Stress reduction through mindfulness meditation. Effects on psychological symptomatology, sense of control, and spiritual experiences.
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.
Astin
J A
JA
Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, USA.
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome