The Toronto Mindfulness Scale and the State Mindfulness Scale: psychometric properties of the Spanish versions.

Objectives: The Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) and the State Mindfulness Scale (SMS) are two relevant self-report measures of state mindfulness. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal structure and to offer evidence of the reliability and validity of the Spanish versions of the TMS and SMS. Methods: Data from six distinct non-clinical samples in Spain were obtained. They responded to the TMS (n = 119), SMS (n = 223), and measures of trait mindfulness, decentering, non-attachment, depression, anxiety, stress, positive and negative affect, self-criticism, and self-reassurance. The internal structure of the TMS and SMS was analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability, construct validity, and sensitivity to change analyses were performed. Results: The correlated two-factor structure (curiosity and decentering) was the best-fitting model for the TMS (CFI = 0.932; TLI = 0.913; RMSEA = 0.100 [0.077-0.123]; WRMR = 0.908). The bifactor structure (general factor, mindfulness of body, and mindfulness of mind) was the best-fitting model for the SMS (CFI = 0.961; TLI = 0.950; RMSEA = 0.096 [0.086-0.106]; WRMR = 0.993). Adequate reliability was found for both measures. The reliability of the SMS specific factors was very poor when controlling for the general factor. The patterns of correlations were mainly as expected and according to previous literature. The TMS and SMS have been able to detect state mindfulness changes after different meditation practices. Conclusion: Validity evidence is provided to support the use of the TMS and SMS in Spanish populations, though the reliability of the SMS specific factors merit revision.

How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students.

University students constitute a population that is highly vulnerable to developing mental health problems, such as distress. The role of different variables associated with the development of states of stress has been studied in order to identify potential risk and protective factors. This study explored whether mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance, while controlling for specific sociodemographic and academic variables, were potential significant protective or risk factors explaining perceived stress in a sample of 589 Spanish university students (81.2% female, age range 18-48 years). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed using an exploratory cross-sectional design. Higher experiential avoidance, lower self-compassion, lower mindfulness, not perceiving family support, higher total study hours per week, having a partner (vs. being single), being female (vs. being male), and being older were significantly associated with higher levels of perceived stress. In conclusion, perceived stress in our sample was positively associated with experiential avoidance, which could be regarded as a potential psychological risk variable. In contrast, perceived stress was negatively correlated with self-compassion and mindfulness, which, in turn, could be seen as protective factors. Accordingly, it is concluded that programmes aimed at reducing stress and at improving well-being among university students should include experiential avoidance, self-compassion, and mindfulness as therapeutic targets.

Wellbeing Training Based on Contemplative Practices in a Sample of Intensive Care and Homecare Professionals: A Pilot and Feasibility Non-Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit (ICU) and homecare unit professionals are susceptible to higher levels of stress and burnout than other healthcare professionals, which has an impact on their well-being, and in turn on their patients. In terms of data, there is not much research about the effects of psychological interventions on ICU and homecare professionals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Wellbeing Training based on Contemplative Practices (WTCP) for the increase of psychological functioning in a sample of ICU and homecare professionals. METHODS: A pilot and feasibility non-randomized clinical trial was conducted. Participants in the WTCP group (n = 19) attended an at-work 8-session/2 h group WTCP program aimed at directly training four basic skills: (a) sustained positive emotions, (b) recovery from negative emotions, (c) pro-social behavior and generosity, and (d) mind wandering, mindfulness, and "affective stickiness". Nineteen professionals were allocated in the control group. RESULTS: Results indicated that WTCP had a positive impact on self-compassion, personal accomplishment (burnout), and frequency of negative emotions. Moreover, a thematic analysis of participant interviews (n = 14) was conducted. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results are promising, though future research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of WTCP using randomized controlled trial methodologies.

Effectiveness of two video-based multicomponent treatments for fibromyalgia: The added value of cognitive restructuring and mindfulness in a three-arm randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of two video-based multicomponent programs (FIBROWALK) and the Multicomponent Physiotherapy Program (MPP) for patients with fibromyalgia (FM) compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) only. We posit that FIBROWALK, due to inclusion of specific psychological ingredients (cognitive restructuring and mindfulness), can produce additional clinical benefits when compared to TAU or MPP alone. METHODS: A total of 330 patients with FM were recruited and randomly allocated (1:1:1) to TAU only, TAU + FIBROWALK, or TAU + MPP. FIBROWALK and MPP consisted of weekly videos on pain neuroscience education, therapeutic exercise and self-management patient education, but only the FIBROWALK intervention provided cognitive restructuring and mindfulness. Both programs were structurally equivalent. Between-group differences in functional impairment, pain, kinesiophobia, anxious-depressive symptoms and physical functioning were evaluated at post-treatment following Intention-To-Treat and complete-case approaches. RESULTS: Compared to TAU only, individuals in the FIBROWALK arm showed larger improvements in all clinical outcomes; similarly, participants in the MPP program also showed greater improvements in functional impairment, perceived pain, kinesiophobia, depressive symptoms compared to TAU only. The FIBROWALK intervention showed superior effects in improving pain, anxiety and depressive symptoms and physical functioning compared to MPP. CONCLUSIONS: This RCT supports the short-term effectiveness of the video-based multicomponent programs FIBROWALK and MPP for FM and provides evidence that cognitive-behavioural and mindfulness-based techniques can be clinically useful in the context of physiotherapeutic multicomponent treatment programs. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04571528.

Changes in Salivary Immunoglobulin A, Stress, and Burnout in a Workplace Mindfulness Intervention: A Pilot Study.

The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effectiveness of a 6-week workplace mindfulness- and self-compassion-based intervention (MSCBI) on perceived stress, burnout, immune functioning (assessed with the biomarker Immunoglobulin A), self-compassion, and experiential avoidance compared to a Workplace Stress Management Intervention. Both interventions were contextual, i.e., they were carried out in the workplace setting and during working hours. We followed a randomised controlled trial study design. The total sample was composed of 24 employees of an automotive company. One-way analyses of covariance between groups revealed significant differences in post-intervention levels of perceived stress, salivary Immunoglobulin A (sIgA), emotional exhaustion, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance, after adjusting for pre-test scores. The results of this study have several implications. Firstly, it confirms that MSCBIs might be more effective than regular psychoeducational interventions for work-related stress and burnout treatment. Secondly, sIgA can be used to assess immune function state changes when MSCBIs are carried out. Furthermore, these results indicate that it is feasible to carry out MSCBIs within companies and during working hours, and that these interventions can help effectively manage stress and burnout associated with the work environment.

Impact of Mindfulness Training on Spanish Police Officers' Mental and Emotional Health: a Non-Randomized Pilot Study.

Objectives: The purpose of this exploratory non-randomized controlled study was to determine the acceptance and effectiveness of an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) co-designed by a police officer. Methods: A pretest-posttest control group design was followed. Participants (MBI group = 20; control group = 18) answered baseline and post-training self-reported measures. In addition, the weekly emotional state of the MBI group was collected. Paired-samples t-test and analysis of covariance were performed for pre-post within-group and between-group differences, respectively, as well as linear mixed effects analysis of repeated measures for week-by-week data. Results: High acceptance and attendance rates, as well as significant pre-post within-group differences in the MBI group in mindfulness (η 2 = 0.43), self-compassion (η 2 = 0.43), depression (η 2 = 0.54), anxiety (η 2 = 0.46), stress (η 2 = 0.51), difficulties in emotion regulation, sleep quality (η 2 = 0.57), and burnout (η 2 = 0.31-0.47), were identified. Moreover, police officers who underwent the MBI experienced a week by week decrease of anger, disgust, anxiety, sadness, and desire. Finally, after adjusting for pre-test scores, significant between-group differences were found in the way of attending to internal and external experiences (observing mindfulness facet; η p 2 = 0.21), depression symptoms (η p 2 = 0.23), general distress (η p 2 = 0.24), and the degree of physical and psychological exhaustion (personal burnout; η p 2 = 0.20). Conclusions: The preliminary effectiveness of this MBI on psychopathology and quality of life outcomes in Spanish police officers was discussed. Previous evidence regarding the promising use of MBIs in this population was supported.

Feasibility, Effectiveness, and Mechanisms of a Brief Mindfulness- and Compassion-Based Program to Reduce Stress in University Students: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

The mental health of university students is a public health concern, as psychopathology has significantly risen among this population. Mindfulness-based programs may support their mental health, though more research is needed. We used a two-armed pilot randomized controlled trial to study the feasibility, preliminary effectiveness, and potential mechanisms of a brief 6-week instructor-led mindfulness- and compassion-based program (MCBP for University Life) on perceived stress and psychological distress. Thirty undergraduate psychology students participated (15 in the intervention group, and 15 as wait-list controls). Those in the intervention arm engaged well with the course and formal at-home practice, attending at least five sessions and meditating between 4-6 days per week. Significant improvements in perceived stress, psychological distress, mindfulness skills, decentering, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance were found at the end of the intervention, while the wait-list group remained unchanged. There were significant differences between the two groups in those variables at post-test, favoring the intervention arm with major effects. Reductions in stress were mediated by improvements in mindfulness skills, decentering, and self-compassion; meanwhile reductions in psychological distress were mediated by improvements in decentering. These results suggest that this intervention might be feasible and effective for university students, but more high-quality research is needed.

The effect of a mindfulness-based therapy on different biomarkers among patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a randomised controlled trial.

Mindfulness-based interventions have shown some efficacy in decreasing stress levels and improving quality of life. However, so far, only a few studies have studied this type of intervention among patients with inflammatory bowel disease and none of them have studied their effects on inflammatory biomarkers. This current study was a two-armed, single-centre, randomised (2:1 ratio) controlled trial used to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention (n = 37) compared to standard medical therapy (n = 20) in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. The mindfulness intervention blended four internet-based therapy modules with four face-to-face support sessions. The outcomes we assessed were faecal calprotectin (primary outcome), C-reactive protein, and cortisol levels measured in hair samples at several timepoints. The between-group analysis highlighted significant decreases in faecal calprotectin and in C-reactive protein levels in the mindfulness-based intervention group compared to the standard medical therapy group at the six-month follow-up (faecal calprotectin: -367, [95% CI: -705, -29], P = 0.03; C-reactive protein: -2.82, [95% CI: -5.70, 0.08], P = 0.05), with moderate to large effect sizes (faecal calprotectin: ηp2 = 0.085; C-reactive protein: ηp2 = 0.066). We concluded that mindfulness-based therapy administered as part of standard clinical practice effectively improves inflammatory biomarkers in patients diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease.

Antimycotic Activity and Genotoxic Evaluation of Citrus sinensis and Citrus latifolia Essential Oils.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oils (EOs) of Citrus sinensis (C. sinensis) and Citrus latifolia (C. latifolia) against five Candida species: Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida glabrata, Candida lusitaniae and Candida guilliermondii; and perform its genotoxic evaluation. The EOs of C. sinensis and C. latifolia were obtained from the peel by hydro-distillation. The major components determined by GC-MS were in C. sinensis, d-limonene (96%) and α-myrcene (2.79%); and in C. latifolia, d-limonene (51.64%), ß-thujene (14.85%), ß-pinene (12.79%) and γ-terpinene (12.8%). Antifungal properties were studied by agar diffusion method, where C. sinensis presented low activity and C. latifolia essential oil was effective to inhibit growing of C. lusitaniae and C. guilliermondii with IC50 of 6.90 and 2.92 µg respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for C. sinensis were in a range of 0.42-3.71 µg and for C. latifolia of 0.22-1.30 µg. Genotoxic evaluation was done by Ames test where none of the oils induced point mutations. Flow cytometry was used to measure toxicity in human oral epithelial cells, C. sinensis was not cytotoxic and C. latifolia was toxic at 21.8 µg. These properties might bestow different odontological applications to each essential oil.

Mutagenic and antimutagenic effects of Heterotheca inuloides.

The antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Heterotheca inuloides have been reported before, nevertheless its use as a possible chemopreventive agent has not been documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of H. inuloides extracts using the Ames test. Both, the methanolic and acetonic extracts, were mutagenic in the TA98 but not in TA100 or TA102 strains. On the other hand, the methanolic extract reduced the mutagenicity of norfloxacin, benzo[a]pyrene and 2-aminoanthracene. Quercetin, one of the main components in the methanolic extract, also presented a mutagenic/antimutagenic dual effect and is an inhibitor of Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A. The antigenotoxic properties of H. inuloides could be due to the antioxidant properties previously reported and to its CYP inhibitory effect mediated by quercetin. Further studies with in vivo systems will afford information about H. inuloides beneficial and detrimental properties.

Antimutagenicity mechanisms of the Rhoeo discolor ethanolic extract.

INTRODUCTION: Rhoeo discolor, a medical plant from Mexico, is known to be an antioxidant and chemoprotective antimutagen. Rhoeo discolor ethanolic extract (EERD) is a complex mixture, so in this study its antimutagenic mechanisms were further evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Employing Ames test, with uvrB- and uvrB+ strains, its antimutagenic activity against frameshift mutagens 2-amino-anthracene (AA), and 2 amino-fluorene (AF), alkylating: methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG) and mitomycin C were evaluated. Induction of ogt, alkyl-DNA-glycosylases were studied with Salmonella typhimurium strains deficient in ada and ogt genes (YG7100 ada-/ogt+ YG7104 ada+/ogt-, G7108 ada-/ogt-). RESULTS: EERD, was not antimutagenic against AA or AF on S. typhimurium TA98 neither in UTH8413 uvrB+ strains. It significantly reduced mutations induced by Mitomycin C on strain TA102. EERD was antimutagenic to mutations induced by alkylating compounds on S. typhimurium TA100 or UTH8414 uvrB+. This antimutagenic effect was not observed on strains lacking ogt gene. CONCLUSIONS: EERD, did not affect CYP450 in vitro microsomal activation of AF or AA, on the Ames test, neither improved DNA uvrB excision repair system. EERD reduced oxidative damages on strain TA102, caused by Mitomycin C. This plant extract might be used to avoid DNA damage by alkylation, corrected mainly alkylguanine transferase protein encoded by ogt gene.