Mindfulness

Are We Forgetting Sati? Memory and the Benefits of Mindfulness from a Non-Buddhist Viewpoint

Item Response Theory Analysis of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and Its Short Forms Abstract Objectives The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) is a self-report measure of mindfulness with forms of several different lengths, including the FFMQ-39, FFMQ-24, and FFMQ-15. We use item response theory analysis to directly compare the functioning of these three forms. Methods Data were drawn from a non-clinical Amazon Mechanical Turk study (N = 522) and studies of aftercare treatment of individuals with substance use disorders (combined N = 454). The item and test functioning of the three FFMQ forms were studied and compared. Results All 39 items were strongly related to the facet latent variables, and the items discriminated over a similar range of the latent mindfulness constructs. Items provided more information in the low-to-medium range of latent mindfulness than in the high range. Scores in three of the five FFMQ-39 facets were unreliable when measuring individuals in the high range of latent mindfulness, resulting from ceiling effects in item responses. Reliability in the high range of mindfulness was further reduced in the FFMQ-24 and FFMQ-15, such that short forms may be ill-suited for applications that require reliable measurement in the high range. Conclusions Results suggest the existing FFMQ item pool cannot be reduced without negatively affecting either overall reliability or the span of mindfulness over which reliability is assessed. Conditional test reliability curves and item functioning parameters can aid investigators in tailoring their choice of FFMQ form to the reliability they hope to achieve and to the range of latent mindfulness over which they must reliably measure.

Individual Gender and Group Gender Composition as Predictors of Differential Benefit from Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for Substance Use Disorders Abstract Objectives Mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) is an effective group-based aftercare treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs), yet few studies have examined moderators of MBRP efficacy. This secondary data analysis evaluated individual gender and group gender composition (e.g., proportion of women relative to men in each therapy group) as treatment moderators of MBRP. Methods The analysis sample included 186 individuals with SUDs randomized to MBRP or relapse prevention (RP) as an aftercare treatment. Outcomes included number of heavy drinking days and drug use days at the 12-month follow-up. Results There were no treatment moderation effects for models with heavy drinking days as the outcome (all ps > .05). Group gender composition, but not individual gender, moderated the effect of treatment condition on drug use days (p < .01). Individuals who received MBRP had significantly fewer drug use days at 12 months than those who received RP, but only among individuals in therapy groups comprising one-third or more women (p < 0.0001). Specifically, all women and men who received MBRP in groups with one third or more women were abstinent from drugs at month 12, whereas those in RP groups with one third or more women had an average of about eight drug use days at month 12 (corresponding to a large between-treatment condition effect size). Conclusions Group-based MBRP may be more efficacious than group-based RP, particularly when women compose at least one third of the therapy group. Further research is warranted on gender and group gender composition as moderators of MBRP.

Exploring Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Compulsive Sexual Behavior Among Adults in Residential Substance Use Treatment Abstract Objectives Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is overrepresented among adults with substance use disorders (SUD), yet there is no empirically supported CSB treatment for this population. Cross-sectional and single case designs supported dispositional mindfulness as a potential CSB intervention target. However, the relations between CSB and each of the five dispositional mindfulness facets remain unknown. Methods Extending prior research to inform intervention efforts, we reviewed medical records for 1993 adults (77.6% male) in residential treatment for SUD to examine gender differences in the relations between dispositional mindfulness facets (acting with awareness, observation of experience, describing with words, nonjudging of inner experience, and nonreactivity to inner experience) and five CSB indicators (loss of control, relationship disturbance, preoccupation, affect disturbance, and internet problems). Results For men, path analyses revealed that acting with awareness, nonjudging of inner experience, describing with words, nonreactivity to inner experience, alcohol/drug use and problems, and depression and anxiety symptoms related to CSB (p range .00–.04). For women, acting with awareness, nonjudging of inner experience, alcohol/drug use and problems, and depression symptoms related to several CSB indicators (p range .00–.04). Conclusions Mindfulness-based CSB interventions should evaluate the benefit of increasing intentional responses towards present-moment experiences among adults with SUD. Targeting alcohol/drug misuse, negative affect, and judgment towards thoughts and emotions may be beneficial.

Scoping Review of Mindfulness Research: a Topic Modelling Approach Abstract Objectives As the volume of mindfulness research continues amassing exponentially, there have been attempts to review works in various aspects of mindfulness research systematically. The present study provides a scoping review via a topic modelling approach to supplement the overall research synthesis effort. Specifically, the objective is to scope the mindfulness research by identifying topics relevant to mindfulness research using the probabilistic topic modelling approach. Methods A literature search based on "mindfulness" returned 5947 bibliographical records from the Web of Science Core Collection platform (for records up to 20 October 2017). The combined field of titles and abstracts was subjected to probabilistic topic modelling based on latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA). Results The optimal number of topics suggested was 106. Further interpretation by the research team resulted in a total of 231 Suggested Terms. The terms were further categorised into Condition/Issue, Construct/Philosophy, Modality, Population/Setting and Research Methodology. Conclusions The topic modelling process obtained a panoptic view of mindfulness research, providing mindfulness researchers with some indicators regarding the range of topics researched. The outcome of this topic modelling effort has been made available at https://hdl.handle.net/10497/20862.

The Role of Dispositional Mindfulness and Self-compassion in Educator Stress Abstract Objectives Compromised educator well-being creates educational, social, and economic problems, which are not resolved by knowledge of risk factors alone. The present study explored the protective role of dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion within the context of educator stress. Methods A total of 231 educators from 21 Australian schools completed online surveys including measures of perceived stress, mindfulness, self-compassion, student-teacher relationships, experiences in close relationships, and eating and sleeping patterns, which were used for correlation, regression, and path analysis. Results The present study identified multiple predictors of perceived stress, with self-compassion as the strongest significant predictor. Findings of path analyses also demonstrated that lower levels of dispositional mindfulness and higher levels of anxiety in close relationships were associated with poor sleep quality, and this association was mediated by higher levels of perceived stress. The same potential pathways were suggested with self-compassion replacing dispositional mindfulness. Conclusions The role of dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion is discussed as protective resources that could be utilized in times of stress.

Meditation on the Breath: Mindfulness and Focused Attention Abstract This article explores to what degree meditation on the breath in early Buddhist thought involved focused attention. Closer inspection of instructions on this mode of meditation in the form of sixteen steps shows focused attention to be only a secondary aspect of the practice, which for the most part rather involves cultivating breadth of mind. This differs from later tradition. As the apparent result of a gradual reduction of the sixteen-step scheme to just the touch experience of the breath, a stronger focus naturally came to be required, eventually leading to the necessity of devising additional meditation techniques such as counting the breaths, a modality of practice only found in later texts. The findings from the present article suggest the need to consider "focus" on the breath and "mindfulness" of the process of breathing as related but distinct mental qualities.

Appreciative Joy Meditation Enhances Acceptance of Unfair Offer in Ultimatum Game Abstract Objectives Empirical studies have shown that the Four Immeasurables Meditations (FIM) can enhance compassionate decisions towards others, such as helping victims being treated unfairly in economic games. However, research investigating how FIM affects individuals' decisions when they themselves are victims is sparse. Thus, the current study utilized a randomized trial to scrutinize the causal influence of practicing FIM on people's reactions towards unfairness that is directed at them. Methods Meditation novices (N = 135) were randomly assigned to practice either a brief Appreciative Joy Meditation (AJM) or a matched neutral visualization. They then took part in the Ultimatum Game where they first acted as a proposer to propose an offer to another person, then acted as a responder to decide whether to accept a set of offers. Results The AJM group accepted significantly more unfair offers, but neither proposed a higher offer to others nor changed the perception of fairness, as compared with the neutral visualization control group. Furthermore, self-reported emotional changes during meditation practice could not predict behavior in the Ultimatum Game, but the Self-Transcendence dimension of the Appreciative Joy Scale, which reflects one's ability to feel happy for others when one is in an inferior situation, predicted higher acceptance rate of unfair offers. Conclusions This study provided a piece of causal evidence that a brief practice of AJM can make people more tolerable to unfairness directed against them. Broadly, this study also inspired more investigations on attitudes towards people in superior situations in future studies on FIM.

The Mutual Support Model of Mindfulness and Character Strengths Abstract Objectives Numerous studies have confirmed robust relationships between general well-being and mindfulness or character strengths, respectively, but few have examined associations between mindfulness and character strengths. Two studies were carried out to explore these relationships comprehensively in the framework of the Values in Action (VIA) classification of character strengths. Methods In study 1, participants (N = 1335) completed validated assessments of mindfulness and character strengths, and the relationship between the two was investigated in a broad online sample. In study 2, the effect of a mindfulness training on specific character strengths was investigated using a randomized-control design (N = 42). Results The results of study 1 confirmed positive relationships between mindfulness and character strengths and further identified a list of character strengths that might overlap with mindfulness—i.e., creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning, perspective, bravery, perseverance, zest, love, social intelligence, forgiveness, self-regulation, appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, and spirituality. The findings of study 2 provided further support for the hypothesis that mindfulness training could help cultivate certain character strengths. Compared with participants in the waitlist control condition, those who attended an 8-week mindfulness-based training program showed significant increases in the strengths of love, appreciation of beauty, gratitude, and spirituality, and a trend toward significant increases in the strengths of zest and bravery. Conclusions The results provide initial evidence for a mutual support model of mindfulness and character strengths.

Mindful Parenting Assessed in Mainland China: Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale Abstract Objectives The Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting Scale is a 31-item self-report measure to assess mindful parenting, and has been revised into a Dutch, Portuguese, and Hong Kong version. The aim of this research was to explore the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Interpersonal Mindfulness in Parenting scale (IM-P-C) in Mainland China. Methods The Chinese version was translated from the original English version in the preliminary study. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and measurement invariance analysis across gender, test-retest reliability were examined consecutively in study 1 (n = 183), 2 (n = 294), and 3 (n = 48). In study 4, its factor structure was examined in a clinical sample (n = 288). Results A four-factor structure was found in study 1 and the scale scores showed adequate internal consistency. The four-factor structure was confirmed with a new sample in study 2. Measurement invariance analysis across gender suggested that both fathers and mothers interpreted the IM-P-C in a similar manner. Significant correlations were found between the IM-P-C and measures of over-reactivity, parental warmth, anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, and dispositional mindfulness. In study 3, results exhibited temporal stability over a period of 2 weeks. In study 4, the IM-P-C was validated in parents of children with autism. Conclusions The present research demonstrated that mindful parenting in a Chinese population can be measured through the assessment of four dimensions (Interacting with Full Attention, Compassion and Acceptance, Self-regulation in Parenting, Emotional Awareness of Child) and confirmed that the Chinese version is an adequate measure for the studies of mindful parenting in Mainland China.

Alexandros Sfakianakis
Anapafseos 5 . Agios Nikolaos
Crete.Greece.72100
2841026182

6948891480

alsfakia@gmail.com