Teaching Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to students: The effects of MBCT on the levels of Mindfulness and Subjective Well-Being

This study aimed to address the gap in the literature considering empirical evidence in support of the assumption that Mindfulness is the mediating factor in the positive outcomes of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programmes, and to further examine the link between Mindfulness and Subjective Well Being. The research question was whether MBCT would increase participants’ levels of Mindfulness and Satisfaction with Life and decrease participants’ level of Negative Affect. A Repeated Measures (Test–Retest) within participants design was employed and fifteen Counselling students at the University of East London provided data anonymously at the beginning and end of MBCT programme by completing the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) (Walach, Buchheld, Buttenmuller, Kleinknecht, & Schmidt, 2006), Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) (Diener, Emmons, Larsen & Griffin, 1985) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) (Watson, Clark & Tellegen, 1988). The results indicated that by the end of the MBCT programme: participants’ level of Mindfulness significantly increased; Positive Affect remained unchanged; Negative Affect significantly decreased; a strong trend in the data indicated an increase in participants’ Satisfaction With Life but failed to reach a statistically significant level; Mindfulness and Negative Affect were significantly negatively correlated, while Mindfulness and Satisfaction With Life were not found to be associated. A longer practice time of Mindfulness during the programme was found to be significantly correlated with a higher level of Mindfulness at the end of the programme. The results were interpreted in support of the assumption that Mindfulness has an important role as a mediating factor in symptoms relief and positive outcomes following participation on Mindfulness programmes. The results also support of Brown and Ryan's (2003) conclusion regarding the role of Mindfulness in enhancing Well Being. A Positive Psychology framework was applied in interpreting the data and it was suggested that there was ground to believe that Mindfulness can be integrated well, as a concept and as a therapeutic intervention, into the field of Positive Psychology.     

不同动机网络使用者对网络使用线索的注意偏向

以29名信息获取性动机者和21名人际情感性动机者为被试,采用情绪Stroop范式,以网络信息获取线索、网络情感满足线索、一般负性情绪线索和中性线索为刺激材料,考察了不同网络使用动机者对网络相关线索和负性情绪线索的注意加工特性。结果发现,基于信息获取性动机的网络使用者对网络信息获取线索具有显著的注意偏向,而基于人际情感性动机的网络使用者对网络情感满足线索或负性情绪线索具有显著的注意偏向。该研究为解释网络相关线索和负性情绪线索诱发不同动机者上网欲望的认知机制提供了实验证据。     

情感性动机网络使用者对负性情绪线索的前注意偏向

采用修改后的分离式Stroop任务,通过两个实验考察了基于人际情感性动机的网络使用者在双线索竞争条件下的前注意加工特性。研究结果表明,相对于信息获取型被试,在中性线索与负性情绪线索匹配条件下,人际情感型被试对负性情绪线索表现出显著的前注意加工偏向,但在中性线索和情感满足线索匹配条件下,该类被试对情感满足线索未表现出前注意加工偏向。该研究为解释人际情感型动机者的病理性网络使用行为的情绪机制提供了实验证据。     

Sequence and priming in 15 month-olds' reactions to brief arm restraint: evidence for a hierarchy of anger responses

Brief, gentle arm restraint is widely used in experimental studies of children's anger, but the pattern of responses generated by such restraint has been incompletely described. We now describe a hierarchy of responses within trials as well as an escalation across trials that have both methodological and theoretical significance. Mothers of 87 15-month olds prevented them from playing with a toy by restraining their arms on two consecutive 30 sec trials. Physical struggling was the first and most frequent response; children who struggled were significantly more likely to vocalize, and those who vocalized were significantly more likely to show facial expressions of anger. The children's responses became more probable, rapid, and intense during Trial 2 restraint. Overall, the hierarchy was orderly enough to meet criteria for Guttman scalability. The particular sequence observed suggests situational, as opposed to bio-energetic, ordering of responses. Methodologically, the two trial paradigm is a simple, ecologically valid model for studying anger escalation that parallels the "attack priming" of aggression in other species. The magnitude and persistence of anger priming may provide novel measures of anger regulation. Theoretically, the existence of an orderly response hierarchy is consistent with previous observations suggesting that, within a situational context, the sequential appearance of specific behaviors may indicate progressive increases in anger intensity.     

沉思和分心对负情绪和自传体记忆的影响

探讨在诱发了抑郁、焦虑、悲伤等负性情绪后,沉思和分心对正常成人的情绪主观报告、生理变化和自传体记忆的作用。64名被试被随机分为两组,用故事和电影短片分别诱发了负性和中性（控制组）两种情绪状态。然后进行随机分组,分别进行分心和沉思的反应任务。测量四组被试的情绪主观报告、生理变化以及多种形式和性质的自传体记忆。结果表明：（1）沉思和分心对这些负情绪的调节作用不显著;（2）沉思引起更多的负性记忆,正性复合指数更小,自传体记忆的具体性更弱。结论：沉思导致更多负性记忆,维持了概括性记忆,更有可能加重已经激活的负情绪     

情绪评价任务中抑郁个体的分心抑制机制实验研究

本实验使用情绪负启动技术,在情绪评价任务中考察了抑郁个体和正常被试对正、负情绪词分心抑制方面的差异。结果显示,与控制条件下相比,非抑郁控制组被试在负启动条件下对探测显示中正、负性靶子词的反应时间更长;抑郁个体只表现在对探测显示中正性靶子词反应时的延长,负性靶子词未出现负启动效应。结果说明,抑郁个体对负性信息存在抑制机制障碍,对负性信息的偏向与选择性注意中的维持成分有关。这提示心理治疗家应该注重训练抑郁个体对负性信息的抑制能力,预防抑郁复发的目标应集中在注意持续的控制上。     

Mindfulness and psychological well-being among black South African university students and their relatives

This study investigated the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being in a convenience sample of black South African students (n = 203) and their parents and other relatives (n = 204) (66.1% = female; age range 18–73). The students self-reported on their mindfulness on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and psychological well-being on the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Adult Trait Hope Scale and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. A multivariate regression model was specified and analysed via structural equation modelling in Mplus 7.3. Results revealed that mindfulness scores strongly predicted elevated levels of meaning and positive affect, and lowered levels of negative effect, and were moderately strong predictors of life satisfaction and hope. The findings imply that mindfulness likely plays an important role in relation to the psychological well-being of cross-generational African culture community members.     

生命意义与主观幸福感的关系:基于中国样本的元分析

运用元分析的方法来探讨生命意义与主观幸福感的关系。纳入了符合元分析标准的文献45篇,共51个独立样本,总样本量为27291。元分析结果表明:生命意义与主观幸福感(r=0.505,p0.001),生活满意度(r=0.395,p0.001)和积极情感(r=0.325,p0.001)呈显著正相关,而与消极情感(r=-0.195,p0.1)呈显著负相关。生命意义与主观幸福感的关系受到性别和被试群体的调节,如性别能显著正向调节二者的关系。结果表明,生命意义能有效预测主观幸福感。     

Combined Audience and Video Feedback With Cognitive Review Improves State Anxiety and Self-Perceptions During Speech Tasks in Socially Anxious Individuals

This study investigated the effects of combined audience feedback with video feedback plus cognitive preparation, and cognitive review (enabling deeper processing of feedback) on state anxiety and self-perceptions including perception of performance and perceived probability of negative evaluation in socially anxious individuals during a speech performance. One hundred and forty socially anxious students were randomly assigned to four conditions: Cognitive Preparation + Video Feedback + Audience Feedback + Cognitive Review (CP + VF + AF + CR), Cognitive Preparation + Video Feedback + Cognitive Review (CP + VF + CR), Cognitive Preparation + Video Feedback only (CP + VF), and Control. They were asked to deliver two impromptu speeches that were evaluated by confederates. Participants’ levels of anxiety and self-perceptions pertaining to the speech task were assessed before and after feedback, and after the second speech. Compared to participants in the other conditions, participants in the CP + VF + AF + CR condition reported a significant decrease in their state anxiety and perceived probability of negative evaluation scores, and a significant increase in their positive perception of speech performance from before to after the feedback. These effects generalized to the second speech. Our results suggest that adding audience feedback to video feedback plus cognitive preparation and cognitive review may improve the effects of existing video feedback procedures in reducing anxiety symptoms and distorted self-representations in socially anxious individuals.     

校园氛围和负性情绪对青少年自杀意念的影响：一项交叉滞后研究

本研究综合考虑了阶段-环境匹配理论、自杀逃避理论以及自杀的人际关系理论,通过追踪调查的方式,探讨校园氛围和负性情绪对青少年自杀意念的影响。采用青少年感知校园氛围问卷、正性负性情绪量表以及自杀意念问卷,对271名中学生进行了为期一年、共三次的追踪调查。结果表明：（1）校园氛围、负性情绪和青少年自杀意念都表现出较高程度的稳定性;（2）校园氛围和负性情绪分别可以延时预测负性情绪和青少年自杀意念;（3）负性情绪对校园氛围和青少年自杀意念的关系存在完全跨时中介作用。