Arch, Joanna J./ Craske, Michelle G. Mechanisms of mindfulness: Emotion regulation following a focused breathing induction. Behaviour Research and Therapy 2006, 44, 1849–1858.
Abstract
The current study investigated whether a 15 min recorded focused breathing induction in a normal, primarily undergraduate population would decrease the intensity and negativity of emotional responses to affectively valenced picture slides and increase willingness to remain in contact with aversive picture slides. The effects of the focused breathing induction were compared with the effects of 15 min recorded inductions of unfocused attention and worrying. The focused breathing group maintained consistent, moderately positive responses to the neutral slides before and after the induction, whereas the unfocused attention and worry groups responded significantly more negatively to the neutral slides after the induction than before it. The focusing breathing group also reported lower negative affect and overall emotional volatility in response to the post-induction slides than the worry group, and greater willingness to view highly negative slides than the unfocused attention group. The lower-reported negative and overall affect in response to the final slide blocks, and greater willingness to view optional negative slides by the focused breathing group may be viewed as more adaptive responding to negative stimuli. The results are discussed as being consistent with emotional regulatory properties of mindfulness.

Baer, Ruth A./ Fischer, Sarah/ Huss, Debra B. Mindfulness and Acceptance in the Treatment of Disordered Eating. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Winter 2005, 23(4), 281-300.
Abstract: Mindfulness and acceptance-based approaches to the treatment of clinical problems are accruing substantial empirical support. This article examines the application of these approaches to disordered eating. Theoretical bases for the importance of mindfulness and acceptance in the treatment of eating problems are reviewed, and interventions for eating problems that incorporate mindfulness and acceptance skills are briefly described. Empirical data are presented from a pilot study of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy adapted for treatment of binge eating.

Barnes, Vernon A./ Orme-Johnson, David W. Clinical and Pre-clinical Applications of the Transcendental Meditation Program® in the Prevention and Treatment of Essential Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease in Youth and Adults. Current Hypertension Reviews 2006, 2, 207- 218.
Abstract: Acute and chronic environmental and psychosocial stress contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Stress reduction via Transcendental Meditation (TM)® has been shown to lower blood pressure (BP) levels and reduce CVD risk in adults and adolescents. This article reviews recent findings indicating a beneficial BP-lowering impact of TM in hypertensive adults at rest and in pre-hypertensive adolescents at rest, during acute laboratory stress and during normal daily activity. These findings have important implications for inclusion of TM in efforts to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases and its clinical consequences.

Bogels, Susan M./ Sijbers, G.F.V.M./ Voncken, Marisol. Mindfulness and Task Concentration Training for Social Phobia: A Pilot Study. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly 2006, 20(1), 33-44.
A new treatment for social phobia is evaluated: mindfulness training and task concentration training. The treatment consisted of nine sessions of 45-60 minutes and was administered individually. Nine severely socially phobic patients participated. No changes in complaints were observed during the waiting-list period. One patient withdrew during the treatment. Results show that treatment was well accepted and highly effective in reducing social phobia, and results were maintained at a 2-month follow-up. Effects of the treatment were most pronounced on Fear of Negative Evaluation and on the self-ideal discrepancy. Attention as well as cognitive changes may be responsible for the effectiveness. Explanations for the effects and clinical implications are discussed.

Brady, M. Meditation for Women: Mid-life HarperSanFrancisco 1995

Cahn, B. Rael. Meditation States and Traits: EEG, ERP, and Neuroimaging Studies. Psychological Bulletin 2006, 132(2), 180–211.
Neuroelectric and imaging studies of meditation are reviewed. Electroencephalographic measures indicate an overall slowing subsequent to meditation, with theta and alpha activation related to proficiency of practice. Sensory evoked potential assessment of concentrative meditation yields amplitude and latency changes for some components and practices. Cognitive event-related potential evaluation of meditation implies that practice changes attentional allocation. Neuroimaging studies indicate increased regional cerebral blood flow measures during meditation. Taken together, meditation appears to reflect changes in anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal areas. Neurophysiological meditative state and trait effects are variable but are beginning to demonstrate consistent outcomes for research and clinical applications. Psychological and clinical effects of meditation are summarized, integrated, and discussed with respect to neuroimaging data.

Carmody, James/ Crawford, Sybil/ Churchill, Linda. A pilot study of mindfulness-based stress reduction for hot flashes. Menopause. The Journal of The North American Menopause Society 2006, 13(5), 760-769.
Abstract
Objective: A variety of results from both population and laboratory studies suggest that stress and hot flashes (HFs) are correlated and that HFs are more severe in women with lower coping abilities. The objective of this pilot study was to obtain information on the feasibility and effect of participation in a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on HF severity and menopause-related quality of life.
Design: Fifteen women volunteers reporting a minimum of seven moderate to severe HFs per day at study intake attended the eight weekly MBSR classes at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Participants were assessed for menopause-related quality of life before beginning and at the conclusion of the MBSR program. Women also kept a daily log of their HFs through the course of the 7 weeks of the MBSR program and for 4 weeks after it.
Results: Womens scores on quality-of-life measures increased significantly, and the median reported HF severity, calculated as the weekly average of a daily HF severity score, decreased 40% over the course of the 11 weeks of the assessment period. The women were individually interviewed at the completion of their participation, and the results of the interviews were consistent with the results from daily diaries.
Conclusions: These results provide preliminary positive evidence of the feasibility and efficacy of MBSR in supporting women who are experiencing severe HFs, and it warrants further investigation.

Carson, Shelley H./Langer, Ellen J. Mindfulness and Self-Acceptance. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Spring 2006, 24(1), 29-43.
Abstract: The present article will focus on the cognitive theory of mindfulness and its importance in achieving unconditional self-acceptance. The goal of the mindful perspective is to increase cognitive flexibility and to thereby increase behavioral flexibility and the ability to adapt to one’s current environment in a meaningful manner. Empirical evidence spanning four decades attests to the beneficial effects of a mindful vs. mindless perspective. The article will focus on the following aspects of mindfulness as they apply to self-acceptance: the importance of authenticity, the tyranny of evaluation, the benefits of mistakes, the mindlessness of social comparison, the trap of rigid categories, and the acceptance of self as a mindful choice. The article concludes with a number of mindfulness applications geared toward enhancing self-acceptance.

Chambers Christopher, John/ Christopher, Suzanne E./ Dunnagan, Tim. Teaching Self-Care Through Mindfulness Practices: The Application of Yoga, Meditation, and Qigong to Counselor Training. Journal of Humanistic Psychology Oct 2006, 46(4), 494-509.

Claxton, Guy. Mindfulness, Learning and the Brain. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Winter 2005, 23(4), 301-314.
Abstract: I have tried to sketch an approach to the complex phenomena that go by the name of ‘mindfulness’ that both does justice to this complexity and depth, and also offers a way of thinking about mindfulness in evolutionary, ecosocial and neural terms: terms that enable us to ask questions like: where did mindfulness come from? What kind of consciousness is it? What was it for, before it was co-opted by spiritual and therapeutic kinds of discourse and practice? And how do brains do it? In essence, I am suggesting that human brains seem to have developed, for good evolutionary reasons, a degree of facility with imaginative empathy and as-if identification; and that mindfulness capitalises on this to create what is probably a uniquely human form of learning—or rather unlearning.

Dryden, Windy/ Still, Arthur. Historical Aspects of Mindfulness and Self-Acceptance in Psychotherapy. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Spring 2006, 24(1), 3-28.
Abstract: We describe some of the historical conditions that made possible Kabat-Zinn’s [(1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness. New York: Delacorte] very successful use of mindfulness in his stress management program. The ground had been prepared by the nonjudgmental acceptance of people and symptoms by Humanistic psychotherapists, and by the increasing assimilation of Buddhist ideas into Western psychology and psychotherapy. In addition the word ‘‘mindfulness,’’ as the translation of the Pali sati, came to refer to both the manualized practice that provides the evidence for its efficacy in the hands of Kabat-Zinn and others, and the more complex process of clear comprehension and recollection that is described in his more discursive writings, and is similar to Ellen Langer’s use of ‘‘mindfulness’’ in her book of that name.

Finucaine, Andy/ Mercer, Stewart W. An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care. BMC Psychiatry 2006, 6, 14.

Fletcher, Lindsay/ Hayes, Steven C. Relational Frame Theory, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and A Functional Analytic Definition of Mindfulness. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Winter 2005, 23(4), 315-336.
Abstract: The present article interprets mindfulness from the point of view of the effects of language and cognition on human action. Relational Frame Theory is described to show how human suffering is created by entanglement with the cognitive networks made possible by language. Mindfulness can be understood as a collection of related processes that function to undermine the dominance of verbal networks, especially involving temporal and evaluative relations. These processes include acceptance, defusion, contact with the present moment, and the transcendent sense of self. Each of these components of mindfulness are targeted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and there is some evidence that they underlie the therapeutic changes induced by this approach. The relation between the present approach to mindfulness and other approaches is discussed.

Follette, Victoria/ Palm, Kathleen M./ Pearson, Adria N. Mindfulness and Trauma: Implications for Treatment. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, 24(1), 45-61.
Abstract: Mindfulness, originally a construct used in Eastern spiritual and philosophical traditions, has found new utility in psychotherapy practice. Mindfulness practice has been recently applied to treatments of several psychological and health related problems, and research is showing successful outcomes in psychological interventions incorporating mindfulness practices. Several schools of psychotherapy have theorized why mindfulness may be an effective intervention. One population which would theoretically be benefited by mindfulness practice in treatment consists of those individuals who have experienced traumatic events and are exhibiting post-traumatic stress disorder and/or related correlates of past trauma. The present paper gives a general review of the application of mindfulness to clinical psychology interventions.  Additionally, we explain how mindfulness is applicable to our integrative behavioral approach to treating trauma and its sequelae. Specifically, this paper will (a) give a general overview of the conceptions and applications of mindfulness to psychology and psychotherapy and provide a brief account of the concepts origins in eastern traditions; (b) discuss the theoretical conceptualization of clinical problems that may relate to the long term correlates of trauma; (c) describe how mindfulness, acceptance and the therapeutic relationship can address trauma symptoms and discuss a modified treatment approach for trauma survivors that incorporates mindfulness and acceptance practices into traditional exposure treatment.

Goleman, Dan, The Varieties of Meditative Experience, New York: Dutton 1977. History of classical meditative practice and analysis of types of meditation

Hammond, Laura/ Wagstaff, Graham F./Cole, Jon. Facilitating Eyewitness Memory in Adults and Children with Context Reinstatement and Focused Meditation. J. Investig. Psych. Offender Profil. 2006, 3, 117–130.
Abstract
This study examined the comparative efficacy of two brief techniques for facilitating eyewitness memory in police investigations. Adult and child participants (N = 126; 64 children and 62 adults) who had viewed a videotape of a crime were subsequently tested for their memory of the event following either a focused meditation procedure (FM, derived from hypnotic interviewing techniques), a context reinstatement procedure (CR, a component of the cognitive interview), or a control procedure (no memory facilitation instructions). For both adults and children, the FM and CR procedures enhanced performance on both open-ended and closed questions to levels above those achieved by controls, although those in the CR condition produced significantly more correct responses than those in the FM condition. However, only those in the CR group displayed elevated levels of confidence in relation to incorrect responses on closed questions. Implications for the possible use of such procedures are discussed.

Henshaw, Harry. Meditation: staying Present to the Now.  Positive Health Jan 2006, 9-10.

Jerath, Ravinder/ Edry, John W./ Barnes, Vernon A./ Jerath, Vandna. Physiology of long pranayamic breathing: Neural respiratory elements may provide a mechanism that explains how slow deep breathing shifts the autonomic nervous system. Medical Hypotheses 2006, 67, 566–571.
Summary Pranayamic breathing, defined as a manipulation of breath movement, has been shown to contribute to a physiologic response characterized by the presence of decreased oxygen consumption, decreased heart rate, and decreased blood pressure, as well as increased theta wave amplitude in EEG recordings, increased parasympathetic activity accompanied by the experience of alertness and reinvigoration. The mechanism of how pranayamic breathing interacts with the nervous system affecting metabolism and autonomic functions remains to be clearly understood. It is our hypothesis that voluntary slow deep breathing functionally resets the autonomic nervous system through stretchinduced inhibitory signals and hyperpolarization currents propagated through both neural and non-neural tissue which synchronizes neural elements in the heart, lungs, limbic system and cortex. During inspiration, stretching of lung tissue produces inhibitory signals by action of slowly adapting stretch receptors (SARs) and hyperpolarization current by action of fibroblasts. Both inhibitory impulses and hyperpolarization current are known to synchronize neural elements leading to the modulation of the nervous system and decreased metabolic activity indicative of the parasympathetic state. In this paper we propose pranayama’s physiologic mechanism through a cellular and systems level perspective, involving both neural and non-neural elements. This theoretical description describes a common physiological mechanism underlying pranayama and elucidate the role of the respiratory and cardiovascular system on modulating the autonomic nervous system. Along with facilitating the design of clinical breathing techniques for the treatment of autonomic nervous system and other disorders, this model will also validate pranayama as a topic requiring more research. 

Kornfield, J. The Healing Path, New York: Bantam 1993 Excellent on meditation & psychotherapy overlaps

Kagan, Leslee/ Dusek, Jeffery A. Mind/body interventions for hot flashes. Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society 2006, 13(5), 727-729.

Kenny, M.A./ Williams, J.M.G. Treatment-resistant depressed patients show a good response to Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy. Behaviour Research and Therapy 2007, 45, 617–625.
Abstract
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a class-based programme designed for use in the prevention of relapse of major depression. Its aim is to teach participants to disengage from those cognitive processes that may render them vulnerable to future episodes. These same cognitive processes are also known to maintain depression once established, hence a clinical audit was conducted to explore the use of MBCT in patients who were currently actively depressed, and who had not responded fully to standard treatments. The study showed that it was acceptable to these patients and resulted in an improvement in depression scores (pre-post Effect Size ¼ 1.04), with a significant proportion of patients returning to normal or near-normal levels of mood.

Krasner, Michael. Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Coming of Age? Families, Systems & Health 2004, 22(2), 207-212.
Mindfulness-based interventions are being reported with increasing frequency in the empirical medical literature. The increased person-centered locus of control reported in A.M. Tacon, Y.M. Caldera, and C. Ronaghan (2004) among breast cancer patients engaged in mindfulness-based stress reduction reflects a medical paradigm that empowers the individual to work with one's own stress, illness, challenges, and demands of daily living. In addition to the clinical applications of mindfulness-based interventions appearing in the literature, and the areas for further investigation and research, it is important to place these interventions in a context in which the practitioner and patients are equally engaged in the intervention. In this way, they both share in a truly participatory, biopsychosocially oriented medicine, where bidirectional healing takes place.

Lazar, Sara W./ Kerr, Catherine E./ Wasserman, Rachel H./ Gray, Jeremy R./ Greve, Douglas N./Treadway, Michael T./ McGarvey, Metta/ Quinn, BrianT./ Dusek, Jeffery A./ Benson, Herbert/ Rauch, Scott L./ Moore, Christopher I./ Fischl, Bruce. Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. NeuroReport 2005, 16, 1893-1897.
Previous research indicates that long-term meditation practice is associated with altered resting electroencephalogram patterns, suggestive of long lasting changes in brain activity. We hypothesized that meditation practice might also be associated with changes in the brain’s physical structure. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cortical thickness in 20 participants with extensive Insight meditation experience, which involves focused attention to internal experiences. Brain regions associated with attention, interoception and sensory processing were thicker in meditation participants than matched controls, including the prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula. Between-group differences in prefrontal cortical thickness were most pronounced in older participants, suggesting that meditation might offset age-related cortical thinning. Finally, the thickness of two regions correlated with meditation experience. These data provide the first structural evidence for experience-dependent corticalplasticity associated with meditation practice.

Lee, Sang Hyuk/ Ahn, Seung Chan/ Lee, Yu Jin/ Choia, Tae Kyu/ Yook, Ki Hwan/ Suh, Shin Young.  Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress management program as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy in patients with anxiety disorder. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2007, 62, 189– 195.
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a meditation-based stress management program in patients with anxiety disorder.
Methods: Patients with anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to an 8-week clinical trial of either a meditation-based stress management program or an anxiety disorder education program. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Symptom Checklist-90—Revised (SCL-90-R) were used to measure outcome at 0, 2, 4, and 8 weeks of the program.
Results: Compared to the education group, the meditation-based stress management group showed significant improvement in scores on all anxiety scales (HAM-A, P=.00; STAI state, P=.00; STAI trait, P=.00; anxiety subscale of SCL-90-R, P=.00) and in the SCL-90-R hostility subscale ( P=.01). Findings on depression measures were inconsistent, with no significant improvement shown by subjects in the meditation-based stress management group compared to those in the education group. The meditation-based stress management group did not show significant improvement in somatization, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, and interpersonal sensitivity scores, or in the SCL-90-R phobic anxiety subscale compared to the education group.
Conclusions: A meditation-based stress management program can be effective in relieving anxiety symptoms in patients with anxiety disorder. However, well-designed, randomized, and controlled trials are needed to scientifically prove the worth of this intervention prior to treatment.

LeShan, L How to Meditate New York: Bantam 1974 Excellent varieties of meditations

Levine, Stephen, Guided Meditations, Explorations and Healing, London: Anchor/Doubleday1991 General discussion

Levine, Stephen, Who Dies?, Bath: Gateway 1986 Excellent discussion on dealing with pain, healing unto death

Lewis, Sheldon. Mindfulness and the Power to Heal. Advances Spring 2004, 20(1), 3.

Macbeth, J. Sun Over Mountain, Bath: Gateway 1991; Macbeth, J. Moon Over Water 1990 Meditations

Mackenzie, Michael J./ Carlson, Linda E./ Munoz, Marleny/ Speca, Michael. A qualitative study of self - perceived effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in a psychosocial oncology setting. Stress and Health (in press) Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com), June 2006.
Summary
Quantitative research has shown Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programmes can reduce mood disturbance, improve quality of life, and decrease stress symptoms of cancer patients. However, the range of subjective effects experienced by programme participants has not been clearly described. Nine cancer patients who had participated in an 8-week MBSR programme through the Tom Baker Cancer Centre’s Department of Psychosocial Resources, and who continued to attend weekly drop-in MBSR sessions were interviewed for this study. Qualitative research was conducted using grounded theory analysis. Data from semi-structured interviews and a focus group were analysed using QSR N6 software to identify themes concerning the effects patients experienced by adding meditation to their lives. Five major themes emerged from the data: (1) opening to change; (2) self-control; (3) shared experience; (4) personal growth; (5) spirituality. This information was used to develop specific theory concerning mechanisms whereby MBSR effects change for cancer patients. These understandings may be used to refine and further develop MBSR programmes to better assist patients during cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

Meditation Practices for Health: State of the Research. Evidence Report/Technology Assessment, Number 155. AHRQ Publication No. 07-E010 June 2007.
Structured Abstract
Objective: To review and synthesize the state of research on a variety of meditation practices, including: the specific meditation practices examined; the research designs employed and the conditions and outcomes examined; the efficacy and effectiveness of different meditation practices for the three most studied conditions; the role of effect modifiers on outcomes; and the effects of meditation on physiological and neuropsychological outcomes.
Data Sources: Comprehensive searches were conducted in 17 electronic databases of medical and psychological literature up to September 2005. Other sources of potentially relevant studies included hand searches, reference tracking, contact with experts, and gray literature searches.
Review Methods: A Delphi method was used to develop a set of parameters to describe meditation practices. Included studies were comparative, on any meditation practice, had more than 10 adult participants, provided quantitative data on health-related outcomes, and published in English. Two independent reviewers assessed study relevance, extracted the data and assessed the methodological quality of the studies.
Results: Five broad categories of meditation practices were identified (Mantra meditation, Mindfulness meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong). Characterization of the universal or supplemental components of meditation practices was precluded by the theoretical and terminological heterogeneity among practices. Evidence on the state of research in meditation practices was provided in 813 predominantly poor-quality studies. The three most studied conditions were hypertension, other cardiovascular diseases, and substance abuse. Sixty-five intervention studies examined the therapeutic effect of meditation practices for these conditions. Meta-analyses based on low-quality studies and small numbers of hypertensive participants showed that TM®, Qi Gong and Zen Buddhist meditation significantly reduced blood pressure. Yoga helped reduce stress. Yoga was no better than Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction at reducing anxiety in patients with cardiovascular diseases. No results from substance abuse studies could be combined. The role of effect modifiers in meditation practices has been neglected in the scientific literature. The physiological and neuropsychological effects of meditation practices have been evaluated in 312 poor-quality studies. Meta-analyses of results from 55 studies indicated that some meditation practices produced significant changes in healthy participants.
Conclusion: Many uncertainties surround the practice of meditation. Scientific research on meditation practices does not appear to have a common theoretical perspective and is characterized by poor methodological quality. Firm conclusions on the effects of meditation practices in healthcare cannot be drawn based on the available evidence. Future research on meditation practices must be more rigorous in the design and execution of studies and in the analysis and reporting of results.

Mindfulness-based psychotherapies: a review of conceptual foundations, empirical evidence and practical considerations. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry Apr 2006, 40(4), 285-294.
Abstract
Objective:  This paper, composed by an interest group of clinicians and researchers based in Melbourne, presents some background to the practice of mindfulness-based therapies as relevant to the general professional reader. We address the empirical evidence for these therapies, the principles through which they might operate, some practical questions facing those wishing to commence practice in this area or to refer patients into mindfulness-based therapies, and some considerations relevant to the conduct and interpretation of research into the therapeutic application of mindfulness.
Method:  Databases (e.g. PsycINFO, MEDLINE) were searched for literature on the impact of mindfulness interventions, and the psychological and biological mechanisms that underpin the effects of mindfulness practice. This paper also draws upon the clinical experience of the author group.
Results:  Mindfulness practice and principles have their origins in many contemplative and philosophical traditions but individuals can effectively adopt the training and practice of mindfulness in the absence of such traditions or vocabulary. A recent surge of interest regarding mindfulness in therapeutic techniques can be attributed to the publication of some well-designed empirical evaluations of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Arising from this as well as a broader history of clinical integration of mindfulness and Western psychotherapies, a growing number of clinicians have interest and enthusiasm to learn the techniques of mindfulness and to integrate them into their therapeutic work. This review highlights the importance of accurate professional awareness and understanding of mindfulness and its therapeutic applications.
Conclusions: The theoretical and empirical literatures on therapeutic applications of mindfulness are in states of significant growth and development. This group suggests, based on this review, that the combination of some well-developed conceptual models for the...

Monti, Daniel A./ Peterson, Caroline/ Shakin Kunkel, Elisabeth J./ Hauck, Walter W./ Pequignot, Edward/ Rhodes, Lora/ Brauinard, George C. A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy (MBAT) For Women with Cancer. Psycho-Oncology 2006, 15, 363–373.
Summary
The purpose of this study was to gather data on the efficacy of a newly developed psychosocial group intervention for cancer patients, called mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT). One hundred and eleven women with a variety of cancer diagnoses were paired by age and randomized to either an eight-week MBAT intervention group or a wait-list control group. Ninety-three participants (84%) completed both the pre- and post-study measurements. As compared to the control group, the MBAT group demonstrated a significant decrease in symptoms of distress (as measured by the Symptoms Checklist-90-Revised) and significant improvements in key aspects of health-related quality of life (as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey). This investigation of MBAT provides initial encouraging data that support a possible future role for the intervention as a psychosocial treatment option for cancer patients.

Oman, Doug/ Hedberg, John/ Thoresen, Carl E. Passage Meditation Reduces Perceived Stress in Health Professionals: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2006, 74(4), 714–719.
The authors evaluated an 8-week, 2-hr per week training for physicians, nurses, chaplains, and other health professionals using nonsectarian, spiritually based self-management tools based on passage meditation (E. Easwaran, 1978/1991). Participants were randomized to intervention (n = 27) or waiting list (n = 31). Pretest, posttest, and 8- and 19-week follow-up data were gathered on 8 measures, including perceived stress, burnout, mental health, and psychological well-being. Aggregated across examinations, beneficial treatment effects were observed on stress ( p = .0013) and mental health ( p = .03). Treatment effects on stress were mediated by adherence to practices ( p = .05). Stress reductions remained large at 19 weeks (84% of the pretest standard deviation, p = .006). Evidence suggests this program reduces stress and may enhance mental health.

Ott, Mary Jane/ Norris, Rebecca L./ Bauer-Wu, Susan M. Mindfulness Meditation for Oncology Patients: A Discussion and Critical Review. Integrative Cancer Therapies 2006, 5(2), 98-108.
The purpose of this article is to (1) provide a comprehensive overview and discussion of mindfulness meditation and its clinical applicability in oncology and (2) report and critically evaluate the existing and emerging research on mindfulness meditation as an intervention for cancer patients. Using relevant keywords, a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and Ovid was completed along with a review of published abstracts from the annual conferences sponsored by the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society and the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. Each article and abstract was critiqued and systematically assessed for purpose statement or research questions, study design, sample size, characteristics of subjects, characteristics of mindfulness intervention, outcomes, and results. The search produced 9 research articles published in the past 5 years and 5 conference abstracts published in 2004. Most studies were conducted with breast and prostate cancer patients, and the mindfulness intervention was done in a clinic-based group setting. Consistent benefits— improved psychological functioning, reduction of stress symptoms, enhanced coping and well-being in cancer outpatients —were found. More research in this area is warranted: using randomized, controlled designs, rigorous methods, and different cancer diagnoses and treatment settings; expanding outcomes to include quality of life, physiological, health care use, and health-related outcomes; exploring mediating factors; and discerning dose effects and optimal frequency and length of home practice. Mindfulness meditation has clinically relevant implications to alleviate psychological and physical suffering of persons living with cancer. Use of this behavioral intervention for oncology patients is an area of burgeoning interest to clinicians and researchers.

Parks, George A./ Marlatt, G. Alan/ Bowen,  Sarah W./ Dillworth, Tiara M./ Witkiewitz, Katie/ Larimer, Mary/ Blume, Arthur/ Simpson, Tracy L./ Lonczak, Heather/ MacPherson, Laura Marie/ Murphy, David/ Meijer, Lucia. The University of Washington Vipassana Meditation Research Project at the North Rehabilitation Facility. American Jails Magazine July/Aug 2003.

Promotion of mindfulness in psychotherapists in training and treatment results of their patients. Letter to the Editor / Journal of Psychosomatic Research 2006, 60, 649 – 650.

Rew, Lynn. Contemplation A Vital Step in the Process of Change. Journal of Holistic Nursing Mar 2004, 22(1), 3-5.

Rosenbaum, Elana. Here for Now: Living Well With Cancer Through Mindfulness. Hardwick, MA: Satya House Publications 2005.

Rothwell, Neil. The Different Facets of Mindfulness. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Spring 2006, 24(1), 79-86.
Abstract: This afterword considers both the commonalities and differences in the approaches to mindfulness described in these two special journal issues. The approaches can be divided into those derived from scientific analysis and those taking a more experiential-humanistic perspective. These two perspectives generate different therapeutic strategies, which appear to have the same underlying principle. The question of whether practitioners should have a personal mindfulness practice is then considered. It is suggested that mindfulness is a holistic intervention. Finally, there are some personal reflections on running mindfulness courses.

Ryback, David. Self-Determination and the Neurology of Mindfulness. Journal of Humanistic Psychology Oct 2006, 46(4), 474-493.

Segal, Zindel V/ Williams, J. Mark G./ Teasdale, John D. Combining Cognitive, Emotional, Behavioural  and, Dare We Say It, The Spiritual: A Review of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse. New York, NY: Guilford Press 2002.

Sharts-Hopko, Nancy C. Personal and Professional Impact of a Course on Contemplative Practices in Health and Illness. Holist Nurs Pract 2007, 21(1), 3–9.
A nursing graduate course focused on the impact of alternative healing modalities, particularly those that are contemplative in nature, on their professional and personal lives demonstrated that up to 4 years later students found the content to be of value. Suggestions for incorporation of CAM in mainstream nursing courses are shared.

Shigaki, Cheryl L./ Glass, Bret/ Schopp, Laura H. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Medical Settings. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings Sept 2006, 13(3), 209-216.
Meditation, as a psychological intervention, has become of increasing interest to psychologists who conduct clinical research with or provide clinical services to medical populations. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a manualized program which teaches a variety of meditation techniques and has frequently been used in medical settings with mixed medical populations. The following is a review of the literature, which provides preliminary support for the effectiveness of MBSR in specific medical populations, including persons with chronic pain, cancer and heart disease. Despite these encouraging findings, experts agree that continued research is needed, especially controlled studies with more rigorous methodology.

Singh, Nirbhay N./ Singh, Subhashni D./ Sabaawi, Mohamed/ Myers, Rachel E./ Wahler, Robert G. Enhancing Treatment Team Process Through Mindfulness-Based Mentoring in an Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital. Behavior Modification July 2006, 30(4), 423-441.
The authors investigated changes in treatment team functioning in an adult inpatient psychiatric hospital after the implementation of a mindfulness-based mentoring intervention. Using a multiple baseline across treatment teams design, the authors assessed levels of functioning of three treatment teams using a 50-item rating scale and then introduced mindfulness-based mentoring successively across the treatment teams. Following intervention, four follow-up assessments at 3-month intervals were undertaken to assess the durability of the enhanced treatment team functioning levels in the absence of mentoring. Results showed that with the introduction of mindfulness based mentoring, treatment team performance was enhanced, patients’ attendance at therapeutic groups and individual therapy sessions was maximized, and patient and staff satisfaction with treatment team functioning was substantially increased, with patient satisfaction showing greater gains than staff satisfaction. Mindfulness-based mentoring may be an efficient and effective intervention for enhancing and maintaining the performance of treatment teams in adult psychiatric hospitals.

Singh, Nirbhay N./ Lancioni, Giulo E./ Winton, Alan S.W./ Fisher, Barbara C./ Wahler, Robert G./ McAleavey, Kristen/ Singh, Judy/ Sabaawi, Mohamed. Mindful Parenting Decreases Aggression, Noncompliance, and Self-Injury in Children With Autism. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Fall 2006, (14)3, 169 – 177.
Parent–child transactions provide an important social context for the development of adaptive and problem behaviors in young children with autism. Teaching parents to develop alternative transactional pathways often leads to positive behavioral patterns in their children. We taught three parents the philosophy and practice of mindfulness in a 12-week course and assessed the outcome of the training on their children’s behavior. In addition, the mothers rated satisfaction with their parenting skills and interactions with their children. Results showed that the mothers’ mindful parenting decreased their children’s aggression, noncompliance, and self-injury and increased the mothers’ satisfaction with their parenting skills and interactions with their children. We speculated on the possible reasons for the efficacy of mindful parenting in decreasing the children’s problem behaviors without the application of specific, programmed contingencies for the children’s behavior.

Smith, P. and Smith, G. Meditation: A Treasury of Technique, Saffron Walden: C. W. Daniel 1989 Excellent varieties of meditations, beautifully illustrated

Suplee, Amy L. The Art of Letting Go A Taoist Approach. Positive Health Nov 2006, 14-17.

The Benefits of Mindfulness. Harvard Women's Health Watch Feb 2004, 11(6).

Vujanovic, Anka A./ Zvolensky, Michael J./ Bernstein, Amit/ Feldner, Matthew T./ McLeish, Alison C. A test of the interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity and mindfulness in the prediction of anxious arousal, agoraphobic cognitions, and body vigilance. Behaviour Research and Therapy June 2006, 45(6), 1393-1400.
Abstract
The present investigation sought to examine the interactive effects of anxiety sensitivity [AS; Reiss, S., & McNally, R. J. (1985). Expectancy model of fear. In S. Reiss, & R. R. Bootzin (Eds.), Theoretical issues in behavior therapy (pp. 107–121). San Diego: Academic Press] and mindfulness [Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefit of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 822–848] in predicting panic-relevant processes. A community sample of 248 individuals participated in the study by completing a battery of self-report instruments. Consistent with prediction, the interaction between AS and mindfulness significantly predicted anxious arousal symptoms and agoraphobic cognitions, above and beyond the individual main effects, and did not significantly predict an hedonic depression symptoms. Contrary to prediction, the AS by mindfulness interaction did not significantly predict body vigilance. Theoretical implications are discussed and future directions are delineated.

Walach, Harald/ Buchheld, Nina/ Buttenmüller, Valentin/ Kleinknecht, Norman/ Schmidt, Stefan. Measuring mindfulness—the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). Personality and Individual Differences 2006, 40, 1543–1555.
Abstract
Mindfulness, a concept originally derived from Buddhist psychology, is essential for some well-known clinical interventions. Therefore an instrument for measuring mindfulness is useful. We report here on two studies constructing and validating the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI) including a short form. A preliminary questionnaire was constructed through expert interviews and extensive literature analysis and tested in 115 subjects attending mindfulness meditation retreats. This psychometrically sound 30-item scale with an internal consistency of Cronbach alpha = .93 was able to significantly demonstrate the increase in mindfulness after the retreat and to discriminate between experienced and novice meditators. In a second study we broadened the scope of the concept to 86 subjects without meditation experience, 117 subjects with clinical problems, and 54 participants from retreats. Reducing the scale to a short form with 14 items resulted in a semantically robust and psychometrically stable (alpha = .86) form.

Wallace, B. Alan/ Shapiro, Shauna L. Mental Balance and Well-Being Building Bridges Between Buddhism and Western Psychology. American Psychologist 2006, 61(7), 690-701.
Clinical psychology has focused primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of mental disease, and only recently has scientific attention turned to understanding and cultivating positive mental health. The Buddhist tradition, on the other hand, has focused for over 2,500 years on cultivating exceptional states of mental well-being as well as identifying and treating psychological problems. This article attempts to draw on centuries of Buddhist experiential and theoretical inquiry as well as current Western experimental research to highlight specific themes that are particularly relevant to exploring the nature of mental health. Specifically, the authors discuss the nature of mental well-being and then present an innovative model of how to attain such well-being through the cultivation of four types of mental balance: conative, attentional, cognitive, and affective.

Walsh, Roger/ Victor, Bruce/Bitner, Robin. Emotional Effects of Sertraline: Novel Findings Revealed by Meditation. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 2006, 76(1), 134–137.
Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors continues to increase, as does concern about previously unrecognized, subtle side effects and questions about whether these drugs produce effects on healthy subjects. The authors report novel emotional effects identified by an experienced, psychologically healthy meditator who is a psychiatrist and researcher. On a meditation retreat, the subject identified a specific profile of emotional changes related to sertraline use. In particular, cognitive abilities and the emotions of fear and anger seemed unaffected. However, the emotions of sadness, happiness, rapture, and love were dramatically reduced in intensity and duration.

Walton, Kenneth G./ Schneider,Robert H./ Salerno, John W./ Nidich, Sanford I. Psychosocial Stress and Cardiovascular Disease Part 3: Clinical and Policy Implications of Research on the Transcendental Meditation Program. Behavioral Medicine 2005, Vol. 30, 173-183.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in the United States today and a major contributor to total health care costs. Psychosocial stress has been implicated in CVD, and psychosocial approaches to primary and secondary prevention are gaining research support. This third article in the series on psychosocial stress and CVD continues the evaluation of one such approach, the Maharishi Transcendental Meditation® program, a psychophysiological approach from the Vedic tradition that is systematically taught by qualified teachers throughout the world. Evidence suggests not only that this program can provide benefits in prevention but also that it may reduce CVD-related and other health care expenses. On the basis of data from the studies available to date, the Transcendental Meditation program may be responsible for reductions of 80% or greater in medical insurance claims and payments to physicians. This article evaluates the implications of research on the Transcendental Meditation program for health care policy and for large scale clinical implementation of the program. The Transcendental Meditation program can be used by individuals of any ethnic or cultural background, and compliance with the practice regimen is generally high. The main steps necessary for wider adoption appear to be: (1) educating health care providers and patients about the nature and expected benefits of the program, and (2) adjustments in public policies at the state and national levels to allow this program to be included in private and public health insurance plans.

Wells, Adrian. Detached Mindfulness in Cognitive Therapy: A Metacognitive Analysis and Ten Techniques. Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Winter 2005, 23(4), 337-355.
Abstract: This paper describes the nature and information processing requirements of detached mindfulness. The construct emerged from the selfregulatory information processing theory of emotional disorder (Wells & Matthews, 1994), and is viewed as a metacognitive state that facilitates change in core underlying pathological processes. Detached mindfulness has multiple components, requiring the activation of metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive monitoring and control, suspension of conceptual processing, attentional flexibility, and a de-centered relationship with thoughts. A model of the cognitive structures and processes supporting the state is presented. Implications of the model for the scientific development and effective use of mindfulness techniques are discussed. Ten techniques for rapidly achieving detached mindfulness in the course of metacognitive therapy are described.

Wright, Jonathan J./ Sadlo, Gaynor/ Stew, Graham. Challenge-Skills and Mindfulness: An Exploration of the Conundrum of Flow Process. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health Winter 2006, 26(1), 25-32.
Abstract
The process of flow, a psychological state that seems to occur during optimal human experience, is currently unclear. This exploratory study examines how flow begins and what happens during and after a flow experience. A phenomenological approach was taken to examine the flow experiences of an artist, a musician, and a horticulturist. Participants kept journals and participated in semi-structured interviews. The results suggest that two phenomena, “challenge-skills” and “mindfulness,” were identified as being “flow” experiences. Challenge-skills and mindfulness had some common features. Both involved living in the present moment, not worrying, and performing activities because they were intrinsically rewarding. They were distinctly different experiences in regard to the effort involved, the perception of time, and the consequences of the experience. Understanding the process of challenge-skills and mindfulness may have implications for our understanding of the relationship between occupation, consciousness, and health and for occupational therapy practice.

Wright, Leonard D. Meditation: A New Role for an Old Friend. American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine Aug/Sept 2006, 23(4), 323-327.
Meditation has been a spiritual and healing tradition for centuries. In 1972, Keith Wallace and Herbert Benson published a landmark article looking at meditation from a scientific perspective. The author reviewed their article, plus selected scientific literature on meditation since that time, to see if there was enough evidence to warrant the inclusion of meditation in the treatment protocols of serious disease. This review, plus an illustrative case study, demonstrated that such inclusion is warranted and further research is necessary.

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