Mindfulness has been defined as having three core aspects: active attention which leads to awareness, a regard for the present rather than the future or the past and an approach that is non-judgemental and accepting (Hooker and Fodor, 2008). Mindfulness has been used to treat adults and children in a clinical setting with presenting issues such as anxiety and difficulties related to poor self-regulation. The current research aimed to explore the effect of mindfulness on self-regulation and the feasibility of using mindfulness in a mainstream primary setting as a preventative, universal measure.The research used an exploratory, mixed methods design and included a comparison group. The intervention was developed collaboratively by the researcher and class teacher and included mindfulness activities taken from Mindfulness for Schools (Cattley and Lavelle, 2009). The children in the intervention group took part in a mindfulness activity 3-4 times a week for 8 weeks, in 10 – 15 minute sessions, straight after lunch.The qualitative data was obtained using semi-structured interviews and researcher observations. The semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis, provided information on the pupils’ and teacher’s perceptions of the intervention. Meanwhile, the researcher observations triangulated data on participant engagement as well as providing information on the fidelity of the intervention and formative feedback for the teacher. Observations and semi-structured interviews were also completed with the comparison class to establish the comparability of the two classes. Quantitative data was gathered using a self-regulation measure developed from questionnaires cited in Bandy and Moore (2010). The questionnaire was administered to both classes before and after the 8 week intervention to explore changes in self-regulation within and between groups. The data is reported using descriptive statistics and inferential parametric statistics.Both teacher and pupil interviews highlighted increased feelings of calm and levels of attention immediately following mindfulness activities. Data from the pupil interview suggested that the children involved in the intervention enjoyed many of the activities and were able to suggest times when they might find mindfulness activities useful. Information gathered from the interviews with the class teacher suggested that the development and delivery of mindfulness activities was appropriate and feasible in a mainstream, primary setting. While changes on the self-regulation scale could be considered positive, in that there was an overall decrease in mean scores in the intervention group, the decrease was not significant and so likely to be due to chance. In summary, the qualitative data indicated that mindfulness activities had a small but positive impact on the emotional, behavioural and cognitive awareness in a group of year 3 children in a mainstream primary setting. However, adapting mindfulness activities to make delivery feasible for a teacher in a mainstream primary setting may reduce the effectiveness of the intervention. Recommendations for EPs and future research are discussed.

The aim of this study was to explore psychotherapists‘ practice of mindful acceptance. I employed the hermeneutic phenomenological approach with the intention of creating thick descriptions of how mindful acceptance is performed in therapy sessions with clients by psychotherapists with backgrounds in mindfulness. The findings for this study came from a variety of sources including, pre-interview questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, field notes, and feedback from member checks with participants. The results pointed to four themes: 1) recognizing, 2) allowing, 3) befriending, and 4) accepting self and others. The participants‘ practice of mindful acceptance was facilitated by various psychological processes including 1) decentering, 2) exposure, 3) emotion regulation, 4) self-acceptance, and 5) compassion. In their descriptions of mindful acceptance, the participants were able to simultaneously demonstrate acceptance of their internal processes and acceptance of their clients. The participants‘ accounts suggest that intrapersonal and interpersonal processes of acceptance are one and the same and that, in effect, to accept ourselves is to accept others. This study, in a context-specific way, provides accounts of how acceptance of clients can be done. The results of this study have implications for future therapist training and as well as therapist self-care.

Purpose: This study assessed whether a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) adapted for social anxiety disorder (SAD) led to increases in self-compassion and trait mindfulness, and whether these increases mediated change in SAD symptom severity. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to a 12-week MBI adapted for SAD (MBI-SAD, n = 21) or a wait-list control (WLC, n = 18). The MBI-SAD included aspects of the mindfulness-based stress reduction program, as well as explicit training in self-compassion and “mindful exposure”. Participants were assessed at baseline and weeks 6 and 12. Results: The MBI-SAD resulted in higher self-compassion and trait mindfulness and lower levels of social anxiety, compared to the WLC. Mediation analyses revealed that self-compassion and aspects of trait mindfulness mediated clinical response. Implications: Results suggest that self-compassion and aspects of trait mindfulness are possible mechanisms of change for the MBI-SAD. Results and their implications are discussed.

Bakgrund Stress är ett vanligt förekommande problem hos sjuksköterskor. Stress kan påverka den vård som patienterna får i form av minskad patientsäkerhet. Det är därför av vikt att undersöka stressreduceringsmetoder hos sjuksköterskor. Syfte Att beskriva effekten av mindfulnessbaserade interventioner som stressreducerings-metod hos sjuksköterskor. Metod Syftet undersöktes i form av en litteraturstudie med systematisk ansats. Artikelsökning genomfördes i databaserna CINAHL, PubMed och PsycINFO. Sökningen resulterade i 17 vetenskapliga artiklar som inkluderades i studien. Dessa analyserades med en manifest innehållsanalys. Resultat Studien visar att mindfulnessbaserade interventioner minskar fysisk, psykisk och emotionell stress, vilket har positiva effekter på sjuksköterskornas mindfulness samt sjuksköterskornas arbete. Ett bifynd var barriärer till dagligt utövande av mindfulness. Konklusion I studien framkom det att mindfulnessbaserade interventioner kan vara ett effektivt verktyg för att minska stress hos sjuksköterskor. Även psykisk ohälsa och utbrändhet minskade efter interventionen. Interventionen gav även en positiv effekt på sjuk-sköterskans fysiska hälsa. Dessutom upplevde sjuksköterskorna att deras kliniska arbete och effektivitet förbättrades. Studien visade även att mindfulnessbaserande interventioner kan ha effekt i form av en ökad patientsäkerhet. Nyckelord Mindfulness, Stress, Stresshantering, Sjuksköterska

In recent years, mindfulness has become popularised due to its perceived effectiveness in different areas of life. Most of the recent literature in regards to mindfulness however, has been after training programmes to cultivate it as a skill, while assessment of its effectiveness in different life domains has been completed using quantitative measures. The purpose of this research was to approach the area of mindfulness from a humanistic stance, and to not teach or do anything to the person but rather research the person for whom they already are, focusing on a dispositional personal strength; mindfulness. Professionals working within oncology were chosen as a population, because even though the experiences of cancer sufferers has been extensively researched, the experience of their carers has been somewhat neglected. I wanted to listen to their perceived well-being, based on their own constructs and experiences, in relation to different perspectives of self-reported mindfulness. Self reported levels of mindfulness were assessed in staff working within a private cancer hospital using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Maximum variation sampling was used to obtain both the higher and lower perspective levels of mindfulness. Due to a relatively low response rate, six individuals were asked to attend an interview - the three highest and three lowest scorers. Using a semi-structured interview in a qualitative methodology, questions were asked to generate experiences of well-being from individuals. Five themes were found after analysing the corpus of data using Thematic Analysis. The main themes that were identified in relation to well-being at work were; 'individual impact of working within oncology', 'patient relationships', 'staff relationships', 'transition from home to work', and 'environmental responses'. In presenting these themes it emerged that there were a wide range of views in regards to well-being. Different participants reported both positive and negative affects at work, particularly in relation to the impact of the deterioration of patients. Potentially, those participants who reported higher levels of perceived mindfulness experienced well-being more positively. Potentially, stronger relationships with both patients and colleagues were also had by those same participants, who interestingly, were less affected by work in their home life. They also potentially showed more resilience at work in being able to cope more effectively within the busy environment that was described. However, all participants described job enjoyment. Conclusions were drawn: Relationships are important with both patients and members of staff. A healthy work-life balance is also important. Mindfulness may aid the experience of well-being when working within oncology. Implications were presented in relation to mindfulness, Oncology and Counselling Psychology, with the potential for this research showing the effectiveness of mindfulness in its un-fabricated form in a naturalistic setting.

Burnout in healthcare professionals (HCPs) can negatively affect HCPs’ health and the overall functioning of the healthcare system. Of great concern is the negative effect of HCP burnout on psychological, cognitive, and work-relevant functioning. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to decrease burnout in HCPs and preliminary evidence suggests they may improve work-relevant outcomes. However, the literature is limited by methodological issues and generalizability concerns. The current pragmatic trial investigated feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of Mindfulness for Interdisciplinary Healthcare Professionals (MIHP) using a partially randomized, waitlist-controlled, crossover design [intention-to-treat sample: 22 in the mindfulness group (MG), 26 in the control group (CG)] on psychological, cognitive, and interprofessional measures. The present study also included an explanatory aim evaluating mindfulness practice time and practice quality as mediators of change. Within-group changes were assessed with the combined crossover data for mediation and three-month follow-up analyses. Finally, the present study explored the perceived effects of MIHP and how MIHP had its effects using a grounded theory approach. Results found mixed evidence for feasibility and acceptability. Small to large effects were found for the MG on outcomes of burnout, perceived stress, and mindfulness. These effects were present with groups combined and remained at the follow-up. No effect of MIHP was found on cognitive or interprofessional outcomes. Practice time and quality were not significant mediators of main effects. A grounded theory model is proposed for how MIHP may exert its positive effects within the context of healthcare.

Magíster en Psicología Clínica de Adultos / El presente estudio, de tipo exploratorio, descriptivo y de carácter cualitativo, buscó comprender el fenómeno del cambio experiencial asociado a la participación de mujeres en un taller grupal de entrenamiento en mindfulness y autocompasión, desarrollado en el COSAM de Pudahuel. Se recopilaron 16 entrevistas, realizadas tras la finalización del taller. Estas fueron analizadas siguiendo procedimientos de la Teoría Fundamentada (Strauss y Corbin, 2002), desarrollando codificación abierta, axial y selectiva. Se buscó identificar ámbitos donde las participantes constataron cambios, así como facilitadores, obstaculizadores y aprendizajes del proceso. Entre los principales hallazgos obtenidos, se logró identificar cuatro momentos del proceso de cambio investigado (antes, durante y después del taller, y futuros imaginados). El taller constituye un punto de inflexión positivo para las participantes, quienes caracterizaron el período previo al taller dominado por malestar, estancamiento y cristalización. El taller habría promovido movimiento y cambio, con características propias del cambio experiencial (Gendlin, 1964), gatillado por los aprendizajes ofrecidos, las relaciones humanas disponibles en el taller (entre participantes y monitor, y entre participantes) y por las formas de relación favorecidas entre las participantes consigo mismas. Se discuten puntos de encuentro entre prácticas contemplativas y autocompasivas y la psicoterapia experiencial

Background: Research has shown that music performance anxiety (MPA) is experienced by individuals in all age groups and skill levels. Due to the need for effective treatment of performance anxiety in musicians, researchers have begun to investigate the viability of mindfulness, which has been proven as an effective treatment in populations with generalized anxiety. Although preliminary studies have been undertaken in examining the effects of mindfulness training on the experience of MPA, these efforts have been by a small group of researchers, and further replication and statistical significance is needed. Objective: This study aims to monitor the effects of a two-week mindfulness intervention on musicians using questionnaires and heart rate data. Methods: This experiment used a control group design, in which the first 13 participants collected were allocated to the experimental group, and the next 13 collected were allocated to the control group. All participants underwent the same baseline data collection involving completing the state side of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) directly before and after performing in front of a mock jury panel while wearing a hear rate monitor watch. After this session, only the experimental group partook in two weeks of mindfulness training consisting of 6-9 sessions, each an hour in duration. Once the two-week intervention was concluded, both experimental and control groups participated in a post-intervention data collection identical to the baseline session. Results: The experimental group experienced a decrease in anxiety between pre- and post-intervention while the control group experienced an increase of anxiety. A two-way mixed ANOVA analysis revealed that there was a significant relationship between the changes in anxiety when comparing the control and experimental groups. However, statistical analysis also revealed that the two groups exhibited statistically different levels of anxiety at baseline. Heart rate data revealed no significant differences between groups. Conclusion: Data from the STAI suggests that mindfulness has a significantly positive effect on the cognitive experience of music performance anxiety. Through this study no correlation was found between the physiological experience of music performance anxiety and mindfulness training.

Thirty-four parents were referred by their CPS caseworkers to participate in one of two ACT for Parenting workshops. These workshops followed a 12 hour treatment protocol based on an acceptance and commitment therapy philosophy of parenting. Briefly, an ACT philosophy of parenting maintains that effective parenting requires awareness and acceptance of thoughts and feelings as they occur in the context of the parent-child relationship. An ACT philosophy of parenting also relies heavily on the identification and commitment to parenting values. Participants were asked to track acceptance and valuing behavior on a daily basis for 25 days prior to the intervention and 25 days post-intervention, as well as to complete a package of self-report instruments designed to measure both ACT specific and general psychological processes, at three different points (pre-, post- and follow-up). Nineteen parents received the treatment, and of those, seventeen provided follow-up data 3-4 months post-intervention. Results indicate statistically significant changes in the expected directions for scores on the BASC-2 Externalizing Composite as well as on the Meta-Valuing Measure. A total of 10 parents also evidenced clinically significant change in the expected directions on a variety of outcome measures.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(人間健康科学) / 甲第22839号 / 人健博第81号 / 新制||人健||6(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科人間健康科学系専攻 / (主査)教授 恒藤 暁, 教授 田村 恵子, 教授 戸井 雅和 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Human Health Sciences / Kyoto University / DFAM