Mindfulness traits as potential inhibitor of irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty amongst elite female basketball players

Dispositional mindfulness promotes adaptive responses to pressure situations and reduce anxiety and emotional distress, which are common manifestations in sport. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mindfulness characteristics in the display of irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty amongst a sample of elite female basketball players (N = 67, Mage = 25.73 years, SD = 4.4). An online Qualtrics survey containing demographic items, the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory, and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale was used to collect the study data, which were analysed using SPSS. The results from both Pearson correlation coefficient and simple linear regression analyses indicated that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness are significantly related to elite female basketball players having fewer irrational beliefs about their performance and being more tolerant of uncertain situations in their sport. One-way analysis of variance further indicated a significant difference between low, average, and high mindfulness groups, with Tukey's post-hoc analyses confirming that participants with high mindfulness displayed significantly fewer rigid, extreme, self-defeating performance beliefs in sport, and were less prone to impulsive reactions to uncertain circumstances compared to participants with low mindfulness. Sport psychology practitioners are encouraged to consider the integration of mindfulness assessment and training protocols with traditional cognitive behaviour modification approaches to counter female basketball players’ display of distorted beliefs in sport and adverse reactions to ambiguous experiences. (AU)

Atención plena (mindfulness): por qué es posible que funcione y por qué es seguro que triunfe / [Mindfulness: Why It Might Work and Why It's Sure to Succeed]

La atención plena (mindfulness) ha desbordado el ámbito clínico y comienza a aplicarse con entusiasmo en la escuela, el deporte o la empresa. La sospecha de que estamos ante una intervención que, aunque probablemente eficaz, tenga un tamaño de efecto pequeño, lo que obliga a realizar investigaciones con gran rigor. Así, solo conociendo los procesos psicológicos implicados en la atención plena podremos tener una visión más realista de su utilidad ante los diferentes problemas. Ante esto, ¿cómo explicar el extraordinario éxito que está obteniendo en Occidente la atención plena, tanto a nivel académico como mundano? Se presentan tres principios conductuales que se practican durante el entrenamiento en atención plena y se denuncia su uso ideológico, que aparece enmarcado, no en la mística existencial ni en el conductismo contextual, sino en la psicología positiva y su agenda neoliberal.

Mindfulness has gone beyond clinical applications and is beginning to be enthusiastically applied in schools, sport, and business settings. It seems to be a type of intervention that, while probably effective, has a small effect size, which calls for rigorous research. Understanding the psychological processes involved in mindfulness is essential in order to achieve a more realistic picture of its usefulness for some behavioral disorders. How can we explain the extraordinary success of mindfulness in western societies, both in academia and in popular culture? We present three behavioral principles and ideological reasons for applying mindfulness. Nowadays, mindfulness is framed not by mystical existentialism or contextual behaviorism, but by positive psychology and its neoliberal agenda.

The Use of Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Mitigate Stress and Burnout in Nurses.

Research indicates that mindfulness-based interventions can positively change how individuals perceive stress and burnout. Part of the responsibility of mitigating stress and burnout among nurses should be placed upon the organization; thus, nursing professional development practitioners are in a unique position to engage nurses in mindfulness-based practices. Therefore, a quality improvement project aimed to decrease perceived stress and/or burnout among nurses on three pilot units was implemented utilizing evidence-based mindfulness interventions.

Philosophy for children and mindfulness during COVID-19: Results from a randomized cluster trial and impact on mental health in elementary school students.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on children's mental health. Given these problems can have significant impacts throughout the lifespan, preventing the negative repercussions of COVID-19 on children's mental health is essential. Philosophy for children (P4C) and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) show promise in this regard. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study was to compare the impact of online MBI and P4C interventions on mental health, within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used a randomized cluster trial to assess and compare the impact of both interventions on elementary school students' (N = 37) anxiety and inattention symptoms as well as on their basic psychological need satisfaction (BPN). RESULTS: ANCOVAs revealed a significant effect of the P4C intervention on mental health difficulties, controlling for baseline levels. Participants in the P4C group showed lower scores on the measured symptoms at post-test than participants in the MBI group. Significant effects of the MBI on levels of BPN were also found. Participants in the MBI intervention reported greater BPN satisfaction at post-test than participants in the P4C intervention. CONCLUSION: Results from this study suggest that, in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, a P4C intervention centered around COVID-19 related themes may be helpful to reduce mental health difficulties, that a MBI may be useful to satisfy BPN, and that both interventions were easy to offer online to elementary school students. Future work including a larger sample size and follow-up measures is warranted. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Practice: Philosophy for children (P4C) and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can be used to foster mental health in elementary school students, in the current COVID-19 context. Policy: As we do not anticipate that facilitators will be allowed in schools during the 2020-2021 school year and that children will, most likely, be attending school in the current COVID-19 context, policymakers who want to implement psychological support measures in elementary schools should consider an online modality, which has shown in this study to work well, be feasible, and yield positive results on youth mental health.

Mindfulness Workshops Effects on Nurses' Burnout, Stress, and Mindfulness Skills.

Burnout decreases work performance and quality of care and can result in medical errors, lower patient satisfaction, and higher rates of turnover. A study of 68 000 registered nurses showed that 35% of hospital nurses were experiencing symptoms of burnout. A systematic review identified that mindfulness-based interventions for health care professionals reduced stress and burnout and increased self-compassion and general health. However, the authors determined that more high-quality research is needed. This study examined the impact of a 4-hour workshop on burnout syndrome, perceived stress, and mindfulness skills. The objective of this study was to determine whether a 4-hour mindfulness workshop was effective in reducing burnout and perceived levels of stress and increasing mindfulness. Nurses at a Midwest academic medical center were recruited through e-mail to attend a 4-hour mindfulness workshop. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey, Perceived Stress Scale, and Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised prior to the start of the workshop and 1 and 6 months after the workshop. The study design allowed for comparisons preintervention and postintervention. Of the 52 nurses who completed the baseline questionnaires, 94% were female with an average age of 38 years. Thirty-one percent completed the questionnaires at 1 month and 20 nurses at 6 months. At 1 month, nurses reported statistically significant decreased perceptions of stress (-2.31, P = .01) and emotional exhaustion (-4.78, P = .03). Mindfulness skills, personal accomplishment, and depersonalization improved but were not statistically significant. At 6 months, statistically significant findings included increased perceptions of mindfulness (2.50, P = .04), personal accomplishment (4.43, P = .04), and decreased emotional exhaustion (-6.21, P = .05). Perceptions of stress and depersonalization improved but were not statistically significant. In this study, nurses reported decreases in burnout and perceived stress and increases in mindfulness after attending a 4-hour mindfulness workshop. Further research is needed to determine the long-term impact of mindfulness-based training on nurses' burnout, stress, and mindfulness skills. The results of this study add to the body of literature that supports the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions.

Shared Medical Appointments and Mindfulness for Type 2 Diabetes-A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a major health concern with significant personal and healthcare system costs. There is growing interest in using shared medical appointments (SMAs) for management of T2DM. We hypothesize that adding mindfulness to SMAs may be beneficial. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of SMAs with mindfulness for T2DM within primary care in Australia. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-blind randomized controlled feasibility study of SMAs within primary care for people with T2DM living in Western Sydney, Australia. People with T2DM, age 21 years and over, with HbA1c > 6.5% or fasting glucose >7.00 mmol/L within the past 3 months were eligible to enroll. The intervention group attended six 2-h programmed SMAs (pSMAs) which were held fortnightly. pSMAs included a structured education program and mindfulness component. The control group received usual care from their healthcare providers. We collected quantitative and qualitative data on acceptability as well as glycemic control (glycated hemoglobin and continuous glucose monitoring), lipids, anthropometric measures, blood pressure, self-reported psychological outcomes, quality of life, diet, and physical activity using an ActiGraph accelerometer. Results: Over a 2-month period, we enrolled 18 participants (10 females, 8 males) with a mean age of 58 years (standard deviation 9.8). We had 94.4% retention. All participants in the intervention group completed at least four pSMAs. Participants reported that attending pSMAs had been a positive experience that allowed them to accept their diagnosis and empowered them to make changes, which led to beneficial effects including weight loss and better glycemic control. Four pSMA participants found the mindfulness component helpful while two did not. All of the seven participants who contributed to qualitative evaluation reported improved psychosocial wellbeing and found the group setting beneficial. There was a significant difference in total cholesterol levels at 12 weeks between groups (3.86 mmol/L in intervention group vs. 4.15 mmol/L in the control group; p = 0.025) as well as pain intensity levels as measured by the PROMIS-29 (2.11 vs. 2.38; p = 0.034). Conclusion: pSMAs are feasible and acceptable to people with T2DM and may result in clinical improvement. A follow-up fully-powered randomized controlled trial is warranted. Clinical Trial Registration: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, identifier ACTRN12619000892112.

Long-term effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and residual symptoms after cognitive behavioral therapy: Twelve-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

We examined the long-term efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) compared to a psychoeducation group as an active control condition in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with residual symptoms of OCD after cognitive behavioral therapy. A total of 125 patients were included in a bicentric, interviewer-blind, randomized, and actively controlled trial and were assigned to either an MBCT group (n = 61) or a psychoeducation group (n = 64). Patients' demographic characteristics and the results from our previous assessments have already been reported (Külz et al., 2019). At the 12-month follow-up the completion rate was 80%. OCD symptoms were reduced from baseline to follow-up assessment with a large effect, but no difference was found between groups. Exploratory analyses showed that a composite score of time occupied by obsessive thoughts, distress associated with obsessive thoughts, and interference due to obsessive thoughts differed between groups in the per-protocol analysis, with a stronger reduction in the MBCT group. At the 12-month follow-up, the two groups showed a similar reduction of symptoms. However, preliminary evidence indicates that MBCT has a superior effect on some aspects of OCD. This should be replicated in future studies.

Collegiate Substance Use: A Tale of Differential Risk and Coping.

INTRODUCTION: Young adults reporting combined alcohol and marijuana use indicate greater frequency of other substances, binge drinking rates, and alcohol-related negative consequences. Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties are linked to alcohol use and abuse, with effects commonly attributed to increased mindfulness and distress tolerance abilities. Evidence is mixed, however, regarding the interactive impact of substance use and mindfulness facets on mental health outcomes. METHODS: The current study utilized a cross-sectional design to examine mental health outcomes predicted by ER and mindfulness facets in 229 college students across three substance use categories (no use; alcohol/marijuana; illicit use with alcohol/marijuana). RESULTS: For participants reporting no substance use, linear stepwise regressions found that Non-Judging was significantly related to reduced anxiety, while Acting with Awareness was related to greater anxiety; for those reporting alcohol/marijuana use only, Non-Judging significantly related to lower stress and anxiety; for those reporting illicit substance use with alcohol/marijuana, Acting with Awareness was related to lower stress. Describing was related to higher distress across groups, and Observing was not significantly related to any aspect of mental health across groups. ER difficulties were positively related to depression, anxiety and stress across substance use groups, with one exception: ER difficulty was not significantly associated with depression for no use. DISCUSSION: Mindfulness interventions should focus on certain facets, such as Non-Judging, in order to improve psychological functioning across various groups of substance use. Additionally, ER difficulties are closely linked to alcohol, marijuana, and illicit drug use.

Contemplative Practices and Hypnosis: Emerging Perspectives and Future Directions.

A distinctive feature common to many contemplative practices is a focus of attention and procedure of induction toward achieving an altered state of consciousness. In recent years, practices like mindfulness have become increasingly popular, and there has been increased interest in the relationship between hypnosis and mindfulness-based practices as well as other contemplative practices including meditation, music, and spirituality. However, questions remain such as: What are the similarities and differences between hypnosis and mindfulness/other contemplative practices?; What is the role of suggestion in mindfulness-based interventions?; Do some contemplative practices have hypnotic-like aspects in their application?; What is the role of words, images, and intentions in contemplative practices?; Can hypnosis be integrated with music and spiritual practices for beneficial effects? This special issue includes eight articles that provide insights and empirical research into contemplative practices and hypnosis. Emerging perspectives and future directions for research and practice are presented.

[Efficacy of third wave cognitive therapies in the treatment of psychosis: a meta-review]. / Efficacia delle terapie cognitive della terza onda nel trattamento delle psicosi: una meta-rassegna.

INTRODUCTION: The therapeutic approaches of the so-called "third wave" of clinical cognitivism have assumed increasing relevance in recent years alongside cognitive-behavioral therapy in the treatment of psychosis. AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy of some of the most relevant third wave cognitive-behavioral approaches (metacognitive interventions and therapies based on mindfulness and acceptance) in the treatment of psychosis. METHOD: A systematic research was carried out for systematic reviews and meta-analysis on the efficacy of metacognitive interventions and mindfulness- and acceptance-based therapies in the treatment of psychosis, published from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2018. The selected studies were evaluated using AMSTAR 2, a valid and reliable tool composed of 16 items to measure the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analysis. RESULTS: 7 meta-analysis were selected: 4 for metacognitive therapies (3 of low quality, 1 of critically low quality) and 3 for mindfulness- and acceptance-based therapies (1 of medium quality, 2 of low quality). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Among metacognitive therapies, metacognitive training has shown promising results on positive symptoms and in particular on the psychopathology of delusions. Mindfulness- and acceptance-based therapies have shown mild to moderate effects on general and positive symptoms as well as some effects on negative symptoms, depressive symptoms, hospitalization rates and length. However, further research is needed to confirm overall the encouraging results of both metacognitive training and mindfulness- and acceptance-based therapies as the small number of randomized controlled trials and the low methodological quality of most meta-analysis realized up to date does not allow to draw yet sufficiently solid conclusions on their efficacy in the treatment of psychosis.

Depressive Symptoms and Resilience among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Examining the Moderating Effects of Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, Family Cohesion, and Social Support.

Emerging adulthood has been described as a difficult stage in life and may be particularly stressful for Hispanic emerging adults who are disproportionately exposed to adversity and chronic sociocultural stressors. To better prevent and treat depressive disorders among Hispanic emerging adults, more research is needed to identify and understand modifiable determinants that can help this population enhance their capacity to offset and recover from adversity and sociocultural stressors. As such, this study aimed to (1) examine the association between resilience and depressive symptoms among Hispanic emerging adults, and (2) examine the extent to which intrapersonal resources (e.g., mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation strategies) and interpersonal resources (e.g., family cohesion, social support) moderate the association between resilience and depressive symptoms. To examine these aims, 200 Hispanic emerging adults (ages 18-25) from Arizona (n = 99) and Florida (n = 101) completed a cross-sectional survey, and data were analyzed using hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analyses. Findings from the hierarchical multiple regression indicate that higher resilience was associated with lower depressive symptoms. Findings from the moderation analyses indicate that family cohesion, social support, and emotion regulation strategies (e.g., cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) functioned as moderators; however, mindfulness and distress tolerance were not significant moderators. Findings from this study add to the limited literature on resilience among Hispanics that have used validated measures of resilience. Furthermore, we advance our understanding of who may benefit most from higher resilience based on levels of intrapersonal and interpersonal resources.

Blessing: A Practice of Presence, Intentionality, and Appreciation.

The art and practice of blessing is explored through various cultural, religious, and experiential lenses. The "Blessing of the Hands" ritual offers an example of a practice offered by, and experienced by, holistic nurses and others in both clinical and educational settings. Consistent with holistic nursing values, the state evoked by a ritual of blessing can offer nurses a framework for heightened intentionality and presence, as well as appreciation for the sacredness of one's work. It can also serve to enhance a sense of safety, protection, and belonging in patients or clients.

Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment.

RATIONALE: 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine is a psychotropic substance found in various plant and animal species and is synthetically produced. 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine is used in naturalistic settings for spiritual exploration, recreation, or to address negative affect and mood problems. However, scientific knowledge on the effects of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine in humans is scarce. OBJECTIVES: The first objective was to assess the effects of inhalation of vaporized synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine on neuroendocrine markers. The second objective was to assess effects of the substance on affect and mindfulness. In addition, we assessed whether ratings of subjective measures were associated with changes in stress biomarkers (i.e., cortisol) and immune response (i.e., IL-6, CRP, IL-1ß), as well as the acute psychedelic experience. METHODS: Assessments (baseline, immediately post-session, and 7-day follow-up) were made in 11 participants. Salivary samples were collected at baseline and post-session and analyzed by high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine significantly increased cortisol levels and decreased IL-6 concentrations in saliva immediately post-session. These changes were not correlated to ratings of mental health or the psychedelic experience. Relative to baseline, ratings of non-judgment significantly increased, and ratings of depression decreased immediately post-session and at follow-up. Ratings of anxiety and stress decreased from baseline to 7-day follow-up. Participant ratings of the psychedelic experience correlated negatively with ratings of affect and positively with ratings of non-judgment. CONCLUSION: Inhalation of vaporized synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine produced significant changes in inflammatory markers, improved affect, and non-judgment in volunteers. Future research should examine the effect of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamineamine with healthy volunteers in a controlled laboratory setting.

Effects of mindfulness meditation on mindfulness, mental well-being, and perceived stress.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation using the Headspace™ app on mindfulness, mental well-being, and perceived stress in pharmacy students. METHODS: Professional year one (P1), professional year two (P2,) and professional year 3 (P3) pharmacy students were recruited to participate. Students were instructed to meditate using the Headspace™ app for at least 10min per day for four weeks. Students at baseline completed the health promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP). Data was collected from the pre/post surveys using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), and Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). RESULTS: Ninety-two pharmacy students enrolled in the study. Seventy-percent of the participants completed the study. Only one participant was excluded in the post data analysis due to non-adherence with the protocol. The data revealed that for all scales the intervention was associated with enhanced mindfulness and mental well-being and decreased perceived stress. Further analysis indicated that controlling for various health promoting lifestyle behaviors preserves the positive impact of mindfulness meditation as demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness meditation uniformly and independently improved the participants overall mental health. The data supports a feasible option for minimizing stress and maintaining mental well-being in a demanding professional program. This study encourages students in pharmacy schools to adopt these practices in their curriculum.

The effect of a brief mindfulness-based intervention on personal recovery in people with bipolar disorder: a randomized controlled trial (study protocol).

BACKGROUND: With the advent of the recovery movement in mental health, a humanistic paradigm shift has occurred, placing the focus on personal recovery (i.e., hope, identity, and life meaning) instead of functional or clinical recovery only (i.e., symptom reduction or increases in physical function). Along the journey of recovery, people with bipolar disorder (BD) struggle to cope with recurring mood fluctuations between depression and mania. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have the potential to result in improvements in personal recovery outcomes. Thus, this protocol will evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of a brief MBI for helping individuals with BD with their personal recovery. It is hypothesized that adults with BD randomly assigned to a brief MBI intervention will report greater improvements in personal recovery than those in a waiting list control condition. In addition, it is hypothesized that such benefits will be mediated by improvements in emotion awareness, emotion regulation, and illness acceptance. Moreover, the specific stage of BD is hypothesized to moderate the beneficial effects of the brief MBI, such that those in the early stage of BD will report more benefits regarding emotion awareness and emotion regulation, whereas those in the late stage of BD will report more advantages concerning illness acceptance. METHOD: One hundred and fifty-four adults with BD will be recruited from hospitals and community settings for this research project. This study will use a mixed methods design. A randomized-controlled trial will be conducted to compare a brief MBI (four sessions in total) group and a waiting list control group. Assessments will be made at baseline, after intervention, and at six-month follow-up. In addition, a qualitative and participatory research method called Photovoice will be employed to further understand the experiences of the participants who receive the brief MBI along their personal recovery journey. DISCUSSION: If the study hypotheses are supported, the findings from this research project will provide empirical support for an alternative treatment. Moreover, by identifying the mechanisms of the beneficial effects of the brief MBI, the findings will highlight process variables that could be specifically targeted to make MBI treatment even more effective in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( ChiCTR- 1900024658 ). Registered 20th July 2019.

Parent mind-mindedness, sensitivity, and infant affect: Implications for attachment with mothers and fathers.

Previous research examining links between parenting and attachment has focused on behavioral aspects of parenting such as sensitivity. However, by assessing how parents reflect on infants' mental states (mind-mindedness) we gain a broader understanding of parenting and how it impacts attachment. Mothers, fathers, and their infants (N = 135) participated in the Still Face Paradigm (SFP) at 3-, 5-, and 7- months of age, and the Strange Situation with mothers at 12 months and fathers at 14 months. Parent sensitivity and infant affect were coded from the SFP and all videos were transcribed and later coded for parents' use of appropriate and non-attuned mind-mindedness toward their infants. Attachment with each parent was coded from the Strange Situation. Mixed effects models examined trajectories of parents' mind-mindedness in relation to parent sensitivity and infant affect across attachment groups. Significant differences between parent gender and attachment category were detected. Specifically, parents who were less sensitive were also less mind-minded toward insecure-avoidant infants; parents used more non-attuned mind-mindedness when infants had higher negative affect. Findings suggest that, in addition to parent sensitivity, parents' use of appropriate and non-attuned mind-mindedness during a parent-infant interaction provides insight into the developing attachment relationship for mothers and fathers.

Mindfulness meditation for workplace wellness: An evidence map.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness interventions aim to foster greater attention and awareness of present moment experiences. Uptake of mindfulness programs in the workplace has grown as organizations look to support employee health, wellbeing, and performance. OBJECTIVE: In support of evidence-based decision making in workplace contexts, we created an evidence map summarizing physical and mental health, cognitive, affective, and interpersonal outcomes from systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mindfulness interventions. METHODS: We searched nine electronic databases to July 2017, dually-screened all reviews, and consulted topic experts to identify systematic reviews on mindfulness interventions. The distribution of evidence is presented as an evidence map in a bubble plot. RESULTS: In total, 175 systematic reviews met inclusion criteria. Reviews included a variety of mindfulness-based interventions. The largest review included 109 randomized controlled trials. The majority of these addressed general health, psychological conditions, chronic illness, pain, and substance use. Twenty-six systematic reviews assessed studies conducted in workplace settings and with healthcare professionals, educators, and caregivers. The evidence map shows the prevalence of research by the primary area of focus. An outline of promising applications of mindfulness interventions is included. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence map provides an overview of existing mindfulness research. It shows the body of available evidence to inform policy and organizational decision-making supporting employee wellbeing in work contexts.