Stress reduction through mindfulness meditation. Effects on psychological symptomatology, sense of control, and spiritual experiences.

doi:10.1159/000289116

Paper

Stress reduction through mindfulness meditation. Effects on psychological symptomatology, sense of control, and spiritual experiences.

Published 1997 · J. Astin

Psychotherapy and psychosomatics

Q1 SJR score

693

Citations

49

Influential Citations

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Abstract

BACKGROUND This study examined the effects of an 8-week stress reduction program based on training in mindfulness meditation. Previous research efforts suggesting this program may be beneficial in terms of reducing stress-related symptomatology and helping patients cope with chronic pain have been limited by a lack of adequate comparison control group. METHODS Twenty-eight individuals who volunteered to participate in the present study were randomized into either an experimental group or a nonintervention control group. RESULTS Following participation, experimental subjects, when compared with controls, evidenced significantly greater changes in terms of: (1) reductions in overall psychological symptomatology; (2) increase in overall domain-specific sense of control and utilization of an accepting or yielding mode of control in their lives, and (3) higher scores on a measure of spiritual experiences. CONCLUSIONS The techniques of mindfulness meditation, with their emphasis on developing detached observation and awareness of the contents of consciousness, may represent a powerful cognitive behavioral coping strategy for transforming the ways in which we respond to life events. They may also have potential for relapse prevention in affective disorders.

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Key takeawayMindfulness meditation techniques can reduce psychological symptomatology, increase sense of control, and enhance spiritual experiences, potentially benefiting individuals with chronic pain and affective disorders.

PopulationOlder adults (50-71 years)

Sample size24

MethodsObservational

OutcomesBody Mass Index projections

ResultsSocial networks mitigate obesity in older groups.

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Stress reduction through mindfulness meditation. Effects on psychological symptomatology, sense of control, and spiritual experiences.

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References

Citations

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