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Objective: In this study, we examined the relationship between university students' attitudes toward healthy nutrition with mindful eating, motivation to participate in physical activity, and academic success., Methods: A total of 497 healthy students aged between 21 and 38 were randomly selected from among senior students of the Faculty of Health Sciences and nonhealth-related faculties. In the study, a questionnaire form consisting of questions about the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were used, along with the Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition (ASHN), Mindful Eating Questionnaire, and Motivation Scale for Participation in Physical Activity., Results: The total scores of ASHN and MEQ were found to be significantly higher in those studying in health-related departments and those with high academic success. In addition, a significant inverse relationship was found between the total score of MEQ and BMI and waist circumference. A statistically significant and positive correlation was found between the total mean score of ASHN and the total mean score of MEQ and MSPPA., Conclusions: It has been concluded that the development of healthy eating and lifestyle habits in university students positively affects their academic success as well as their general health., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: A growing body of research has examined the psychometric properties of popular mindfulness inventories for different population. The present study is aimed at exploring the psychometric properties and factor structure of the Relaxation/Meditation/Mindfulness (RMM) Tracker t Inventory in Iran., Method: This was a cross-sectional and methodological study that conducted in Kerman, southeast Iran. Fifty, 300, and 163 Iranian adult participants were participated in the pilot, exploratory, and confirmatory phase, respectively. Face, content, and structural validities, Cronbach's alpha, and Omega coefficient were used to validate the Persian scale., Results: The results showed that the "Persian version of RMM t" had acceptable content and face validities. The Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) with Promax Rotation showed that the P-RMM t has 3 scales of "Mindful Love, Thankfulness, and Transcendence," "Relaxation," and "Mindful Deepening" which further confirmed with confirmatory factor analysis. The internal consistency of all three scales was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha coefficients > 80)., Conclusion: The Persian version of RMM Tracker t seems to be a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess the levels of mindfulness in the Iranian general population., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Alireza Malakoutikhah et al.)

The aim of this study was to explore the psychological outcomes of a mindfulness-based Internet-streamed yoga video in breast cancer survivors. A one-group, repeated-measures, purposive sample using a directed qualitative descriptive and convergent mixed-methods approach was used. Participants were recruited from breast oncology practices across 2 settings in the northeastern United States in April 2019. Education about the video was provided, and the link to the video was sent to participants. Demographic information, Knowing Participation in Change Short Form (KPCSF), Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), and the Generalized Anxiety Distress Scale (GAD-7) were obtained at baseline and at 2 and 4 weeks. A semistructured interview was conducted at 4 weeks. Thirty-five women (mean age = 56 years) participated. A one-group, repeated-measures analysis of variance indicated statistically significant changes occurred in all measures between week 0 and week 4: decreased GAD (t = -2.97, P = .004), improved WEMWBS (t = 2.52, P = .008), and increased KPC (t = 2.99, P = .004). Qualitative findings suggest the overall experience of the video was positive and the women would recommend its use to others. Improvements in all psychological measures were achieved with video use. Findings indicate an improvement in psychological measures and support the theory of Knowing Participation in Change. This work further contributes to accessible, flexible interventions available through the Internet and/or mobile applications aimed at improving breast cancer survivorship., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Pediatric teams of emergency departments work under extreme stress, which affects high-level cognitive functions, specifically attention and memory. Therefore, the methods of stress management are being sought. Mindfulness as a process of intentionally paying attention to each moment with acceptance of each experience without judgment can potentially contribute to improving the performance of medical teams. Medical simulation is a technique that creates a situation to allow persons to experience a representation of a real event for the purpose of education. It has been shown that emergency medicine simulation may create a high physiological fidelity environment similarly to what is observed in a real emergency room. The aim of our study was to determine whether the technical and non-technical skills of medical students in the course of pediatric high fidelity simulations are related to their mindfulness and stress. Participants and methods: A total of 166 standardized simulations were conducted among students of medicine in three simulation centers of medical universities, assessing: stress sensation (subjectively and heart rate/blood pressure), technical (checklists) and non-technical skills (Ottawa scale) and mindfulness (five facet mindfulness questionnaire): ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03761355. Results: The perception of stress among students was lower and more motivating if they were more mindful. Mindfulness of students correlated positively with avoiding fixation error. In the consecutive simulations the leaders' non-technical skills improved, although no change was noted in their technical skills. Conclusion: The results of our research indicate that mindfulness influence the non-technical skills and the perception of stress of medical students during pediatric emergency simulations. Further research is needed to show whether mindfulness training leads to improvement in this field., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2021 Łoś et al.)

Purpose: We investigated whether self-compassion and mindfulness are associated with quality of life in patients undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy., Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 183 patients (100% response rate) undergoing chemotherapy was conducted at a Brazilian hospital between August and December 2019. A questionnaire was administered by the research team, collecting clinical and demographic data as well as responses to the Self-compassion scale, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General instrument. Data analysis comprised descriptive and inferential statistics, with multiple regression and Spearman's rank-order correlation testing for associations between quality of life, self-compassion and mindfulness., Results: Mean scores for the study variables were 4.23 (SD = 0.63) for self-compassion, 69.05 (SD = 13.27) for mindfulness, and 80.25 (SD = 12.62) for quality of life. Significant positive correlations were observed between quality of life and self-compassion (r = 0.466, p < 0.001), as well as for quality of life and mindfulness (r = 0.325, p < 0.001). Higher levels of self-compassion and mindfulness were associated with better quality of life., Conclusions: This research suggests merit in further studies of self-compassion and mindfulness either as predictor variables or for direct causal effect on quality of life in cancer patients undergoing antineoplastic chemotherapy. We recommend that future studies incorporate an intervention and experimental design., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: There are many approaches to improving the well-being of medical students such as having a wellness curriculum including emphasizing the importance of keeping a balance in life between work and other activities, encouraging mindfulness and other stress reduction techniques, getting adequate sleep and exercise, and learning about the signs of burnout and depression. It is also important to have mentoring services and discussion groups available and to offer counseling for monetary management. Mental health services must be made available, and the students should be advised that seeking treatment will not adversely affect their ability to get a license or a good residency. The students should be counseled that being employed while in medical school is associated with a greater chance of burnout., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: none declared., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Nuclear Medicine.)

Background: Mindfulness is the practice of awareness and living in the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness-based interventions may improve dementia-related outcomes. Before initiating interventions, it would be beneficial to measure baseline mindfulness to understand targets for therapy and its influence on dementia outcomes., Objective: This cross-sectional study examined patient and caregiver mindfulness with patient and caregiver rating scales and patient cognitive performance and determined whether dyadic pairing of mindfulness influences patient outcomes., Methods: Individuals (N = 291) underwent comprehensive evaluations, with baseline mindfulness assessed using the 15-item Applied Mindfulness Process Scale (AMPS). Correlation, regression, and mediation models tested relationships between patient and caregiver mindfulness and outcomes., Results: Patients had a mean AMPS score of 38.0±11.9 and caregivers had a mean AMPS score of 38.9±11.5. Patient mindfulness correlated with activities of daily living, behavior and mood, health-related quality of life, subjective cognitive complaints, and performance on episodic memory and attention tasks. Caregiver mindfulness correlated with preparedness, care confidence, depression, and better patient cognitive performance. Patients in dyads with higher mindfulness had better cognitive performance, less subjective complaints, and higher health-related quality of life (all p-values<0.001). Mindfulness effects on cognition were mediated by physical activity, social engagement, frailty, and vascular risk factors., Conclusion: Higher baseline mindfulness was associated with better patient and caregiver outcomes, particularly when both patients and caregivers had high baseline mindfulness. Understanding the baseline influence of mindfulness on the completion of rating scales and neuropsychological test performance can help develop targeted interventions to improve well-being in patients and their caregivers.

Longitudinal studies are the gold standard for research on time-dependent phenomena in the social sciences. However, they often entail high costs due to multiple measurement occasions and a long overall study duration. It is therefore useful to optimize these design factors while maintaining a high informativeness of the design. Von Oertzen and Brandmaier (2013,Psychology and Aging, 28, 414) applied power equivalence to show that Latent Growth Curve Models (LGCMs) with different design factors can have the same power for likelihood-ratio tests on the latent structure. In this paper, we show that the notion of power equivalence can be extended to Bayesian hypothesis tests of the latent structure constants. Specifically, we show that the results of a Bayes factor design analysis (BFDA; Schönbrodt & Wagenmakers (2018,Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 25, 128) of two power equivalent LGCMs are equivalent. This will be useful for researchers who aim to plan for compelling evidence instead of frequentist power and provides a contribution towards more efficient procedures for BFDA., (© 2019 The Authors. British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf.)

The objective of the investigation was to test the impact of mindfulness on intellectual humility, faith development, religious communication apprehension, and religious communication. A new scale was developed to measure religious communication. Results revealed (a) mindfulness predicted faith development, intellectual arrogance, and openness; (b) mindfulness predicted less religious communication apprehension, (c) mindfulness did not predict religious communication. Findings help support the notion that greater mindfulness favorably impacts humble faith development. Mindfulness also seemed to buffer less anxiety but with no significant increase in religious communication.

Study Objective: To describe the association between preoperative dispositional mindfulness (the personality trait of being mindful) and postoperative pain in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy., Design: Prospective cohort study., Setting: University-affiliated teaching hospital., Patients: Gynecologic oncology patients (n = 126) planning minimally invasive hysterectomy., Interventions: Minimally invasive hysterectomy., Measurements and Main Results: Baseline mindfulness was assessed at the preoperative visit using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Postoperative pain and opioid usage were evaluated via chart review and surveys at postoperative visits at 1 to 2 weeks and 4 to 6 weeks. Higher baseline mindfulness was correlated with lower postoperative pain as measured by both the average and highest numeric pain scores during the inpatient stay (r = -.23, p = .020; r = -.21, p = .034). At the initial postoperative visit, pain score was also inversely correlated with preoperative mindfulness score (r = -.26, p = .008). This relationship was not observed at the final postoperative visit (r = -.08, p = .406). Pre-operative mindfulness and opioid usage were also inversely associated, though this relationship did not reach statistical significance (r = -.18, p = .066)., Conclusion: Mindfulness was previously shown to be a promising intervention for chronic pain treatment. Our study demonstrates that higher preoperative dispositional mindfulness is associated with more favorable postoperative pain outcomes, including lower pain scores but not lower opioid consumption. This relationship provides an opportunity to target the modifiable personality characteristic of mindfulness, to reduce postoperative pain in patients following gynecologic surgery., (Copyright © 2019 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: University students are expressing an increased need for mental health support. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are being integrated into university stress-reduction programmes globally. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) assessing MBI effects on university students' mental and physical health., Methods: We searched nine databases, including grey literature and trial registries. Two independent reviewers extracted data following a prospective public protocol., Results: Fifty-one RCTs were included. In comparison with passive controls, and when measured shortly after intervention completion, MBIs improve distress, anxiety, depression, well-being, rumination, and mindfulness with small to moderate effect sizes, with no benefit found for blood pressure, sleep, life satisfaction, resilience, worry, and thought suppression. Evidence for self-compassion is inconclusive. Effects last beyond three months for distress and mindfulness, with no data on other outcomes. Compared with active control groups, MBIs significantly improve distress and state anxiety, but not mindfulness, depression, well-being, affect, trait anxiety, or emotion regulation. Results were robust to adjustment for multiple testing, but RCTs' risk of bias is generally high. Moderator analyses did not find differential intervention effects according to intervention duration, delivery mode, or sub-populations., Conclusions: MBIs may be helpful to students but higher-quality research is needed., (© 2019 The International Association of Applied Psychology.)

Background: The study objective was to determine whether higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were associated with lower HbA 1c levels among young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and whether this association differed by age or exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)., Methods: An online cross-sectional survey, called T1 Flourish, was completed in 2017 by 423 of 743 (56.9%) young adults (19-31 years) with T1D receiving outpatient care at a diabetes specialty clinic in New York City. HbA 1c levels were abstracted from medical records. Respondents were categorized by age, high and low dispositional mindfulness (median split on Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised), and exposure to any of 10 ACEs., Results: Respondents had a mean (SD) HbA 1c of 64 (18) mmol/mol [8.0 (1.7)%]; 59.3% were female and 69.4% were non-Hispanic white. The covariate-adjusted association between dispositional mindfulness and HbA 1c differed by age group and ACEs. Among 27- to 31-year-olds, those with high mindfulness had HbA 1c levels that were 8 mmol/mol [0.7%] lower (95% confidence interval, 2-13 mmol/mol [0.2-1.2%]) than those with low mindfulness, and this association tended to be stronger in those with ≥1 ACEs. Weaker, non-significant associations in the same direction occurred in 23- to 26-year-olds. Among 19- to 22-year-olds, those with high mindfulness and no ACEs tended to have higher HbA 1c levels., Conclusions: In young adults with T1D, higher mindfulness was significantly associated with lower HbA 1c only among 27- to 31-year-olds. In early adulthood, the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on glycemic control may vary by age and childhood trauma history., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The current study aimed to explore the relationships between nurses' mindfulness and job satisfaction and the mediating roles of positive affect and resilience. A total of 1,043 Chinese hospital nurses completed self-report questionnaires from March to April 2019. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to identify the relationships among the four variables, and the bias-corrected bootstrap method was used to test the mediation hypotheses. The results revealed that nurses' mindfulness was at a medium-high level, whereas positive affect, resilience, and job satisfaction were at medium levels. The total scores and dimension scores of the four variables showed strong positive correlations, and nurses' mindfulness affected job satisfaction directly and indirectly through the intermediary roles of positive affect and resilience. Nursing managers should recognize the importance of mindfulness and incorporate mindfulness training into health promotion and employee management plans for hospital nurses. In addition, strategies should be implemented to cultivate positive affect and resilience. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(6), 46-55.]., (Copyright 2020, SLACK Incorporated.)

Introduction: This study examines the relationship between two variables-mindfulness and income-with regards to their relationship to the use of smartphones by young drivers, which has been known to increase the likelihood of car accidents, endangering young drivers and other road users. The study focuses on the relationship between these variables and the use of smartphones while driving, and how this relationship differs between males and females., Method: The study sample included 221 young drivers who were legally permitted to drive without supervision. The subjects were first asked to complete questionnaires on mindfulness and income. Next, their smartphone use while driving was monitored over a one-month period. This study is unique as it used an objective smartphone monitoring application (rather than self-reporting) to count the number of times the young participants actually touched their smartphones while driving., Results: The findings show that the effects of social and personal factors (i.e., income and mindfulness) on the use of smartphones while driving are significant for males but not for females., Conclusions: Most studies that investigate differences between males and females with respect to safety focus on differences in the averages of safety-related variables (such as safety performance and outcomes). In the current study, however, we identified differences in relationships between variables and demonstrated that what predicts safety-related behavior in males may not be a good predictor for females., Practical Applications: Mindfulness and income can be used to identify male populations that are at risk of using smartphones while driving. Interventions that improve mindfulness can be used to reduce the use of smartphones by male drivers., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To assess the feasibility of a pilot mindfulness intervention program, the Emergency Resiliency Initiative (ERI), as well as to investigate changes in burnout scores and key drivers to burnout among registered nurses (RNs) and patient care technicians (PCTs) in a Level 1 trauma center emergency department (ED). Design: A mixed methods pre/post study with data collection points before and after the 3-month intervention. Method: Three mindfulness educational/experiential sessions were delivered once a month at staff meetings with topic themes of Introduction to Mindfulness, Practical Applications of Mindfulness, and Cultivating Compassion. Participants were asked to complete a minimum of two weekly 5-minute meditations. Burnout scores were assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory at preintervention (baseline) and postintervention. Findings: From the pre- ( n = 35) to post- ( n = 26) intervention period there was a significant increase in personal accomplishment scores ( p = .01) and decrease in emotional exhaustion scores ( p = .03) for RNs and PCTs combined. Qualitative interviews revealed five burnout-related themes: (a) prioritization distress, (b) change fatigue, (c) self-protection through superficiality, (d) intentional response, and (e) community amid chaos. Conclusion: The ERI was a feasible and acceptable program associated with improvements in burnout scores. Qualitative interviews revealed the positive impacts of mindfulness on ED clinician resiliency and identified future opportunities to address burnout from a holistic perspective.

Background and objectives: Many studies show that mindfulness can improve quality of life and mental health as well as reduce psychological distress; however, the mechanisms of these effects remain unknown. The mindfulness stress buffering model provides a model for explaining the effects of mindfulness on health outcomes through the mechanism of reducing perceived stress. Therefore, we investigated the mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between mindfulness and quality of life and mental health. Methods/Design: Three hundred and fifteen soldiers completed the Mindful Attention Awareness scale, Perceived Stress Scale, WHO Quality of Life Assessment, and General Health Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling using bootstrap methods was employed to analyze the data. Results: Results showed that perceived stress partially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and quality of life, and that perceived stress fully mediated the relationship between mindfulness and mental health. Conclusions: Mindfulness yields beneficial effects in improving individuals' quality of life and improving mental health through reducing perceived stress.

Aim: To examine the experiences of nurses and nursing assistants who participated in a mindfulness project., Background: Increased demands and fewer resources have become the norm in most health care settings. As a result, health care professionals face exceptional stress in their work environments and are vulnerable to burnout and compassion fatigue. Even more distressing, many new nurses are leaving their jobs within the first two years., Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with nine participants to discover their experience with the project., Results: The major theme, a process of moving from practice to praxis, is brought forth through in-depth descriptive analysis of nine individual interviews. The process occurred through three themes: fostering self-awareness and compassion; fostering other-awareness and compassion; and compelling transformation in the unit culture., Conclusions: This study develops an evidence base for incorporating and building mindfulness into health care environments at a time when there is a tremendous need for highly functioning practitioners., Implications for Nursing Management: Nurse leaders are encouraged to examine how they can support their staff in moving from practice to praxis as a part of improving professional well-being, retention, quality and safety in health care., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches have gained popularity in recent years., Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of acceptance- and mindfulness-based therapies for persons with a psychotic or schizophrenia spectrum disorder., Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, relevant databases were searched for published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) up to October 2018. Outcomes were severity of overall symptomatology, hospitalization, positive and negative symptoms, depression, anxiety, social functioning, quality of life, acceptance, mindfulness skills and safety of the interventions., Results: Sixteen studies comprising 1268 people with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder were included in the meta-analyses. Moderate to large effect sizes were found for overall symptomatology and hospitalization at endpoint (SMD .80, 95% CI -1.31, -0.29 and MD 4.38, -5.58, -3.17 respectively) and follow-up (SMD 1.10, -2.09, -0.10 and MD 7.18, -8.67, - 5.68 respectively). There were significant small effects on negative symptoms (SMD .24; -0.44, -0.03), small to moderate effects for depression (SMD .47; -0.80, -0.14), social functioning (SMD .43; -0.75, - 0.12) and mindfulness (SMD .51; -0.97, -0.05), moderate to large effects for acceptance (SMD .78; -1.44, -0.12), while no significant effects for positive symptoms (SMD .27; -0.65, 0.00), anxiety (SMD 2.11; -4.64, 0.42) or quality of life (SMD .43; -0.88, 0.02). Majority of studies (75%) had low risk of bias and sensitivity analyses supported the findings., Conclusion: Acceptance- and mindfulness-based approaches appear to be effective and safe interventions for individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and could be a useful extension of standard casemanagement and psychofarmacology., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Prior research has investigated various strategies to improve health, wellbeing and the job-related outcomes of nurses. However, the scope of this evidence is not clear and the types of intervention most likely to have positive outcomes are unknown., Objective: To provide an overview and synthesis of the effectiveness of interventions conducted with the goal of improving health, wellbeing and the job-related outcomes of nurses., Methods: A systematic database search was conducted from January 2000 to December 2018, with pre-defined criteria (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; MEDLINE and PubMed; EMBASE; CINAHL; PsycINFO; and BioMed Central). In total, 136 intervention studies with a total sample of 16,129 participants (range 9-3381) were included and evaluated. Data extraction, quality assessment and risk of bias analyses were performed., Results: Studies included randomised controlled trials (RCTs; n = 52, 38%), randomised crossover design studies (n = 2, 1.5%) and non-randomised pre-post studies with a control group (n = 31, 23%) and without a control group (n = 51, 37.5%). The majority of interventions focused on education, physical activity, mindfulness, or relaxation. Thirty-seven (27%) studies had a multimodal intervention approach. On average, studies had relatively small samples (median = 61; mode = 30) and were conducted predominantly in North America (USA/Canada, n = 53). The findings were mixed overall, with some studies reporting benefits and others finding no effects. Dietary habits was the most successfully improved outcome (8/9), followed by indices of body composition (20/24), physical activity (PA) (11/14), and stress (49/66), with >70% of relevant studies in each of these categories reporting improvements. The lowest success rate was for work-related outcomes (16/32). Separate analysis of RCTs indicated that interventions that focus solely on education might be less likely to result in positive outcomes than interventions targeting behavioural change., Conclusions: Interventions targeting diet, body composition, PA, or stress are most likely to have positive outcomes for nurses' health and/or wellbeing. The methodologically strongest evidence (RCTs) is available for body composition and stress. Interventions relying solely on educational approaches are least likely to be effective. Organisational outcomes appear to be more challenging to change with lifestyle intervention, likely requiring more complex solutions including changes to the work environment. There is a need for more high-quality evidence since many studies had moderate or high risk of bias and low reporting quality., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Despite the multiple benefits associated with practicing physical activity regularly, less than 20% of the population do it on a daily basis. Physical education classes could contribute, during childhood and adolescence, to consolidating adherence to healthy lifestyle habits. The present study involved 606 secondary school students between the ages of 13 and 19. We analysed the relationships between the perception of psychological control and support for autonomy, the satisfaction and frustration of psychological needs, mind-wandering and mindfulness, positive and negative emotions, motivation towards physical education classes, physical activity and the intention to be physically active-all through a structural equation model, which presented acceptable goodness-of-fit indices. The results showed that students who feel more autonomous see that their psychological needs are met and feel emotionally positive; this will result in the development of autonomous motivation towards physical education classes and physical activity that, in turn, could lead to a greater intention to be physically active.

Purpose: This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention with caregivers of veterans and to examine the effectiveness of the intervention to improve mindfulness using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire compared with waitlist controls. Design: In this randomized controlled trial, 23 caregivers of veterans were assigned to either the intervention or waitlist group. Method: Compliance with mindfulness instruction and attendance was assessed among those in the intervention. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared within group pre- and post-intervention scores and Mann-Whitney U tests compared difference scores (post-pre) by group type. Effect sizes were also calculated. Compliance variables were correlated with difference scores in the intervention group only . Findings: Of the 23 participants, 11 were assigned to the intervention; 100% of participants were retained. There was significant improvement from pre- to post-intervention in four of the five facets of mindfulness ( p < .05) in the intervention group. Significant between-group differences ( p < .05) were also observed in two of the five facets. Effect sizes ranged from small (.44) to large (.89). No significant improvement was observed in the waitlist control group. Conclusions: A mindfulness-based intervention is feasible and acceptable to improve mindfulness in caregivers of veterans.

Post-9/11 era military veterans are at high risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, but less than half of veterans who screen positive for these disorders seek mental health treatment. Self-stigma of mental illness has emerged as a core barrier to mental health service use (MHSU) in this population. Mindfulness is associated with attention control, nonjudgment, and reduced self-stigma in civilians, but associations between PTSD and depression, mindfulness, self-stigma, and MHSU have never been investigated in military veterans. The present study used a logistic regression modeling strategy to investigate main and interaction effects for PTSD, depression, mindfulness, and self-stigma on MHSU. Study findings demonstrated a positive main effect for PTSD and negative main effects for mindfulness and self-stigma on MHSU, and a positive interaction effect for mindfulness and PTSD on MHSU. Findings suggest that more mindful individuals with PTSD symptoms are more likely to seek mental health services, whereas less mindful individuals with PTSD symptoms are less likely to seek treatment. More research into the potential for mindfulness to enhance MHSU outcomes for military veterans appears warranted., (© 2019 National Association of Social Workers.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate utilization and outcomes of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) provided to veterans with psychiatric disorders. Design: Retrospective chart review. Settings: Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). Subjects: Ninety-eight veterans with psychiatric illness who were enrolled in an MBCT class between May of 2012 and January of 2016. Subjects were predominately white (95%), male (81%), and >50 years old (74%). The most common psychiatric conditions were any mood disorder (82%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (54%). Intervention: Eight-week MBCT class. Outcome measures: Session attendance and pre- to postintervention changes in numbers of emergency department (ED) visits and psychiatric hospitalizations. Results: The average number of sessions attended was 4.87 of 8 and only 16% were present for all sessions. Veteran demographic variables did not predict the number of MBCT sessions attended. However, both greater numbers of pre-MBCT ED visits ( p  = 0.004) and psychiatric admissions ( p  = 0.031) were associated with attending fewer sessions. Among patients who experienced at least one pre- or post-treatment psychiatric admission in the 2 years pre- or postintervention ( N  = 26, 27%), there was a significant reduction in psychiatric admissions from pre to post ( p  = 0.002). There was no significant change in ED visits ( p  = 0.535). Conclusions: MBCT may be challenging to implement for veterans with psychiatric illness in, at least some, outpatient VAMC settings due to a high attrition rate. Possible mediation approaches include development of methods to screen for high dropout risk and/or development of shorter mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and/or coupling MBIs with pleasurable activities. The finding of a significant decrease in psychiatric hospitalizations from pre- to post-MBCT suggests that prospective studies are warranted utilizing MBCT for veterans at high risk for psychiatric hospitalization.

Introduction: Stress negatively impacts upon physical and mental health. Pharmacy students demonstrate higher stress than the general population. Mindfulness may improve pharmacy students' stress and distress levels. The purpose of this study was to assess the quantitative effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on pharmacy student stress, distress, burnout, and mindfulness levels., Methods: A quasi-randomised controlled trial was conducted at an Irish pharmacy school during the 2016 to 2017 academic year. The intervention group completed a four-week mindfulness course. The waitlist control group received only usual education. Participants completed a demographics form, the Perceived Stress Scale, the General Health Questionnaire, the Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey, and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire at baseline and immediately post-intervention., Results: Full data were gathered and analysed for 99 students (51 intervention, 48 control, 66.7% female). There were no significant differences between the intervention and control groups at baseline. Post-intervention, a large effect on mental distress was found (Partial Eta Squared 0.137) with the intervention group reporting statistically significantly lower distress than the control group (F (1,98) = 15.3, p < 0.005). Stress and distress were significantly improved for females (p = 0.026, p < 0.005), while males improved in the observing facet of mindfulness (p = 0.038). There was a positive association between attendance and these findings (r2 = 0.191, p < 0.005)., Conclusion: Female pharmacy students experienced improvements in mental distress and stress after participation in the intervention. Mindfulness may have a future role to play in pharmacy and healthcare education., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Burnout symptoms are common among health professionals. Gaps remain in understanding both the stability of burnout and compassion over time and relationships among burnout, self-compassion, stress, and mindfulness in pediatric residents., Method: The authors conducted a prospective cohort study of residents at 31 U.S. residency programs affiliated with the Pediatric Resident Burnout-Resilience Study Consortium. Residents completed online cross-sectional surveys in spring 2016 and 2017. The authors assessed demographic characteristics and standardized measures of mindfulness, self-compassion, stress, burnout, and confidence in providing compassionate care., Results: Of 1,108 eligible residents, 872 (79%) completed both surveys. Of these, 72% were women. The prevalence of burnout was 58% and the level of mindfulness was 2.8 in both years; levels of stress (16.4 and 16.2) and self-compassion (37.2 and 37.6) were also nearly identical in both years. After controlling for baseline burnout levels in linear mixed-model regression analyses, mindfulness in 2016 was protective for levels of stress and confidence in providing compassionate care in 2017. Self-compassion in 2016 was protective for burnout, stress, and confidence in providing compassionate care in 2017; a one-standard-deviation increase in self-compassion score was associated with a decrease in the probability of burnout from 58% to 48%., Conclusions: Burnout and stress were prevalent and stable over at least 12 months among pediatric residents. Mindfulness and self-compassion were longitudinally associated with lower stress and greater confidence in providing compassionate care. Future studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of training that promotes mindfulness and self-compassion in pediatric residents.

Background: Being a major health risk and very prevalent in the population, sleep problems are an important health care issue., Methods: We used the 2017 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to study the prevalence of sleep problems and the use of mind body medicine (MBM) among individuals with sleep problems in a representative sample of the US population (N = 26,742). Using chi-squared tests and backward stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses, predictors of sleep problems and of MBM use in the past 12 months were identified., Results: The prevalence of sleep problems was 49.3%, with higher prevalence being associated with higher age, being female, being non-Hispanic White, and higher education. Among individuals with sleep problems, 29.8% used MBM vs. only 17.5% without. Being less than 30 years of age, female, non-Hispanic White, living in the Western US, having a higher education, and being diagnosed with heart disease predicted MBM use among individual's with sleep problems. Yoga (16.3%), spiritual meditation (13.6%), and mindfulness meditation (7.5%) were the most used MBM approaches., Conclusion: The characteristics of individuals with sleep problems were largely in line with the literature, while notably Whites were more prone to sleep problems than other ethnicities. MBM treatments commonly used were yoga, spiritual meditation and mindfulness meditation; although evidence supports its use for sleep problems, tai chi was used rarely by the wider population. Further studies should explore reasons for ethnical differences in MBM use and why some effective MBM approaches are not commonly used., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are associated with increased suicide risk among firefighters. Few studies have examined modifiable factors, such as mindfulness facets, that might attenuate this association. This study examined the interactive effects of PTSD symptoms and mindfulness facets in relation to suicide risk among firefighters., Method: Overall, 831 career firefighters were assessed for PTSD symptoms, mindfulness facets, and suicide risk via the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, respectively., Results: Greater PTSD symptoms were associated with more severe suicide risk; however, higher levels of two specific mindfulness facets, acting with awareness and nonjudging of inner experience, attenuated this association. By contrast, higher levels of the observing facet of mindfulness potentiated the association between PTSD symptoms and suicide risk., Conclusions: Suicide prevention initiatives among firefighters, particularly those experiencing trauma-related sequelae, might benefit from the inclusion of mindfulness-based practices alongside frontline empirically-supported approaches., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction: Increasing physical activity among cancer patients is one of the priority recommendations in tertiary prevention; the level of physical activity is one of the determining factors in reducing the risk of relapse and mortality. However, many barriers to initiation and maintenance of regular physical activity have been identified. A program combining bi-weekly adapted physical activity sessions, mindfulness-based meditation and socio-aesthetic care was put together in 2015, in a Cancer Center, in order to facilitate adherence and sustainable attendance., Methods: Data on patient participation of program components, patient satisfaction, and psycho-corporal changes, collected in ecological conditions between 2015 and 2017 from 144 participants, were retrospectively analyzed to provide a first assessment., Results: Nearly 60% of the patients were in treatment, 17% were metastatic. The average participation time was 9 months, with an average of one physical activity session per week. Changes were observed, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in terms of emotional state, sleep and body image. The overall satisfaction rate was 96%., Discussion: The conclusions of the study support the continuation of the program. The methodological limitations of this pilot format may be overtaken in future research, which will allow further in-depth investigations into the effects of combined approaches on sustainable physical activity., (Copyright © 2019 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the current study was to examine the unique role of mindfulness skills in terms of: (1) asthma-related outcomes (i.e., asthma control, asthma quality of life); (2) depression symptoms; and (3) anxiety symptomatology (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, panic symptoms, global anxiety) among non-smoking adults with current asthma. Participants were 61 (61.9% female; M age  = 34.72 years, SD = 13.58, range = 18-65) non-smoking adults with current asthma who completed a battery of self-report measures. Results indicated that, after controlling for the effects of race and age, greater ability to describe present moment experiences was significantly associated with better asthma-related quality of life and lower levels of anxiety symptoms. Though mindfulness skills together were associated with lower levels of panic symptoms, there were no significant individual associations between specific skills and panic symptoms. Greater nonjudgment of present moment experiences was associated with lower levels of anxiety and anxiety sensitivity. Greater nonreactivity was significantly associated with lower levels of depression symptoms and anxiety sensitivity. Lastly, a greater ability to observe present moment experiences was associated with lower levels of anxiety sensitivity. Mindfulness was not significantly associated with asthma control. These findings suggest that it may be useful to target the mindfulness skills of describing, nonjudgment, and nonreactivity among individuals with asthma, particularly those with elevated levels of anxiety and depression, in order to improve psychological and asthma-related outcomes.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess, for the first time, the associations among work stress as measured by the job-demands resources (JD-R) model, trait mindfulness, and indices of the physiological stress response., Method: Dairy farmers (N = 79) completed job stress (using the JD-R model), trait mindfulness, burnout, and self-reported health questionnaires and provided physiological indices of the stress response., Results: Our findings suggest that those reporting higher mindfulness have better physical and mental health, and that being more mindful may buffer the effects of a large cortisol awakening response on poor physical health., Conclusion: Although assessments of both psychological and physiological indicators of stress and ill-health will inform the underlying mechanisms of the associations between work stress and disease, assessing the role of trait mindfulness in this relationship may prove useful.

The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) measures 5 factor-analytically derived mindfulness aspects (Observe, Describe, Non-Judgment, Non-Reactivity, and Acting with Awareness) and is commonly used as an indicator of mindfulness in population surveys and studies of mindfulness-based interventions (MBI). Outside MBI, FFMQ scores are hypothesized to reflect relatively stable human dispositions of importance to psychological health. However, the long-term test-retest reliability of FFMQ scores is virtually untested and it remains unknown whether FFMQ scores predict psychological health after controlling for standardized socioeconomic status classifications. First, we focused on psychometric validation of the FFMQ translated to Danish in a randomly invited healthy and nonmeditating adult community sample (N = 490). Confirmatory factor analyses primarily supported a four-factor construct excluding the Observe facet. The four-factor model showed adequate composite reliability, convergent validity and satisfactory-excellent internal consistency, Cronbach αs = .72-.91. Structural equation modeling revealed that FFMQ Total scores were positively related to income and socioeconomic status but independently predicted psychological distress and mental health scores, respectively, after controlling for age, gender, body mass index, socioeconomic job classification, stressful life events, and social desirability, β = -.24-.29, ps < .001. Second, FFMQ scores showed adequate short-term (two weeks) test-retest reliability among 99 healthy university students, Spearman's ρs ≥ .82. Finally, all FFMQ mean scores showed satisfactory test-retest reliability across a long-term (six months) interval (N = 407), intraclass correlation coefficients ≥.74. We recommend the Danish FFMQ for further use. The Observe facet should be interpreted with caution. Remaining FFMQ facet scores comprise an internally consistent four-dimensional construct reflecting long-term-reliable human dispositions of independent significance for predicting mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Introduction: Pain is a longstanding and growing concern among US military veterans. Although many individuals rely on medications, a growing body of literature supports the use of complementary non-pharmacologic approaches when treating pain. Our objective is to characterize veteran experiences with and barriers to accessing alternatives to medication (e.g., non-pharmacologic treatments or non-pharmacologic approaches) for pain in primary care., Materials and Methods: Data for this qualitative analysis were collected as part of the Effective Screening for Pain (ESP) study (2012-2017), a national randomized controlled trial of pain screening and assessment methods. This study was approved by the Veterans Affairs (VA) Central IRB and veteran participants signed written informed consent. We recruited a convenience sample of US military veterans in four primary care clinics and conducted semi-structured interviews (25-65 min) elucidating veteran experiences with assessment and management of pain in VA Healthcare Systems. We completed interviews with 36 veterans, including 7 females and 29 males, from three VA health care systems. They ranged in age from 28 to 94 yr and had pain intensity ratings ranging from 0 to 9 on the "pain now" numeric rating scale at the time of the interviews. We analyzed interview transcripts using constant comparison and produced mutually agreed upon themes., Results: Veteran experiences with and barriers to accessing complementary non-pharmacologic approaches for pain clustered into five main themes: communication with provider about complementary approaches ("one of the best things the VA has ever given me was pain education and it was through my occupational therapist"), care coordination ("I have friends that go to small clinic in [area A] and I still see them down in [facility in area B] and they're going through headaches upon headaches in trying to get their information to their primary care docs"), veteran expectations about pain experience ("I think as a society we have shifted the focus to if this doctor doesn't relieve me of my pain I will find someone who does"), veteran knowledge and beliefs about various complementary non-pharmacologic approaches ("how many people know that tai chi will help with pain?… Probably none. I saw them doing tai chi down here at the VA clinic and the only reason I knew about it was because I saw it being done"), and access ("the only physical therapy I ever did… it helped…but it was a two-and-a-half-hour drive to get there three times a week… I can't do this"). Specific access barriers included local availability, time, distance, scheduling flexibility, enrollment, and reimbursement., Conclusion: The veterans in this qualitative study expressed interest in using non-pharmacologic approaches to manage pain, but voiced complex multi-level barriers. Limitations of our study include that interviews were conducted only in five clinics and with seven female veterans. These limitations are minimized in that the clinics covered are diverse ranging to include urban, suburban, and rural residents. Future implementation efforts can learn from the veterans' voice to appropriately target veteran concerns and achieve more patient-centered pain care.

Informal caregivers of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant patients experience significant levels of stress throughout the caregiving process. One strategy that has been shown to aid in stress management in other populations is mindfulness. The goal of this study was to understand caregivers' experiences with mindfulness and evaluate their receptiveness to a mindfulness-based stress management program. Data were collected via in-depth phone interviews from 18 caregivers (55% female). Results indicated that about half the sample was familiar with mindfulness and/or had practiced meditation. The majority indicated that they believed a mindfulness program would have been useful for them and that they would have been willing to participate. Most indicated that a program delivered once-weekly for 60 min, during both inpatient and outpatient phases, would be preferable through a combination of in-person and mobile-based delivery. These data provide critical information for the development of future mindfulness-based interventions for this caregiving population., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mindfulness as a clinical strategy for helping manage physical and psychological symptoms is gathering an impressive evidence base. It is also being embraced widely for personal and professional development. As a therapeutic intervention for nurses working across a spectrum of settings, it helps expand practice, and integrating mindfulness in nursing undergraduate and graduate curricula is imminent. In the present study, we outline the development and measurement of mindfulness as a personality trait and therapeutic intervention, and advocate the use of a questionnaire alternative to expensive and impractical laboratory measures. The aims of the present study were to examine and compare the use and reliability of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in samples of nursing students from South Africa, China, and the Philippines, and compare the findings in the nursing student samples to other student and non-student samples. Three samples of students of nursing from China (n = 193), the Philippines (n = 243), and South Africa (n = 131) completed the 31-item FFMQ. The internal consistency was acceptable, and the correlations were significant among all facets and the total score. Although the total mean scores between the three samples were not significantly different, there were significant and interesting differences in the facet scores, and these are discussed in the light of likely cultural influences, and comparative data from other samples of students and clinical populations. The instrument shows promise for future use in educational research as a tool for curriculum change, for personal and professional development of nurses, and as a clinical tool for determining mindfulness changes over time., (© 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.)

Although mindfulness meditation is known to provide a wealth of psychological benefits, the neural mechanisms involved in these effects remain to be well characterized. A central question is whether the observed benefits of mindfulness training derive from specific changes in the structural brain connectome that do not result from alternative forms of experimental intervention. Measures of whole-brain and node-level structural connectome changes induced by mindfulness training were compared with those induced by cognitive and physical fitness training within a large, multi-group intervention protocol (n = 86). Whole-brain analyses examined global graph-theoretical changes in structural network topology. A hypothesis-driven approach was taken to investigate connectivity changes within the insula, which was predicted here to mediate interoceptive awareness skills that have been shown to improve through mindfulness training. No global changes were observed in whole-brain network topology. However, node-level results confirmed a priori hypotheses, demonstrating significant increases in mean connection strength in right insula across all of its connections. Present findings suggest that mindfulness strengthens interoception, operationalized here as the mean insula connection strength within the overall connectome. This finding further elucidates the neural mechanisms of mindfulness meditation and motivates new perspectives about the unique benefits of mindfulness training compared to contemporary cognitive and physical fitness interventions.

Objective: Among efforts to improve the well-being of healthcare professionals are initiatives based around mindfulness meditation. To understand the value of such initiatives, we conducted a systematic review of empirical studies pertaining to mindfulness in healthcare professionals., Method: Databases were reviewed from the start of records to January 2016. Eligibility criteria included empirical analyses of mindfulness and well-being outcomes acquired in relation to practice. 81 papers met the eligibility criteria, comprising a total of 3,805 participants. Studies were principally examined for outcomes such as burnout, distress, anxiety, depression, and stress., Results: Mindfulness was generally associated with positive outcomes in relation to most measures (although results were more equivocal with respect to some outcomes, most notably burnout)., Conclusion: Overall, mindfulness does appear to improve the well-being of healthcare professionals. However, the quality of the studies was inconsistent, so further research is needed, particularly high-quality randomized controlled trials., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction: Given the known link between asthma and stress as well as the link between mindfulness and stress, we explore the possible association between trait mindfulness and asthma-related diagnosis and symptoms with a cross-sectional study., Method: In 2014, we surveyed a sample of college students in their freshman year, from a public university in Shanghai, China. We used three multilevel logistic regressions to estimate the association between trait mindfulness (measured by Mindful Awareness Attention Scale, MAAS) and self-report of ever having an asthma diagnosis, ever having had persistent dry cough, and ever having had wheezing symptoms. Age, gender, household registration status, and the frequency of smog in the respondent's hometown were used as control variables in the study. The home province of the student was used as the cluster variable in the multilevel models., Results: Among the 1392 students in the analysis sample (mean age = 18.3), 47 (3.4%) self-reported an asthma diagnosis, 251 (18.1%) reported having had persistent dry cough, and 100 (7.2%) reported having had wheezing symptoms. A one-unit increase in MAAS is negatively associated with having a self-reported asthma diagnosis (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.662, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.452, 0.969, p = 0.034), having had persistent dry cough (OR: 0.658, 95% CI: 0.545, 0.795, p < 0.001), and wheezing (OR = 0.747, 95% CI: 0.569, 0.981, p = 0.036)., Discussion: This is the first study to suggest a link between trait mindfulness and asthma. Our finding provides evidence that people with higher level of mindfulness are less likely to have had an asthma diagnosis and less likely to have the symptoms of persistent dry cough and wheezing.

The quality of teachers' relationships with children is a key predictor of children's later social emotional competence and academic achievement. Interventions to increase mindfulness among teachers have focused primarily on the impacts on teachers' subjective well-being, but not on the quality of their relationships with children. Furthermore, none of these interventions have involved preschool teachers. To consider the potential of mindfulness-based interventions to improve the quality of teachers' relationships with preschool-aged children, we examined data from an online survey of 1001 classroom teachers in 37 Pennsylvania Head Start Programs. Using path analysis we investigated the association between teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children (conflict and closeness). We further examined whether this association was mediated by teacher depressive symptoms and moderated by perceived workplace stress. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness among teachers were associated with higher quality relationships with children (less conflict and greater closeness). The association between greater dispositional mindfulness and less conflict was partially mediated by lower depressive symptoms, and the conditional direct effect of mindfulness on conflict was stronger when perceived workplace stress was lower. These findings suggest that preschool teachers who have higher levels of dispositional mindfulness may experience higher quality relationships with children in their classrooms. Interventions to increase levels of dispositional mindfulness among early childhood educators may improve their well-being along with the quality of their relationships with children, potentially impacting children's educational outcomes. The potential impacts of such interventions may be even stronger if structural and systemic changes are also made to reduce workplace stress., (Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In a randomized controlled trial, we investigated the effects of karate versus a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on well-being and cognitive functioning in older adults. Fifty-five adults (52-81 years old) participated in twice-weekly karate versus MBSR sessions or no training for 8 weeks. In pre- and postassessments, subjective well-being, health, cognitive functioning, and chronic stress were measured. Preassessment hair cortisol served as physiological stress marker. The results showed an improvement for the karate group, but not the MBSR and control group, in subjective mental health and anxiety as well as cognitive processing speed. The MBSR group showed by trend as a decrease in stress. No significant correlation between preassessment hair cortisol and postassessment outcomes could be established. But the higher the level of baseline self-reported perceived stress, the higher the increase in depression, anxiety, and chronic stress. Generally, it can be assumed that karate and MBSR showed only small training effects concerning the assessed emotional and cognitive parameters.

We investigated possible pathways into mental illness via the combined effects of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI), mindfulness, and irrational beliefs. The sample comprised 121 psychiatric outpatients (64.5% males, mean age = 38.8 years) with a variety of formal clinical diagnoses. Psychopathology was operationalized by means of 3 distinct indicators from the Millon Clinical Multi-Axial Inventory (mild pathology, severe pathology, and clinical symptomatology). A structural equation model confirmed significant direct trait EI and mindfulness effects on irrational beliefs and psychopathology. Trait EI also had a significant indirect effect on psychopathology via mindfulness. Together, the 3 constructs accounted for 44% of the variance in psychopathology. A series of hierarchical regressions demonstrated that trait EI is a stronger predictor of psychopathology than mindfulness and irrational beliefs combined. We conclude that the identified pathways can provide the basis for the development of safe and effective responses to the ongoing mental health and overmedication crises., Key Practitioners Messages: Self-perception constructs concerning one's beliefs about oneself have a major impact on the likelihood of developing psychopathological symptoms. Emotional perceptions captured by trait emotional intelligence were stronger predictors of psychopathology than either or both mindfulness and irrational beliefs in a clinical sample of adults. If the seed factors of psychopathology are mainly psychological, rather than mainly biological, and given that psychological constructs, like trait emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and irrational beliefs, are amenable to training and optimization, the findings herein provide the impetus for a much needed shift of emphasis from pharmacological to psychological treatments., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Veterinary medical students, like other university students, are likely to experience elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression over the course of their studies. Mindfulness-based interventions have previously been effective for university students in reducing stress, depression, and anxiety. In this study, a mindfulness-based intervention was embedded in a core (compulsory) unit of a veterinary science course, in part with the aim of improving student well-being. Preliminary results suggest that, despite the mindfulness intervention, overall symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety among participants (n=64) increased between the start and end of the semester. However, further analysis showed that most of this longitudinal increase was attributable to individuals who scored above the normal range (i.e., at least mild level of symptoms) in one or more measures at the beginning of the semester. Within this subset, individuals who regularly engaged in mindfulness practice once a week or more throughout the semester reported significantly lower depression and anxiety symptoms than those who practiced less than once a week (i.e., who had long periods without practice). Results suggest that engaging regularly in mindfulness practice potentially acted as a protective factor for students already experiencing at least a mild range of symptoms of anxiety and depression at the beginning of the semester. While not all veterinary students may derive significant benefit immediately, providing access to an embedded mindfulness program early in their program may facilitate the development of adaptive coping mechanisms, which may be engaged to increase resilience across their academic and professional life.

There is some evidence of the relationship between spirituality and quality of life, but there are few bibliographic references on these constructs for patients suffering from mental illness; thus, this study was aimed at revealing the possible role of spiritual outlooks as a protective factor in these individuals. The sample consisted of 96 Portuguese psychiatric patients, selected from a psychiatric hospital and assessed based on parameters for quality of life, spirituality and mindfulness. The data support some theories about the nature of the spirituality. Spiritual beliefs are poorly correlated with the quality of life index, and there is a moderate association between these beliefs and some aspects of mindfulness. It is suggested that a spiritual outlook of psychiatric patients should be taken into account in psychological interventions.

Introduction: Mindfulness-based practices can improve workers' health and reduce employers' costs by ameliorating the negative effect of stress on workers' health. We examined the prevalence of engagement in 4 mindfulness-based practices in the US workforce., Methods: We used 2002, 2007, and 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data for adults (aged ≥18 y, n = 85,004) to examine 12-month engagement in meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qigong among different groups of workers., Results: Reported yoga practice prevalence nearly doubled from 6.0% in 2002 to 11.0% in 2012 (P < .001); meditation rates increased from 8.0% in 2002 to 9.9% in 2007 (P < .001). In multivariable models, mindfulness practice was significantly lower among farm workers (odds ratio [OR] = 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-0.83]) and blue-collar workers (OR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.54-0.74) than among white-collar workers., Conclusion: Worker groups with low rates of engagement in mindfulness practices could most benefit from workplace mindfulness interventions. Improving institutional factors limiting access to mindfulness-based wellness programs and addressing existing beliefs about mindfulness practices among underrepresented worker groups could help eliminate barriers to these programs.

Background: Online training is feasible, but the impact of brief mindfulness training on health professionals needs to be better understood., Methods: We analyzed data from health professionals and trainees who completed self-reflection exercises embedded in online mindfulness training between May 2014 and September, 2015; their changes in mindfulness were measured using standardized scales., Results: Participants included nurses (34%), physicians (24%), social workers and psychologists (10%), dietitians (8%), and others (25%); 85% were women, and 20% were trainees. The most popular module was Introduction to Mindfulness (n = 161), followed by Mindfulness in Daily Life (n = 146), and Mindful Breathing and Walking (n = 129); most (68%) participants who took 1 module took all 3 modules. There were no differences in participation in any module by gender, trainee status, or profession. Completing modules was associated with small but significant improvements on the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (P < 0.001 for all)., Conclusion: Online training reaches diverse health professionals and is associated with immediate improvements in mindfulness. Additional research is warranted to compare the long-term cost-effectiveness of different doses of online and in-person mindfulness training on clinician burnout and quality of care., (© The Author(s) 2016.)

Objectives: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a promising intervention for older adults seeking to improve quality of life. More research is needed, however, to determine who is most willing to use the four techniques taught in the program (yoga, sitting meditation, informal meditation, and body scanning). This study evaluated the relationship between the Big Five personality dimensions (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and agreeableness) and use of MBSR techniques both during the intervention and at a 6-month follow-up. The hypothesis was that those with higher levels of openness and agreeableness would be more likely to use the techniques., Methods: Participants were a community sample of 100 older adults who received an 8-week manualized MBSR intervention. Personality was assessed at baseline by using the 60-item NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Use of MBSR techniques was assessed through weekly practice logs during the intervention and a 6-month follow-up survey. Regression analyses were used to examine the association between each personality dimension and each indicator of MBSR use both during and after the intervention., Results: As hypothesized, openness and agreeableness predicted greater use of MBSR both during and after the intervention, while controlling for demographic differences in age, educational level, and sex. Openness was related to use of a variety of MBSR techniques during and after the intervention, while agreeableness was related to use of meditation techniques during the intervention. Mediation analysis suggested that personality explained postintervention MBSR use, both directly and by fostering initial uptake of MBSR during treatment., Conclusions: Personality dimensions accounted for individual differences in the use of MBSR techniques during and 6 months after the intervention. Future studies should consider how mental health practitioners would use these findings to target and tailor MBSR interventions to appeal to broader segments of the population.

The 44-item and 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI) personality scales are widely used, but there is a lack of psychometric data for Chinese versions. Eight surveys (total N = 2,496, aged 18-82), assessed a Chinese-language BFI-44 and/or an independently translated Chinese-language BFI-10. Most BFI-44 items loaded strongly or predominantly on the expected dimension, and values of Cronbach's alpha ranged .698-.807. Test-retest coefficients ranged .694-.770 (BFI-44), and .515-.873 (BFI-10). The BFI-44 and BFI-10 showed good convergent and discriminant correlations, and expected associations with gender (females higher for agreeableness and neuroticism), and age (older age associated with more conscientiousness and agreeableness, and also less neuroticism and openness). Additionally, predicted correlations were found with chronotype (morningness positive with conscientiousness), mindfulness (negative with neuroticism, positive with conscientiousness), and mind wandering/daydreaming frequency (negative with conscientiousness, positive with neuroticism). Exploratory analysis found that the Self-discipline facet of conscientiousness positively correlated with morningness and mindfulness, and negatively correlated with mind wandering/daydreaming frequency. Furthermore, Self-discipline was found to be a mediator in the relationships between chronotype and mindfulness, and chronotype and mind wandering/daydreaming frequency. Overall, the results support the utility of the BFI-44 and BFI-10 for Chinese-language big five personality research.