habituation to heat and cold pain.

UNLABELLED: This study examined the role of resilience in habituation to heat and cold pain in healthy women (n = 47). Heat and cold pain thresholds were each assessed across 5 equally spaced trials. Resilience, purpose in life, optimism, social support, and neuroticism were assessed using self-report measures. The hypothesis was that the resilience and the associated resilience factors would be positively related to habituation to heat and cold pain while controlling for neuroticism. Multilevel modeling was used to test the hypothesis. When considering each characteristic separately, resilience and purpose in life predicted greater habituation to heat pain while resilience, purpose in life, optimism, and social support predicted greater habituation to cold pain. When controlling for the other characteristics, both resilience and purpose in life predicted greater habituation to heat and cold pain. Resilience and associated characteristics such as a sense of purpose in life may be related to enhanced habituation to painful stimuli. Future research should further examine the relationship between resilience, purpose in life, and habituation to pain and determine whether psychosocial interventions that target resilience and purpose in life improve habituation and reduce vulnerability to chronic pain. PERSPECTIVE: This article showed that resilience and a sense of purpose in life were both related to the ability to habituate to heat and cold pain in healthy women. These personal characteristics may enhance habituation to pain by providing the confidence and motivation to persist in the face of painful stimuli.

Integrating spirituality into alcohol treatment.

Spirituality is presumed by millions of Americans to be directly relevant to problems of alcohol abuse. We summarize findings regarding the role of religion and spirituality in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and present a case illustration. We also consider mechanisms responsible for these effects. We offer advice about why, by whom, and how religion and spirituality should be discussed with clients with substance use disorders. In a recent clinical trial, therapists trained in a client-centered approach to facilitate exploration of spirituality fostered clients' use of spiritual practices. We suggest that the therapist's ability to skillfully engage clients in a discussion of spirituality is largely determined by how the therapist balances the dual roles of authoritative expert and evocative facilitator.