title: [Religious/spiritual well-being in mentally ill persons III: first results of a body-centered awareness meditation for in-patient rehabilitation].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In recent years, positive effects of religiosity and spirituality on mental health can be found as well documented in the literature. However, very few studies have examined the effects of a spiritually based therapeutic intervention among psychiatric patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this reason, in this pilot study we examined the effectiveness of a morning body-centered meditation in comparison to a conventional morning walk in regards to subjective well-being and stress coping styles in 44 (26 females) randomly assigned psychiatric in-patients (according to ICD 10). The patients' amount of subjective well-being as well as their coping ability was assessed at the beginning and at the end of a 6 weeks therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thereby we found a significant increase in Religious/Spiritual Well-Being, Awareness and more adequate Coping strategies. This was paralleled by a decrease of psychiatric symptoms. Overall the general assumption of a positive association between spirituality and mental health was affirmed. However, we did not find any differences between the two treatment methods (meditation vs. morning walk).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both interventions showed the same positive efficacy. Based on these initial results, possibilities and boundaries for the integration of religious/spiritual issues into the treatment of psychiatric patients are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Integrative Suchtforschung (Verein Grüner Kreis), Wien, Österreich, human.unterrainer@uni-graz.at.
authors.forename: Human-Friedrich
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Unterrainer
authors.forename: Andreas J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Eisner
authors.forename: Ewald
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pollheimer
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ackermann
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kapfhammer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019222:Mind-Body Relations, Metaphysical; D064866:Mindfulness; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D029181:Spirituality; D016138:Walking / Q000523:psychology