Mindfulness and Psychology
Excerpted from Wikipedia, January 2014:
Mindfulness as a psychological concept is the focusing of attention and awareness, based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation.[1] It has been popularised in the West by Jon Kabat-Zinn.[2] Despite its roots in Buddhism, mindfulness is often taught independently of religion.[3][4]
Clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people suffering from a variety of psychological conditions,[5]
Since 2006 research supports promising mindfulness-based therapies for a number of medical and psychiatric conditions, notably chronic pain(McCracken et al. 2007), stress (Grossman et al. 2004), anxiety and depression (Hofmann et al. 2010), substance abuse (Melemis 2008:141-157), and recurrent suicidal behavior (Williams et al. 2006). Bell (2009) gives a brief overview of mindful approaches to therapy, particularly family therapy, starting with a discussion of mysticism and emphasizing the value of a mindful therapist.
A comprehensive 2013 meta-analysis of mindfulness-based therapy concluded that it was "an effective treatment for a variety of psychological problems, and is especially effective for reducing anxiety, depression, and stress."[6]
Mindfulness as a psychological concept is the focusing of attention and awareness, based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation.[1] It has been popularised in the West by Jon Kabat-Zinn.[2] Despite its roots in Buddhism, mindfulness is often taught independently of religion.[3][4]
Clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people suffering from a variety of psychological conditions,[5]
Since 2006 research supports promising mindfulness-based therapies for a number of medical and psychiatric conditions, notably chronic pain(McCracken et al. 2007), stress (Grossman et al. 2004), anxiety and depression (Hofmann et al. 2010), substance abuse (Melemis 2008:141-157), and recurrent suicidal behavior (Williams et al. 2006). Bell (2009) gives a brief overview of mindful approaches to therapy, particularly family therapy, starting with a discussion of mysticism and emphasizing the value of a mindful therapist.
A comprehensive 2013 meta-analysis of mindfulness-based therapy concluded that it was "an effective treatment for a variety of psychological problems, and is especially effective for reducing anxiety, depression, and stress."[6]
Definitions
Several definitions of mindfulness have been used in modern psychology. According to various prominent psychological definitions, Mindfulnessrefers to a psychological quality that involves
bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis,[7]
or involves
paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally,[7]
or involves
a kind of nonelaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling, or sensation that arises in the attentional field is acknowledged and accepted as it is.[8]
Bishop, Lau, and colleagues (2004)[9] offered a two-component model of mindfulness:
The first component [of mindfulness] involves the self-regulation of attention so that it is maintained on immediate experience, thereby allowing for increased recognition of mental events in the present moment. The second component involves adopting a particular orientation toward one’s experiences in the present moment, an orientation that is characterized by curiosity, openness, and acceptance.[9]:232
In this two-component model, self-regulated attention (the first component) involves conscious awareness of one's current thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, which can result in metacognitive skills for controlling concentration.[10] Orientation to experience (the second component) involves accepting one's mindstream, maintaining open and curious attitudes, and thinking in alternative categories (developing upon Ellen Langer's research on decision-making). Training in mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices, oftentimes as part of a quiet meditation session, results in the development of a Beginner's mind, or, looking at experiences as if for the first time.
Practicing mindfulness can help people to begin to recognise their habitual patterns of mind, which have developed out of awareness over time[11] and this allows practitioners to respond in new rather than habitual ways to their life.[11]
References
bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis,[7]
or involves
paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally,[7]
or involves
a kind of nonelaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling, or sensation that arises in the attentional field is acknowledged and accepted as it is.[8]
Bishop, Lau, and colleagues (2004)[9] offered a two-component model of mindfulness:
The first component [of mindfulness] involves the self-regulation of attention so that it is maintained on immediate experience, thereby allowing for increased recognition of mental events in the present moment. The second component involves adopting a particular orientation toward one’s experiences in the present moment, an orientation that is characterized by curiosity, openness, and acceptance.[9]:232
In this two-component model, self-regulated attention (the first component) involves conscious awareness of one's current thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, which can result in metacognitive skills for controlling concentration.[10] Orientation to experience (the second component) involves accepting one's mindstream, maintaining open and curious attitudes, and thinking in alternative categories (developing upon Ellen Langer's research on decision-making). Training in mindfulness and mindfulness-based practices, oftentimes as part of a quiet meditation session, results in the development of a Beginner's mind, or, looking at experiences as if for the first time.
Practicing mindfulness can help people to begin to recognise their habitual patterns of mind, which have developed out of awareness over time[11] and this allows practitioners to respond in new rather than habitual ways to their life.[11]
References
- Chiesa, Alberto; Calati, Raffaella; Serretti, Alessandro (2011). "Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings". Clinical Psychology Review 31 (3): 449–64. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.11.003. PMID 21183265.
- "The Stress Reduction Program, founded by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979..." - umassmed.edu
- "Kabat-Zinn (2000) suggests that the practice of mindfulness may be beneficial to many people in Western society who might be unwilling to adopt Buddhist traditions or vocabulary. Thus, Western researchers and clinicians who have introduced mindfulness practice into mental health treatment programs usually teach these skills independently of the religious and cultural traditions of their origins (Kabat-Zinn, 1982;Linehan, 1993b)." - Mindfulness Training as a Clinical Intervention: A Conceptual and Empirical Review by Ruth A. Baer
- "Historically a Buddhist practice, mindfulness can be considered a universal human capacity proposed to foster clear thinking and open-heartedness. As such, this form of meditation requires no particular religious or cultural belief system." - Mindfulness in Medicine by Ludwig and Kabat-Zinn, available at jama.ama-assn.org
- Grossman (2004).
- Khoury, Bassam; Lecomte, Tania; Fortin, Guillaume; Masse, Marjolaine; Therien, Phillip; Bouchard, Vanessa; Chapleau, Marie-Andrée; Paquin, Karine et al. (2013). "Mindfulness-based therapy: A comprehensive meta-analysis". Clinical Psychology Review 33 (6): 763–71. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2013.05.005. PMID 23796855.
- "Mindfulness is a way of paying attention that originated in Eastern meditation practices. It has been described as “bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis” (Marlatt & Kristeller, 1999, p. 68) and as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 4)" - Mindfulness Training as a Clinical Intervention: A Conceptual and Empirical Review, by Ruth A. Baer, available athttp://www.wisebrain.org/papers/MindfulnessPsyTx.pdf
- "a kind of nonelaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling, or sensation that arises in the attentional field is acknowledged and accepted as it is" - Bishop et al. (2004:232)
- Scott R. Bishop, Mark Lau, Shauna Shapiro, Linda Carlson, Nicole D. Anderson, James Carmody, Zindel V. Segal, Susan Abbey, Michael Speca, Drew Velting & Gerald Devins (2004). "Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition". Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice 11(3): 230–241. doi:10.1093/clipsy.bph077. ISSN 0969-5893. (see also this page's bibliography)
- Teasdale, John D. (1999). "Metacognition, Mindfulness and the Modification of Mood Disorders". Psychiatric journal (PDF). Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy. p. 10. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
- "Mindfulness and Integrative Psychotherapy". Retrieved 25 March 2012.
Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment therapy or ACT (typically pronounced as the word "act") is a form of clinical behavior analysis (CBA)[1] used in psychotherapy. It is an empirically-based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies mixed in different ways[2] with commitment and behavior-change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. The approach was originally called comprehensive distancing.[3] It was developed in the late 1980s[4] by Steven C. Hayes, Kelly G. Wilson, and Kirk Strosahl.[5]ACT differs from traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in that rather than trying to teach people to better control their thoughts, feelings, sensations, memories and other private events, ACT teaches them to "just notice," accept, and embrace their private events, especially previously unwanted ones.
ACT helps the individual get in contact with a transcendent sense of self known as "self-as-context"—the you that is always there observing and experiencing and yet distinct from one's thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories. ACT aims to help the individual clarify their personal values and to take action on them, bringing more vitality and meaning to their life in the process, increasing their psychological flexibility.[3]
While Western psychology has typically operated under the "healthy normality" assumption which states that by their nature, humans are psychologically healthy, ACT assumes, rather, that psychological processes of a normal human mind are often destructive.[6] The core conception of ACT is that psychological suffering is usually caused by experiential avoidance, cognitive entanglement, and resulting psychological rigidity that leads to a failure to take needed behavioral steps in accord with core values. As a simple way to summarize the model, ACT views the core of many problems to be due to the concepts represented in the acronym, FEAR:
ACT commonly employs six core principles to help clients develop psychological flexibility:[6]
References
ACT helps the individual get in contact with a transcendent sense of self known as "self-as-context"—the you that is always there observing and experiencing and yet distinct from one's thoughts, feelings, sensations, and memories. ACT aims to help the individual clarify their personal values and to take action on them, bringing more vitality and meaning to their life in the process, increasing their psychological flexibility.[3]
While Western psychology has typically operated under the "healthy normality" assumption which states that by their nature, humans are psychologically healthy, ACT assumes, rather, that psychological processes of a normal human mind are often destructive.[6] The core conception of ACT is that psychological suffering is usually caused by experiential avoidance, cognitive entanglement, and resulting psychological rigidity that leads to a failure to take needed behavioral steps in accord with core values. As a simple way to summarize the model, ACT views the core of many problems to be due to the concepts represented in the acronym, FEAR:
- Fusion with your thoughts
- Evaluation of experience
- Avoidance of your experience
- Reason-giving for your behavior
- Accept your reactions and be present
- Choose a valued direction
- Take action
ACT commonly employs six core principles to help clients develop psychological flexibility:[6]
- Cognitive defusion: Learning methods to reduce the tendency to reify thoughts, images, emotions, and memories.
- Acceptance: Allowing thoughts to come and go without struggling with them.
- Contact with the present moment: Awareness of the here and now, experienced with openness, interest, and receptiveness.
- Observing the self: Accessing a transcendent sense of self, a continuity of consciousness which is unchanging.
- Values: Discovering what is most important to one's true self.[7]
- Committed action: Setting goals according to values and carrying them out responsibly.
References
- Jennifer C Plumb, Ian Stewart, Galway JoAnne Dahl, Tobias Lundgren (Spring 2009). "In Search of Meaning: Values in Modern Clinical Behavior Analysis". Behav Anal. 32 (1): 85–103.
- Hayes, Steven. "Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)". ContextualPsychology.org.
- Zettle, Robert D. (2005). "The Evolution of a Contextual Approach to Therapy: From Comprehensive Distancing to ACT". International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy 1 (2): 77–89.
- Murdock, N. L. (2009). Theories of counseling and psychotherapy: A case approach. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Merrill/Pearson
- "Getting in on the Act - The Irish Times - Tue, Jun 07, 2011". The Irish Times. 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
- Harris, Russ (August 2006). "Embracing your demons: an overview of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy". Psychotherapy in Australia 12 (4): 2–8.
- Robb, Hank (2007). "Values as Leading Principles in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy". International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy 3 (1): 118–23.
