NCT02191553

Differential Effect of Four Mindfulness Exercises

Differential Effect of Four Mindfulness Exercises on Mindfulness, Cerebral Cartography and Heart Ratio Variability

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 80 (actual)
• Sponsor: Hospital Miguel Servet · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Mindfulness can be considered as a family of complex attentional and emotional regulation strategies that promote the cultivation of well-being and emotional balance. The practice of mindfulness produces the development of a consciousness that unfolds moment to moment, open and unprejudiced in the present moment, here and now. Despite its extensive benefits, the practice of mindfulness requires a significant commitment in time and effort, which limits the potential for its dissemination. The studies to narrow the differential effects of the various exercises based on mindfulness, will further enhance their effectiveness and they can guide the practice sequence according to user needs. In this paper we will research mindfulness electroencephalographic correlates of as four different exercise programs included in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and stress reduction program based on mindfulness (MBSR) as well as its effect on several psychological variables.

Detailed description

Mindfulness is a way of using attention intentionally, repeatedly reactivating the attentional focus, so that it enhances the ability of sustained attention. It involves a complex process of self-regulation and inhibition of internal and external stimuli interferences. Although the overall effects of meditation on brain bioelectrical signals are still being characterized, there is some consensus on the fact that meditation helps alter brain activity in both state and trait. The specific aim of this study is to assess the differential effect of four different practices of mindfulness in psychological well-being and their corresponding neurophysiological correlates. The hypothesis is that different exercises within the range of mindfulness practices exert different effects in terms of electroencephalographic activity, expecting different band increases in alpha (activity 7-to 2 Hz), beta (activity more than 13 Hz), theta (activity 4-6 Hz) and delta (activity less than 3 Hz) respectively, as well as changes in the lateralization of the activity (left or right hemisphere). We also expect an improvement in the variables such as mindfulness, self-compassion, positive affect, anxiety, depression and sleep quality.

Conditions

• Well-being
• Depression
• Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Control group relaxation techniques	Jacobson's progressive muscular relaxation, emotional imagining and Schultz's autogenic training.
BEHAVIORAL	Loving-kindness meditation	Following Kristin Neff protocol
BEHAVIORAL	Body scan	Body scan: Attention being directed with detailed awareness to every part of the body for a sustained period of time.
BEHAVIORAL	Sitting practice	In the sitting exercise, participants are guided to pay attention to a certain range of still points, starting with attention to breathing. In this exercise attention is fully concentrated on a single object: the sensation attached to breathing. If the mind wanders or is distracted by an external stimulus, attention is gently returned to sensations derived from breathing.

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-09-01
• Primary completion: 2015-09-01
• Completion: 2017-04-01
• First posted: 2014-07-16
• Last updated: 2019-02-25

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Spain