Mindfulness is a form of mental training wherein metacognitive awareness, attention control and an attitude of non-reactivity are cultivated. Applied to managing of emotions, mindfulness can be considered an emotion regulation strategy. Only a few developmental studies explored the direct link between mindfulness and emotion regulation and they were limited to Western cultural context. Additionally, …
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Developing and testing the effectiveness of a self-compassion intervention for beginning teachers
The first year of teaching can be extremely challenging. Novice teachers face a wide-range of worries and disappointments, which can sap motivation, and lead to burnout and exiting the profession. The current research seeks to design and evaluate contemplative exercises that curb this “burnout cascade” during the transition into teaching. We propose that a brief …
A randomized control trial of an in-person vs. ehealth mindfulness-based intervention for adolescents with chronic illness
This study will compare the efficacy of a mindfulness meditation program for adolescents with chronic health conditions delivered either in person or via eHealth. The eight-week mindfulness program, called Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents (MARS-A) will combine various meditation practices, group discussions and inquiry. Participants will be recruited from different general and sub-specialty …
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and early life abuse: Does attenuating inflammation reduce depressive symptoms and interpersonal dysfunction?
Early life abuse (ELA) is a risk factor for depression and interpersonal problems in adulthood. Frequent exposure to stress early in life leads to enduring changes in neurobiological systems that regulate stress and emotion. In particular, chronic low-grade inflammation—resulting from sustained activation of the immune system in response to stress—may be a key biological mechanism …
Mindfulness in the context of intractable intergroup conflicts: Can mindfulness practice help overcome barriers to conflict resolution?
Negative intergroup emotions and political perceptions play a crucial role in fueling intergroup conflicts. Recent studies demonstrate the benefits of using clinical research on emotion regulation to inform intergroup relations research. By employing effective ways to temper extreme negative group-based emotions, researchers are able to strengthen attitudes and views that promote reconciliation. We suggest that …
Impacts of yoga on self-regulation and emotion regulation in preschool education
Yoga generally involves movement sequences, breath regulation, and various techniques to improve attention. Yoga has helped adults and youth with low self-regulation (SR) and emotional regulation (ER) significantly improve in their ability to confront adversity with greater resilience. It has been postulated to exercise the neural connections involved in having children more efficiently engage in …
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(Epi)genetic biomarkers of a school-based mindfulness program
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are programs designed to improve psychological well-being, based on the practice of mindful awareness. One such MBI is the MindUP program, which is a school-based program designed for middle school students implemented by classroom teachers. MindUP has been shown to enhance indices of psychological well-being. Our team is interested in understanding how …
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1992 Mind & Life Dialogue IV
The topic of this Dialogue focuses on the delicate areas of sleeping, dreaming, and dying. The meeting brings to discussion those “marginal states” in which our habitual, reified sense of personal identity is challenged, and in which concomitantly a host of phenomena of great significance for human existence become intensified or are made manifest. Current …
2000 Mind & Life Dialogue VIII
This Dialogue explores a perennial human predicament: the nature and destructive potential of “negative” emotions; for example, when jealousy turns into murderous rage. The Buddhist tradition has long pointed out that recognizing and transforming negative emotions lies at the heart of spiritual practice. From the perspective of science, these same emotional states pose a perplexing …
2008 Mind & Life Dialogue XVI
This Dialogue reviews the current science and clinical applications of meditation, and identifies new lines of research on clinical applications of contemplative practices such as meditation within medicine. New scientific studies are beginning to show that meditation may have specific beneficial effects for helping patients cope with certain diseases and the stress associated with them, …
