Intervención en duelo y mindfulness / Grief intervention and Mindfulness

Resumen El presente estudio evalúa el efecto de una intervención adaptada del Programa Inteligencia Emocional Plena (PINEP) en adultos que han sufrido la pérdida de un ser querido. La intervención tuvo una duración de doce sesiones, de dos horas y media por semana. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 17 adultos de un rango de edad de entre 26 y 71 años (M= 50.59; SD = 14.44). Los participantes que completaron la intervención mostraron una mayor tolerancia al malestar desarrollando habilidades en mindfulnessy una disminución en ansiedad estado, ansiedad rasgo y depresión. De esta forma PINEP como programa de gestion emocional, promueve la aceptacion como estrategia psicologica, ante la vulnerabilidad emocional y sufrimiento psicológico.

Abstract This study assesses the effect of an intervention adapted from the Full Emotional Intelligence Program (PINEP, for its initials in Spanish) in adults who have suffered the loss of a loved one. The intervention lasted twelve sessions, two and a half hours per week. The sample consisted of 17 adults ranging in age from 26 to 71 years (M= 50.59; SD = 14.44). Participants who completed the intervention showed an increased tolerance to distress by developing mindfulness skills, and a decrease in state anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression. Therefore, PINEP, as an emotional management program promotes acceptance as a psychological strategy, in the face of emotional vulnerability and psychological suffering.

Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Confinement and Its Relationship with Meditation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychological impact of confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, considering any protective factors, such as the practice of meditation or self-compassion, and their relationship with different lifestyles and circumstances of adults residing in Spain. A cross-sectional study was done using an anonymous online survey in which 412 participants filled out the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-2; the Impact of Events Scale; and the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form, reporting severe symptomatology of posttraumatic stress and mild anxiety and depression. Quality of cohabitation and age were found to be key variables in the psychological impact of confinement. The impact of confinement was more negative for those who reported very poor cohabitation as opposed to very good (F (3, 405) = 30.75, p ≤ 0.001, d = 2.44, r = 0.054) or for those under 35 years of age compared to those over 46 (F (2, 409) = 5.14, p = 0.006, d = 0.36). Practicing meditation was not revealed as a protective factor, but self-compassion was related to better cohabitation during confinement (F (3, 403) = 11.83, p ≤ 0.001, d = 1.05). These results could be relevant in designing psychological interventions to improve coping and mental health in other situations similar to confinement.

Mindfulness to regulate emotions: The Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence Program (PINEP) and its adaptation to a virtual learning platform.

The present study examines the effect of the Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence Program (PINEP), adapted to the virtual learning platform Moodle where participants receive Mindfulness training in 12 sessions lasting an hour and a half. The sample consists of 89 people, assigned randomly to a control group on the waiting list and to an experimental group that undertakes the training. The results indicate that the participants who completed PINEP showed improvement in the variables of health, empathy and mindfulness, in comparison with the participants of the group on the waiting list.

The role of mindfulness in coping with recollections of acute stressors: A laboratory study / Influencia de Mindfulness en la adaptación del recuerdo de un estresor agudo: un estudio de laboratorio

BACKGROUND: There is mounting evidence regarding the psychological benefits of mindfulness. Yet, does mindfulness really help people to cope with the recollection of acute stressors? METHOD: To address this question, we examined the effects of trait mindfulness and experimentally induced mindfulness in cognitive and emotional responses to the recollection of an acute stressor among 76 female college students. RESULTS: Trait mindfulness was associated with fewer intrusive thoughts 24 hours after the stress induction, but not with affect balance immediately after the induction. Experimentally induced mindfulness showed the opposite pattern: it was associated with better affect balance immediately after the stress induction, but not with intrusive thoughts 24 hours later. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that even individuals predisposed to mindfulness may find it difficult to use mindfulness to cope effectively with memories of highly stressful events. Furthermore, our results suggest that the effects of brief mindfulness interventions may be too short-lived to really help people cope with such memories. Considered together, these findings highlight the importance of designing mindfulness-based interventions involving not only intensive practice but also specific training to help individuals use mindfulness to cope with acute stressors

ANTECEDENTES: existe creciente evidencia sobre los beneficios psicológicos de mindfulness. Sin embargo, ¿realmente ayuda mindfulness a afrontar la memoria de un estresor agudo? MÉTODO: para abordar esta cuestión, examinamos los efectos de mindfulness rasgo y mindfulness inducido experimentalmente en la respuesta cognitiva y emocional ante un estresor agudo, entre 76 estudiantes universitarias. RESULTADOS: mindfulness rasgo se asoció con menos pensamientos intrusivos 24 horas después de la inducción del estresor, pero sin cambios en el afecto inmediatamente después de la inducción. La inducción experimental de mindfulness mostró un patrón opuesto: se asoció con un mejor afecto inmediatamente después de la inducción del estresor, pero sin afectar a los pensamientos intrusivos 24 horas después. CONCLUSIONES: estos resultados sugieren que incluso las personas predispuestas a estados de mindfulness pueden tener dificultades para utilizar mindfulness eficazmente cuando se acuerdan de un estresor agudo. Además, sugieren que los efectos de las intervenciones breves en mindfulness pueden ser demasiado efímeras para afrontar estresores agudos. Considerados en conjunto, estos resultados ponen de relieve la importancia de diseñar intervenciones basadas en mindfulness que impliquen no solo la práctica intensiva, sino también una formación específica que ayude a las personas a utilizar mindfulness para hacer frente a estresores agudos

The role of mindfulness in coping with recollections of acute stressors: a laboratory study.

BACKGROUND: There is mounting evidence regarding the psychological benefits of mindfulness. Yet, does mindfulness really help people to cope with the recollection of acute stressors? METHOD: To address this question, we examined the effects of trait mindfulness and experimentally induced mindfulness in cognitive and emotional responses to the recollection of an acute stressor among 76 female college students. RESULTS: Trait mindfulness was associated with fewer intrusive thoughts 24 hours after the stress induction, but not with affect balance immediately after the induction. Experimentally induced mindfulness showed the opposite pattern: it was associated with better affect balance immediately after the stress induction, but not with intrusive thoughts 24 hours later. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that even individuals predisposed to mindfulness may find it difficult to use mindfulness to cope effectively with memories of highly stressful events. Furthermore, our results suggest that the effects of brief mindfulness interventions may be too short-lived to really help people cope with such memories. Considered together, these findings highlight the importance of designing mindfulness-based interventions involving not only intensive practice but also specific training to help individuals use mindfulness to cope with acute stressors.