Mindful eating is the concept of being physically and emotionally aware of what and why you are eating. Currently the research is limited, especially in a large college aged population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if age, gender, physical activity, year in school and focus of academic major made a difference in mindful eating practices in college students. In this cross-sectional study, 427 students completed a 28-item validated Mindful Eating Questionnaire. The results show that only gender played a role in the total mindful eating score. Combined effects of the factors did affect total score as well as subscale scores. These findings suggest that a combination of factors affect mindful eating more than one factor alone. More research is needed in large college aged populations in order to better determine mindful eating practices of individuals in this age group.

This study aimed at exploring the possible impact that habits, values and mindfulness can have on an athlete's achievement of success. It provided a thorough understanding of these three concepts and analysed the interrelationship they might have. By examining their interconnectedness, the study found that a triadic relationship exists among habits, values and mindfulness in the sport context. The fieldwork was conducted with athletes from various performance levels. Elite athletes were represented by athletes who have continuously performed exceptionally (having won medals at Olympics, Commonwealth Championships, World Cups or Continental Championships) on the international stage. These athletes formed part of the first phase of this study. Athletes performing on club-, provincial- and national level were the participants in the second phase of the study. The study found that athletes from the four performance levels experienced habits, values and mindfulness differently. Certain core habits and values were present among the different athlete populations. Elite athletes identified visualisation, simplicity, simulation training and pre-performance routines as crucial habits in their respective sports. The elite athletes indicated the importance of behavioural consistency and that they tend to behave in a manner that is consistent with their values and to hold themselves accountable to those values. Although there were similarities, the strength of similar habits differed among the athletes from the different levels of performance. In general, the three strongest habits among the four different performance levels, were the habits of responsiveness, discipline and resilience. The club-, provincial- and national athletes valued interpersonal relationships such as loyalty, commitment and respect for others, higher than values that are more inclined to assist in individual satisfaction and needs. Though the differences were not statistical significant, it might be interesting to note that the national athletes scored higher on values such as self-direction, universalism and benevolence. Club athletes scored higher on values such as hedonism and tradition. The role of mindfulness in the attainment of success received varied emphasis from the club-, provincial-, national- and elite athletes. The elite athletes identified mindfulness as a key element in the maintenance of a successful long-term sport career. The elite athletes linked mindfulness and visualisation with the understanding that the two concepts are interconnected and that mindfulness might be aided by the practice of visualisation. The club-, provincial- and national athletes identified a link between the habit of focusing and mindfulness, indicating that focusing assists them in heightening their awareness levels in situations. Athletes from the varying performance levels referred to mental skills concepts as habits. They distinguished between behavioural habits as well as mental skills habits. Correlation assessments were conducted to assess for links between habits, values and mindfulness. Twenty eight correlations were found between the assessed habits and values. Five correlations were found between values and mindfulness variables. Forty two correlations were found between habits and mindfulness variables. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were used to gather the data. The results indicated that the development of athletes on all levels of performance can be enhanced by being attentive to the habits, values and mindfulness levels of athletes. The recommendations provided by this study will provide options to enhance performance levels and possibly contribute to the holistic development of athletes in South Africa, Africa and the broader sport fraternity. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / DPhil / Unrestricted

According to the Minority Stress Model, racist or discriminatory experiences can have negative downstream effects on mental and physical health. For example, perceived ethnic discrimination is associated with increased negative emotion and distress, including feelings of guilt and shame; such characteristics may contribute to the development of psychache, or unbearable psychological pain. In turn, subjective vitality, which is considered a dynamic indicator of physical (e.g., feeling energetic, alert) and psychological (e.g., thriving, purposefulness) well-being, may be eroded. Yet, adaptive individual-level cognitive-emotional mechanisms may buffer the negative effects of discrimination on well-being. One such protective factor is mindfulness, or the nonjudgmental awareness of moment-to-moment experience, which can ameliorate stressful reactions to challenging situations and emotional pain. At the bivariate level, we hypothesized that discrimination and psychache would be positively related, and that both variables would be negatively related to mindfulness and vitality. At the multivariate level, we predicted that psychache would mediate the relation between discrimination and vitality, such that experienced discrimination would be associated with greater psychache and, in turn, to less vitality. We also hypothesized that mindfulness would moderate all linkages, reducing risk. Our sample of U.S. college students (n=2,106) was collected from a Northeastern urban university and was primarily female (n=1,571, 74.7%) and Hispanic (n=1,289, 61.2%; Black: n=454, 21.6%; Asian: n=363, 17.2%). Participants completed self-report measures, including the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Subjective Vitality Scale, Psychache Scale, and General Ethnic Discrimination Scale. Bivariate correlations and moderated-mediation analyses were conducted, in each ethnic/racial group, covarying age and sex. In bivariate analyses, all variables were significantly related in hypothesized directions (p<.05). ANOVAs revealed that ethnic groups varied significantly on discrimination (F(2, 1772=8.35, p<.001), vitality (F(2, 1806)=5.28, p<.01), and mindfulness (F(2, 1779)=9.70, p<.001). Blacks (M=35.95) and Asians (M=36.10) reported greater discrimination than Hispanics (M=32.29), t(1775)=3.66, p<.05; t(1775)=3.81, p<.05. Hispanics (M=4.81) reported higher vitality than Asians (M=4.55), t(1809)=.26, p<.05. Blacks (M=125.79) reported greater mindfulness than both Hispanics (M=122.95) and Asians (M=120.19) (t(1782)=2.83, p<.05; t(1782)=5.60, p<.05). In mediation analyses, the total effect of discrimination on vitality was significant (Asian: t=-2.36, p<.05; Black: t=-2.87, p<.01; Hispanic: t=-5.14, p<.001), and the direct effect was nonsignificant when psychache was added (Asian: t=.42, p=.68; Black: t=-.23, p=.82; Hispanic: t=-.02, p=.98), indicating mediation. In moderated-mediation analyses, the linkage between discrimination and psychache was weakened by mindfulness (Black: a2=-.005[-.009, -.002], t=-2.77, p<.01; Hispanic: a2=-.003[-.005, -.001], t=-2.38, p=<.01; Asian: a2=-.008[-.012, -.003], t=-3.48, p<.001). Among Asians, mindfulness also buffered the association between psychache and vitality (b2=-.001[-.002, -.001], t=-3.60, p<.001). Across racial/ethnic groups, we found that, for college students who experienced discrimination, psychological pain may be exacerbated, with consequent deleterious impact on vitality. Yet, for all groups, mindfulness weakened the discrimination-psychache linkage and, for Asians, who reported the lowest mindfulness levels, weakened the psychache-vitality linkage. Our findings suggest the benefits of mindfulness for psychosocial functioning in the context of ethnic/racial discrimination. Interventions to reduce psychache (e.g., cognitive restructuring) and enhance mindful awareness (e.g., meditation, acceptance and commitment therapy) may promote physical and mental vitality indicating wellbeing, in college students experiencing discrimination.

Syftet med den föreliggande studien var att undersöka rollen av prestationsångest och ältande mellan dispositionell mindfulness och självskattad prestation. Det var totalt 53 idrottare (22 kvinnor, 31 män; Målder = 29.32, SD = 12.28 år) från 18 olika idrotter som deltog i studien. Studien var av kvantitativ longitudinell design (tre tillfällen under en fyra veckors period) där den oberoende variabeln, den beroende variabeln och två möjliga mediatorer undersöktes med hjälp av Athletic Mindfulness Questionnaire, Sport Performance Questionnaire, Sport Anxiety Scale-2, och Rumination Reflection Questionnaire. Resultaten visade ingen signifikant indirekt effekt av dispositionell mindfulness på självskattad prestation genom varken ältande eller prestationsångest. Resultaten indikerar att ältande och prestationsångest inte medierar förhållandet mellan dispositionell mindfulness och självskattad prestation i det undersökta urvalet. Det diskuteras att mindfulness ändrar förhållandet idrottaren har med ångesten istället för att sänka den upplevda nivån av ångest. Forskning om ältande som en mediator mellan mindfulness och prestation diskuteras som sällsynt, vilket kan göra kunskapen om förhållandet otillräckligt för att göra några bestämda uttalanden. Resultaten bör tolkas med försiktighet med tanke på att undersökningen gjordes på en heterogen grupp av idrottare med en subjektiv mått av prestation. Vidare forskning bör fokusera på en bestämd grupp och använda mer objektiva mått på prestation, samt använda ett idrottsspecifik instrument för att mäta ältande. Nyckelord: prestationsångest, dispositionell mindfulness, idrottsprestation, idrottare / The purpose of this study was to examine the role of sport-trait anxiety and rumination in the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and self-assessed performance. A total of 53 athletes (22 women, 31 men; Mage = 29.32, SD = 12.28 years) from 18 different sports participated. A quantitative longitudinal design (three-time measures within a four-week period) was conducted wherein the independent and dependent variables, as well as the two potential mediators were measured using Athletic Mindfulness Questionnaire, Sport Performance Questionnaire, Sport Anxiety Scale-2, and Rumination Reflection Questionnaire. The results showed no significant indirect effect of dispositional mindfulness on self-assessed performance through neither sporttrait anxiety nor rumination. These findings indicate that sport-trait anxiety and rumination do not mediate the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and self-assessed performance in the examined sample. Mindfulness is discussed as altering the athlete’s relationship with anxiety rather than lowering the perceived levels of anxiety. Since research on rumination as a mediator between mindfulness and performance is very scarce, the knowledge about the relationship might be insufficient to make any decisive statements. Findings are to be taken with caution given the heterogeneous sample of athletes considered and the use of a subjective measure of performance. Further research should focus on a more targeted group and use a more objective performance measure, as well as a sport-specific rumination scale. Keywords: sport-specific anxiety, dispositional mindfulness, athletic performance, athlete

Adverse and traumatic childhood experiences (e.g., ACEs) are inversely linked to negative outcomes in adulthood, including lower couple relationship functioning. Clinical research and practice have incorporated implications of ACEs, however much less consideration of ACEs has been given in community-based couple relationship education (CRE). This study explores dyadic effects of ACEs and mindfulness, a potential resilience factor and modifiable skill, on couple relationship quality in a diverse sample of CRE study participants before program start. Results indicate actor and partner effects for ACEs and mindfulness on relationship quality. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Although the occupational callings literature has largely focused on positive outcomes of living a calling, there are some emerging findings that suggest that callings may have a “negative” side as well. Drawing upon past studies within the callings literature, as well as upon theoretical perspectives such as self-regulation theory, identity theory, and the Effort-Recovery model, I tested a theoretical model to examine psychological detachment as a mechanism that accounts for the relationship between living a calling (also referred to as one’s calling intensity) and two well-being outcomes: sleep quality and burnout. Further, I built on previous work in the callings literature by examining the moderating impact of two individual differences (trait mindfulness, perfectionism) on the relationship between calling intensity and psychological detachment. Study hypotheses were tested using a two-wave study design with 358 emergency medical professionals. Results revealed that for called emergency medical professionals, trait mindfulness strengthened the negative relationship between calling intensity and psychological detachment, which had downstream negative effects on sleep quality. In addition, one facet of perfectionism, namely perfectionistic strivings, exacerbated the negative indirect effect of calling intensity on sleep quality via psychological detachment. Ultimately, this study contributed to the occupational callings literature by examining the impact of differential levels of trait mindfulness and perfectionism on employee well-being. Implications for enhancing employee well-being are discussed.

Detta arbete handlar om att undersöka hur meditation och mindfulness påverkar sången musikaliskt och tekniskt, både generellt, samt vid instuderingen och framförandet av sångcykeln "Songs of Travel". Syftet är att besvara hur meditation och mindfulness påverkar de musiikaliska och tekniska verktyg som brukar användas i sång. Övningar i boken The Power of Now samt en meditationsapplikation till telefonen som heter Headspace har använts som grundstomme, med eget experimenterande som komplement. Arbetet har resulterat i en större distans till verktygen, och samtidigt ett avspänt fokus i musicerandet och övningen. Detta har gjort det möjligt att komma närmare det verktygen syftar till genom att låta saker ske, snarare än att själv försöka styra dem för mycket. Utöver detta har arbetet även resulterat i en större trygghet, både generellt och i musicerandet, samt en större avspändhet i kroppen och det musikaliska uttrycket. Detta har även lett till en mer frigjord klang. / <p>Repertoar: Fear No More the Heat o' the Sun - Gerald Finzi Songs of Travel - Ralph Vaughan Williams Du bist wie eine Blume - Robert Schumann Medverkande:David Edström, sångJohannes Bolmvall, piano</p>

Trait mindfulness refers to the tendency of being mindful in everyday life. Individuals characterized with high trait mindfulness have reported high subjective wellbeing and are less prone to depression and stress. The aim with this systematic review was to investigate the neural correlates of trait mindfulness. Also, to compare the neural correlates underlying trait mindfulness with those related to mindfulness practices. A systematic search, screening and selection was conducted, resulting in twelve articles included for data extraction and discussion. All studies investigated resting state brain activity or brain structure, measured by fMRI or MRI, in relation to individual scores in trait mindfulness measures. Trait mindfulness was characterized by reduced connectivity within the DMN (between the PCC, the medial PFC, the STG and the thalamus e.g.) and increased functional connectivity between the insula and the ACC within the SN. Further, decreased functional connectivity between the DMN and the SN was observed. No consistent structural correlates characterizing trait mindfulness were reported. Reduced connectivity within the DMN is thought to associate with reduced vulnerability to rumination and depression. Increased connectivity within the SN has been linked to enhanced body awareness and interoception. Decreased functional connectivity between the DMN and the SN has been suggested to facilitate enhanced attention. Trait mindfulness appears to share some neural characteristics with those linked to mindfulness practices: weaker functional connectivity within the DMN, increased involvement of the insula and the ACC within the SN, and weaker connectivity between the DMN and the SN.

Bakgrund:  Depression är en av de vanligaste orsakerna till att personer söker sjukvård. Tidigare har behandling varit mest förekommande inom specialistpsykiatrin men det blir mer och mer vanligt att man möter och vårdar personer med lindrig till måttlig depression inom primärvården. Då farmakologisk behandling varit en av de vanligaste metoderna vid depression ser man nu alternativa metoder som ett komplement eller alternativ. Psykoterapi och andra icke farmakologiska metoder har börjat implanteras inom primärvården vid depression utifrån Socialstyrelsens riktlinjer. En behandlingsmetod är mindfulness vilket kan utföras både i grupp och som egenvård. Sjuksköterskan har en viktig roll i att hålla sig uppdaterad inom beprövade samt nya behandlingsmetoder för att lotsa och vårda patienten på bästa sätt. Syfte: Att beskriva personers upplevelser av primärvårdens mindfulnessbehandling vid depression Metod: Allmän litteraturöversikt enligt Friberg (2012) Resultat: I resultatet presenteras sju kategorier baserade på personernas upplevelser: Hjälp att hantera känslor och tankar, Förmåga till fokus och uppmärksamhet, Upplevelse av samspel med andra människor, Upplevd ökad självförmåga, Upplevelser av fysiska övningar, Upplevelse av tid- eller platsbrist att utföra mindfulness samt upplevelse av förändrat mående Slutsats: Varje person är unik. Personer med depression upplever mindfulnessbehandling olika. Resultatet visar dock på ökat välbefinnande i flera avseenden, såsom ökad självkänsla, mindre stress, bättre sömn, ökad empati och känslan av närvaro i mötet med andra. Resultatet visade även att vissa minskade återfall för depression. Det är därför viktigt att primärvården kan erbjuda olika behandlingsmetoder, där mindfulness bör ses som ett alternativ. Sjuksköterskan har en viktig roll i behandlingen och i att informera patienter om att mindfulness även kan användas som egenvård i prevention för återfall i depression.

Objective: Mindfulness or the full attention state is a factor that contributes to the successful process of aging. This study aims to evaluate the evidence of validity, on the basis of the internal structure, convergent and discriminant validity, reliability and factorial invariance across gender, for the five items Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-5) within a sample of older adults. Methods: The participants were 323 Peruvian older adults, consisting of 160 women and 163 men, whose average ages were 68.58 (S.D = 7.23) and 68.91 years (S.D = 7.12), respectively. In addition to the MAAS-5, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 were administered. Results: The Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicates that the one-factor structure of the MAAS-5 presents adequate fit for the total sample (χ2 = 11.24, df = 5, χ2/df = 2.25, CFI =.99, RMSEA =.06 [90%CI:.01,.11]; and SRMR =.025), as well as for the sub-samples of men and women. This one-factor solution presents adequate internal consistency (ω = 80 [95%CI:.76 -.82]) and it is invariant across gender. Regarding convergent validity, high scores in the MAAS are associated with a greater satisfaction with life (r =.88, p<.01 [95%CI:.85,.95]) and less depression (r = −.56, p<.01 [95%CI: −.48, −.77]) in older adults. Conclusions: The preliminary results back the use of the MAAS-5 as a self-report measure of mindfulness that has an adequate unifactorial structure that is reliable and invariant across gender for measuring the full attention state in elderly Peruvians.