Breathing exercises and pranayamas to decrease perceived exertion during breath-holding while locked-down due to COVID-19 online randomized study.

AIM: to compare anulom vilom pranayama (AVP), kapal bhati pranayama (KBP), diaphragmatic breathing exercises (DBE), and pursed-lip breathing (PLB) for breath holding time (BHT) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Methods- Participants were assessed for BHT and RPE, before training on any one intervention using online platforms, for one week during lockdown from COVID-19.15 participants in each group total N = 60 at- (α - 0.05), (1- ß - 0.90) & (effect size - 0.55); were analysed. Results - AVP & DBE decreased RPE (p < 0.000). KBP & PLB did not decrease RPE as compared to AVP & DBE (p. > 0.05). DBE increased BHT more than KBP & PLB interventions (p < 0.05), but not more than AVP (p > 0.05). One-way ANOVA of four interventions revealed significant variation for RPE change (p < 0.05), for AVP. Conclusions - AVP reduces RPE maximally during breath-holding, whereas DPE increases BHT more.

Gauging the effectiveness of music and yoga for reducing stress among engineering students: An investigation based on Galvanic Skin Response.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of music and yogic breathing for the management and control of stress. OBJECTIVE: To discover the most effective stimuli to handle stress by measuring the effect of types of musical drills and yogic breathing on engineering students using the Galvanic Skin Response Sensor Meter (GSRSM). METHODS: The present study attempts to study the effectiveness of music and yoga drills for relieving and managing stress. The study used a stratified random sampling method selecting engineering students from four streams. The GSRSM was used as a tool to record the responses after 300 seconds for the experimental and the control groups of 200 students each. Each group was comprised of 52 females (26%) and 148 males (74%). RESULTS: The experimental group reported reduction in mean value in Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) when they underwent deep yogic breathing, listened to religious hymns and listened to flute music. CONCLUSION: On the basis of the results, the researchers suggest that all three techniques i.e practicing yogic breathing, listening to religious hymns and listening to flute music were effective in reducing the stress level of engineering students. Listening to flute music emerged from these three drills, as the most effective stimulus for stress management.

Can Slow Deep Breathing Reduce Pain? An Experimental Study Exploring Mechanisms.

Slow deep breathing (SDB) is commonly employed in the management of pain, but the underlying mechanisms remain equivocal. This study sought to investigate effects of instructed breathing patterns on experimental heat pain and to explore possible mechanisms of action. In a within-subject experimental design, healthy volunteers (n = 48) performed 4 breathing patterns: 1) unpaced breathing, 2) paced breathing (PB) at the participant's spontaneous breathing frequency, 3) SDB at 6 breaths per minute with a high inspiration/expiration ratio (SDB-H), and 4) SDB at 6 breaths per minute with a low inspiration/expiration ratio (SDB-L). During presentation of each breathing pattern, participants received painful heat stimuli of 3 different temperatures and rated each stimulus on pain intensity. Respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure were recorded. Compared to unpaced breathing, participants reported less intense pain during each of the 3 instructed breathing patterns. Among the instructed breathing patterns, pain did not differ between PB and SDB-H, and SDB-L attenuated pain more than the PB and SDB-H patterns. The latter effect was paralleled by greater blood pressure variability and baroreflex effectiveness index during SDB-L. Cardiovascular changes did not mediate the observed effects of breathing patterns on pain. PERSPECTIVES: SDB is more efficacious to attenuate pain when breathing is paced at a slow rhythm with an expiration that is long relative to inspiration, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

Pilot Study of Subject Education and Oximetry as They Affect Comfort During Slow-Paced Breathing.

This study examined the effects of subject education and oximetry on discomfort sometimes associated with slow-paced breathing (dyspnea). This study was performed because some people report anxiety about getting sufficient oxygen while breathing slowly. Clinical experience suggested that reassuring subjects unaccustomed to slow-paced breathing that they are receiving enough oxygen may lead to greater comfort. The study had a sample size of 20 sequentially randomized healthy adults constituting two groups of 10 subjects. Both groups underwent 5 min of video-guided paced breathing at a rate of six breaths per minute. One group was able to view oximetry and hear an educational script, and the other received neither the educational script nor the viewable oximetry. Subjects answered a questionnaire about ease and adequacy of respiration as well as comfort. Analysis of the questionnaire showed that the group who received education about oximetry and viewed an oximeter during training felt significantly greater comfort during slow breathing than the conventional paced breathing group (p < 0.01). While further study is warranted, these preliminary findings suggest the potential need for this dyspneic effect to be taken into account in clinical practice as well as in research.

Biofeedback-Assisted Resilience Training for Traumatic and Operational Stress: Preliminary Analysis of a Self-Delivered Digital Health Methodology.

BACKGROUND: Psychological resilience is critical to minimize the health effects of traumatic events. Trauma may induce a chronic state of hyperarousal, resulting in problems such as anxiety, insomnia, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Mind-body practices, such as relaxation breathing and mindfulness meditation, help to reduce arousal and may reduce the likelihood of such psychological distress. To better understand resilience-building practices, we are conducting the Biofeedback-Assisted Resilience Training (BART) study to evaluate whether the practice of slow, paced breathing with or without heart rate variability biofeedback can be effectively learned via a smartphone app to enhance psychological resilience. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to conduct a limited, interim review of user interactions and study data on use of the BART resilience training app and demonstrate analyses of real-time sensor-streaming data. METHODS: We developed the BART app to provide paced breathing resilience training, with or without heart rate variability biofeedback, via a self-managed 6-week protocol. The app receives streaming data from a Bluetooth-linked heart rate sensor and displays heart rate variability biofeedback to indicate movement between calmer and stressful states. To evaluate the app, a population of military personnel, veterans, and civilian first responders used the app for 6 weeks of resilience training. We analyzed app usage and heart rate variability measures during rest, cognitive stress, and paced breathing. Currently released for the BART research study, the BART app is being used to collect self-reported survey and heart rate sensor data for comparative evaluation of paced breathing relaxation training with and without heart rate variability biofeedback. RESULTS: To date, we have analyzed the results of 328 participants who began using the BART app for 6 weeks of stress relaxation training via a self-managed protocol. Of these, 207 (63.1%) followed the app-directed procedures and completed the training regimen. Our review of adherence to protocol and app-calculated heart rate variability measures indicated that the BART app acquired high-quality data for evaluating self-managed stress relaxation training programs. CONCLUSIONS: The BART app acquired high-quality data for studying changes in psychophysiological stress according to mind-body activity states, including conditions of rest, cognitive stress, and slow, paced breathing.

[The DISC tool improves communication and results in pulmonary rehabilitation]. / L'outil DISC améliore la communication et les résultats de la réhabilitation respiratoire : une approche comportementale adaptée.

INTRODUCTION: Competence in personal relationships is essential for a caregiver, especially in pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Considering the behavioral profile of patients might help to optimize their management and the results of PR. METHODS: We evaluated eight hundred and thirty-two consecutive patients with chronic respiratory disease who received eight weeks of home-based PR. Their exercise tolerance (six-minute stepper test, 6MST), mood (HAD), and quality of life (VSRQ, MRF28) were evaluated at the beginning and end of PR. For six hundred and ninety patients, a behavioral approach was implemented at the beginning of PR by using the DISC tool to identify four behavioral profiles: dominance, influence, steadiness, conscientiousness. The remaining 142 patients served as the control group. RESULTS: Subjectively, the therapeutic alliance was more easily established with the behavioral approach. Compared with the control group, patients with the "steadiness" profile were younger (60.7±12 years) and mostly female (52.8%), whereas patients with the "conscientiousness" profile were older (67.5±10.6 years) and mostly male (85.5%). The four behaviorally profiled groups showed no differences in exercise tolerance, mood, or quality of life scores at baseline. Globally, all patients improved their exercise tolerance, mood and quality of life. The percentage of responders to 6MST and VSRQ (>MCID) was 7.5% and 5.3% higher with the behavioral approach. For non-responders to 6MST and VSRQ (

Augmentation of Whole-Body Metabolic Status by Mind-Body Training: Synchronous Integration of Tissue- and Organ-Specific Mitochondrial Function.

The objective of our concise review is to elaborate an evidence-based integrative medicine model that incorporates functional linkages of key aspects of cortically-driven mind-body training procedures to biochemical and molecular processes driving enhanced cellular bioenergetics and whole-body metabolic advantage. This entails the adoption of a unified biological systems approach to selectively elucidate basic biochemical and molecular events responsible for achieving physiological relaxation of complex cellular structures. We provide accumulated evidence in support of the potential synergy of voluntary breathing exercises in combination with meditation and/or complementary cognitive tasks to promote medically beneficial enhancements in whole-body relaxation, anti-stress mechanisms, and restorative sleep. Accordingly, we propose that the widespread metabolic and physiological advantages emanating from a sustained series of complementary mind-body exercises will ultimately engender enhanced functional integration of cortical and limbic areas controlling voluntary respiratory processes with autonomic brainstem neural pattern generators. Finally, a unified mechanism is proposed that links behaviorally-mediated enhancements of whole-body metabolic advantage to optimization of synchronous regulation of mitochondrial oxygen utilization via recycling of nitrite and nitric oxide by iron-sulfur centers of coupled respiratory complexes and nitrite reductases.

Divergent effects of brief contemplative practices in response to an acute stressor: A randomized controlled trial of brief breath awareness, loving-kindness, gratitude or an attention control practice.

Mindfulness practices are increasingly being utilized as a method for cultivating well-being. The term mindfulness is often used as an umbrella for a variety of different practices and many mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) contain multiple styles of practice. Despite the diversity of practices within MBIs, few studies have investigated whether constituent practices produce specific effects. We randomized 156 undergraduates to one of four brief practices: breath awareness, loving-kindness, gratitude, or to an attention control condition. We assessed practice effects on affect following brief training, and effects on affect and behavior after provocation with a stressor (i.e., Cold pressor test). Results indicate that gratitude training significantly improved positive affect compared to breath awareness (d = 0.58) and loving-kindness led to significantly greater reductions in implicit negative affect compared to the control condition (d = 0.59) immediately after brief practice. In spite of gains in positive affect, the gratitude group demonstrated increased reactivity to the stressor, reporting the CPT as significantly more aversive than the control condition (d = 0.46) and showing significantly greater increases in negative affect compared to the breath awareness, loving-kindness, and control groups (ds = 0.55, 0.60, 0.65, respectively). Greater gains in implicit positive affect following gratitude training predicted decreased post-stressor likability ratings of novel neutral faces compared to breath awareness, loving-kindness, and control groups (ds = - 0.39, -0.40, -0.33, respectively) as well. Moreover, the gratitude group was significantly less likely to donate time than the loving-kindness group in an ecologically valid opportunity to provide unrewarded support. These data suggest that different styles of contemplative practice may produce different effects in the context of brief, introductory practice and these differences may be heightened by stress. Implications for the study of contemplative practices are discussed.

Experiences of hatha yogic exercises among patients with obstructive pulmonary diseases: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Obstructive pulmonary diseases can involve dyspnea and deconditioning. Hatha yogic exercises are a form of psychophysical attention-based activity. Research of experiences after participating in an adapted hatha yoga (YE) intervention remains limited. The aim of the present study was to explore the experiences of patients with obstructive pulmonary diseases (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in a 12-week hatha yoga intervention (YE). METHOD: Fifteen patients (10 women and 5 men, median age = 61, range: 44-76 years) who had participated in YE were interviewed after the intervention. Interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Three main categories emerged: "To focus and be aware of oneself", "To gain new knowledge through practice" and "To master one's own situation". The overall theme "From limitation to opportunity - to experience breathing as a tool in daily life" illustrates a learning process on different levels. The participants described improved physical symptoms and breathing techniques, greater energy/stamina and body awareness along with a new sense of control over their breathing in different situations. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with obstructive pulmonary diseases may strengthen their self-awareness and improve control of symptoms and learning new ways of breathing after practicing YE, which may provide a tool to control disease symptoms in daily life. Trial registration number NCT02233114.

Walking with controlled breathing improves exercise tolerance, anxiety, and quality of life in heart failure patients: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with heart failure experience not only impaired physical condition, but also their physical activity, moods, and quality of life may be diminished. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12-week walking with breathing program on physical activity tolerance considering time-dependent physiological factors and time-independent interoceptive awareness, as well as psychosocial factors. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial recruited 90 heart failure patients and randomly assigned them. The walking with breathing group received the walking and breathing intervention for 12 weeks but the control group did not. Outcomes included activity tolerance measured by 6-minute walk distance, moods assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, quality of life determined by the EuroQol 5-Dimensions, oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry, and interoceptive awareness by the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness scale. Data were collected before the intervention at baseline and at Weeks 2, 4 and 12. RESULTS: The results of the generalized estimating equation showed the 6-minute walk distance in the walking with breathing group was significantly different across time ( p<0.001) compared with the control group at baseline. Oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry ( p=0.04) and Trusting on the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness scale ( p=0.001) significantly and positively correlated with results of the 6-minute walk distance. There were significant between-group differences at Week 12 in anxiety ( p=0.03) and quality of life ( p=0.02) but not depression ( p=0.06). CONCLUSIONS: Walking with breathing improved heart failure patients' tolerance of physical activity, probably because of improved oxygen saturation and trusting interoceptive awareness. Walking with breathing also improved patients' anxiety and quality of life.

Effect of the self-efficacy-enhancing active cycle of breathing technique on lung cancer patients with lung resection: A quasi-experimental trial.

PURPOSE: Enhancing self-efficacy during the active cycle of breathing technique is essential for realizing the full benefit of pulmonary rehabilitation among lung cancer patients. This study aimed to explore the effect of self-efficacy-enhancing active cycle of breathing technique (SEE-ACBT) among patients with lung resection. METHOD: A quasi-experimental trial with a pre-post test design was performed. The control group (n = 81) received routine perioperative care, and the intervention group (n = 81) received SEE-ACBT in addition to routine perioperative care. The primary outcome measure was 24-h wet sputum weight. Other outcomes included the 6-min walk test (6MWT), Borg scale, postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC), exercise self-efficacy, hospitalization cost, duration of oxygen inhalation, and days of postoperative hospital stay. RESULTS: The sputum weight in the intervention group gradually increased from postoperative day 1, day 2, to day 3 and was significantly higher than that of the control group on day 2 and day 3 (P = 0.000). An average of ¥5047 (US$ 767.6) in hospitalization costs was saved in the intervention group (P = 0.003). Exercise self-efficacy (79. 0 VS 71.7,P = 0.006), 6MWT (471.8 m VS 371.6 m,P = 0.000), and duration of oxygen inhalation (33.9 h VS 53.1 h, P = 0.000) among patients in the intervention group improved significantly compared with the control group. No significant differences in PPC and days of postoperative hospital stay were found. CONCLUSIONS: SEE-ACBT is an effective and economical short-term pulmonary rehabilitation method. Pulmonary rehabilitation should focus on increasing motivational behaviours. Further studies should be implemented to explore the long-term effects of SEE-ACBT.

Effects of Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya, a Multicomponent Breath-Based Yogic Practice ( Pranayama), on Perceived Stress and General Well-Being.

Stress-induced disorders such as anxiety represent the leading causes of adult disability worldwide. Previous studies indicate that yoga and other contemplative practices such as pranayama, or controlled yogic breathing techniques, may be effective in the treatment of mood disorders and stress. In this study, 142 individuals (mean age = 43 years; SD = 13.90) participated in a 3-day retreat program during which they learned Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya, which is a yogic practice that includes both deep breathing and meditation techniques. Participants were instructed to practice the kriya each day for 21 minutes. After 6 weeks of daily practice, participants reported subjectively lower levels of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and higher levels of general well-being (General Well-Being Scale) compared to baseline. These results support the notion that Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya may represent a natural treatment for stress reduction.

Patients' experiences of breathing retraining for asthma: a qualitative process analysis of participants in the intervention arms of the BREATHE trial.

Poor symptom control and impaired quality of life are common in adults with asthma, and breathing retraining exercises may be an effective method of self-management. This study aimed to explore the experiences of participants in the intervention arms of the BREATHE trial, which investigated the effectiveness of breathing retraining as a mode of asthma management. Sixteen people with asthma (11 women, 8 per group) who had taken part in the intervention arms of the BREATHE trial (breathing retraining delivered by digital versatile disc (DVD) or face-to-face sessions with a respiratory physiotherapist) took part in semi-structured telephone interviews about their experiences. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Breathing retraining was perceived positively as a method of asthma management. Motivations for taking part included being asked, to enhance progress in research, to feel better/reduce symptoms, and to reduce medication. Participants were positive about the physiotherapist, liked having the materials tailored, found meetings motivational, and liked the DVD and booklet. The impact of breathing retraining following regular practice included increased awareness of breathing and development of new habits. Benefits of breathing retraining included increased control over breathing, reduced need for medication, feeling more relaxed, and improved health and quality of life. Problems included finding time to practice the exercises, and difficulty mastering techniques. Breathing retraining was acceptable and valued by almost all participants, and many reported improved wellbeing. Face to face physiotherapy was well received. However, some participants in the DVD group mentioned being unable to master techniques. ASTHMA: PATIENTS RECEPTIVE TO BREATHING RETRAINING: Patients with asthma taught how to change their unconscious breathing patterns generally like non-pharmacological interventions. Researchers in the UK, led by Mike Thomas from the University of Southampton, interviewed 16 people about their experiences in a trial that tested breathing retraining exercises delivered by DVD or face-to-face sessions with a respiratory physiotherapist. Overwhelmingly, trial participants reported that breathing retraining sessions gave them greater control over their symptoms, helped them relax, improved their quality of life and reduced the need for medications. Some participants who received DVD instruction said they had trouble mastering the techniques, and many in both groups found it hard to find time to practice the exercises. Overall, however, patients were positive about the experience. The authors conclude that breathing exercises are likely to be a well-received method of asthma management.

Perceptions of hatha yoga amongst persistently depressed individuals enrolled in a trial of yoga for depression.

OBJECTIVES: To understand depressed individuals' experiences in a 10-week hatha yoga program. DESIGN: In a randomized controlled trial, participants were assigned to either 10 weeks of hatha yoga classes or a health education control group. This report includes responses from participants in yoga classes. At the start of classes, average depression symptom severity level was moderate. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: After 10 weeks of yoga classes, we asked participants (n=50) to provide written responses to open-ended questions about what they liked about classes, what they did not like or did not find helpful, and what they learned. We analyzed qualitative data using thematic analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Elements of yoga classes that may increase acceptability for depressed individuals include having instructors who promote a non-competitive and non-judgmental atmosphere, who are knowledgeable and able to provide individualized attention, and who are kind and warm. Including depression-related themes in classes, teaching mindfulness, teaching breathing exercises, and providing guidance for translating class into home practice may help to make yoga effective for targeting depression. Participants' comments reinforced the importance of aspects of mindfulness, such as attention to the present moment and acceptance of one's self and one's experience, as potential mechanisms of action. Other potential mechanisms include use of breathing practices in everyday life and the biological mechanisms that underlie the positive impact of yogic breathing. The most serious concern highlighted by a few participants was the concern that the yoga classes were too difficult given their physical abilities.

Diaphragmatic breathing during virtual reality exposure therapy for aviophobia: functional coping strategy or avoidance behavior? a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Although there is solid evidence for the efficacy of in vivo and virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy for a specific phobia, there is a significant debate over whether techniques promoting distraction or relaxation have impairing or enhancing effects on treatment outcome. In the present pilot study, we investigated the effect of diaphragmatic breathing (DB) as a relaxation technique during VR exposure treatment. METHOD: Twenty-nine patients with aviophobia were randomly assigned to VR exposure treatment either with or without diaphragmatic breathing (six cycles per minute). Subjective fear ratings, heart rate and skin conductance were assessed as indicators of fear during both the exposure and the test session one week later. RESULTS: The group that experienced VR exposure combined with diaphragmatic breathing showed a higher tendency to effectively overcome the fear of flying. Psychophysiological measures of fear decreased and self-efficacy increased in both groups with no significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that diaphragmatic breathing during VR exposure does not interfere with the treatment outcome and may even enhance treatment effects of VR exposure therapy for aviophobic patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02990208 . Registered 07 December 2016.

Psychological effects of deep-breathing: the impact of expectancy-priming.

Outcome expectancy could mediate the psychological effects of exercise-related interventions, which implies that part of the psychological benefits of physical activity could be ascribed to placebo effects. In this framed field-experiment, 89 healthy participants were studied in three groups, (1) breathing-primed (deep-breathing with an exercise-related expectancy), (2) breathing-unprimed (deep-breathing with no exercise-related expectancy), and (3) control (no intervention). Deep-breathing lasted for three minutes. Before and after deep-breathing, or sitting quietly in the control group, participants completed two questionnaires assessing their positive- and negative affect (NA) and subjective well-being (WB). In contrast to the control group, both the breathing-primed and breathing-unprimed groups showed decreased NA and increased subjective WB. The breathing-primed group reported larger changes in WB than the breathing-unprimed group, in addition to also exhibiting significant increases in positive affect. These findings support the hypothesis of the work that expectations mediate the psychological effects of deep-breathing beyond the intervention's specific effects. Therefore, future research should control for expectations related to an intervention when gauging psychological changes.

Effects of Cold Therapy on Pain and Breathing Exercises Among Median Sternotomy Patients.

The most painful activities during the days following cardiac surgery are coughing and deep breathing exercises. Cold therapy is an effective nonpharmacological method that decreases the pain during coughing and mobilization. In this study, the effects of cold therapy on pain and breathing exercises among patients with median sternotomy following cardiac surgery were investigated in a randomized crossover clinical trial. Data were collected from patients with median sternotomy (N = 34) in the first two postoperative days. Because of the crossover design of the study, each patient was taken as a simultaneous control. Gel pack application was used as the cold therapy. Patients underwent four episodes of deep breathing and coughing exercises using an incentive spirometer (volumetric). Patients were evaluated according to the visual analogue scale for pain intensity before and after deep breathing and coughing exercise sessions. The pain score was 3.44 ± 2.45 at baseline for deep breathing and coughing exercises on the first day. The reported postoperative pain in the gel-pack group was not significantly different before and after the deep breathing and coughing exercises, but it significantly increased in the no-gel-pack group (p < .001). Although the interaction between the treatment and time was significant (partial eta-squared: .09), the gel-pack group had a lower change in average pain levels. This interaction was not significant in terms of spirometric values. In conclusion, cold therapy had a positive effect on pain management in the early period of post-cardiac surgery but was not effective for the pain associated with breathing exercises.

Choosing to engage and choosing to persist: The role of non-specific factors in health-promoting activities.

OBJECTIVE: Non-specific factors play an important role in determining benefits from health-promoting activities. Previous studies have focussed on beneficial outcomes of motivation during engagement. There are two aims of this project. First, we investigated whether expectancy and intrinsic motivation influence people's decisions to engage with health-promoting activities in the first instance and then subsequently adhere to them. Second, we examined the effects of providing information on health-promoting activities as a method of influencing expectancy and intrinsic motivation. METHOD: In two studies, participants were informed about a health-promoting activity (Study 1: A breathing exercise for well-being; Study 2: A gratitude exercise for smoking cessation) and told that it has either a 'known' or 'unknown' effectiveness. Participants were then given the opportunity to engage with the activity over the following days. Expectancy and intrinsic motivation were measured after reading the information and prior to engagement with the activity. Adherence to the activity was measured at follow-up. RESULTS: In both studies, intrinsic motivation positively predicted willingness to engage with the activities as well as subsequent adherence. Expectancy predicted adherence in Study 1 and choices to engage in Study 2, but not after controlling for intrinsic motivation. Describing the gratitude exercise as having a known effectiveness in Study 2 enhanced motivation and adherence to the activity. CONCLUSIONS: The non-specific benefit brought by intrinsic motivation plays an important role in choosing to engage with health-promoting activities as well as subsequent adherence. Our results also show that simple statements about the potential benefits of a health-promoting activity can motivate engagement and adherence. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Previous studies have established that non-specific factors, namely expectancies and intrinsic motivation, play an important role in determining benefit when engaging in health-promoting activities. These studies have neglected how non-specific factors relate to initial choices to engage in health-promoting activities in the first instance. Intrinsic motivation has been found to be more strongly related to benefit than expectancies in real-world health-promoting activities. What does this study add? Intrinsic motivation predicts choices to engage with a health-promoting activity. Simple statements about benefits of a health-promoting activity motivate engagement.

Insight among people with severe mental illness, co-occurring PTSD and elevated psychotic symptoms: Correlates and relationship to treatment participation.

BACKGROUND: There is a dearth of research on what factors are predictive of insight among people with severe mental illness and co-occurring PTSD. METHOD: Data were drawn from 146 participants with severe mental illness, co-occurring PTSD and elevated psychotic symptoms participating in a randomized controlled trial comparing two interventions for PTSD among people with severe mental illness. We examined the clinical and demographic correlates of insight at baseline, the relationship between baseline insight and treatment participation, the relationship between treatment participation and post-treatment insight, and the relationship between change in insight and change in other clinical variables. RESULTS: Impaired insight was relatively common, with roughly half the sample demonstrating mild or moderate impairment at baseline. Baseline insight was associated with fewer psychotic and disorganized symptoms, and greater emotional discomfort and PTSD knowledge, but was not associated with negative symptoms, PTSD symptoms, depression/anxiety, or treatment participation. Participation in PTSD treatment was associated with increased insight at post-treatment. Improved insight was associated with improvements in disorganization and negative symptoms, but not with knowledge of PTSD or positive symptoms. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that engagement in treatment that includes educating people about PTSD may lead to improvements in insight and related improvements in other psychiatric symptoms.