Effectiveness and Risk Factors in Mindfulness Meditation.

INTRODUCTION: Our research dealt with the evaluation of the effectiveness and risk factors present in interventions based on mindfulness meditation. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between participant factors-the presence of physical illness, mental illness and trauma, aversive childhood experiences; program factors-the intensity and frequency of meditation; and teacher factors -competence. Subsequently, we evaluated how they affect the occurrence and interpretation of meditation experiences. METHODS: A total of 52 participants participated in this research, which was an administrative form consisting of several questionnaires: the Short Adverse Childhood Experience Measure (SACEM), Meditation Experience Scale (MES), and Assessment of Mindfulness Teacher (AMT). RESULTS: Higher ratings of teachers' competence has a positive impact on the interpretation of meditation-related experiences. We found that the tendency towards negative assessment to a varying degree occurred in individuals with physical illness, mental illness, trauma and aversive childhood experiences, with a higher incidence of challenging experiences. The childhood abuse group seemed to be the most serious in this respect, which could be partly explained by the low-rated competence of the teacher's mindfulness of meditation. DISCUSSION: The results may provoke reflection on the process that takes place between the participants and the teacher leading the mindfulness-based intervention. The study results may serve as a suggestion for improving the mindfulness process and the competences of teachers themselves. They can provide preliminary information on what aspects of mindfulness intervention could be given more emphasis in order to increase its effectiveness, both for the benefit of the provider and the recipients.

Stress and hair cortisol concentrations in nurses during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline healthcare workers have been exposed to very stressful conditions. Measuring hair cortisol concentrations (HCCs), which reflect the integrated long-term cortisol levels, may elucidate the impact of COVID-19 related stress on healthcare professionals. In the current study, we investigated experienced stress in 693 healthcare workers, with hair samples for cortisol analysis collected from a subset of 67 female nurses. The HCCs in two 3 cm hair segments corresponding to periods before and during the peak of the first wave of COVID-19 were compared. To evaluate the effect of working in the first line, the sample was divided into two groups based on the COVID-19 risk estimated by the nurses. Covariates in the model included perceived stress (PSS), perceived social support (MSPSS), and quality of sleep (PSQI) measured via an online questionnaire. The data showed that more than 75% of healthcare workers agreed that COVID-19 led to increased stress at their workplace. The hair cortisol analysis showed higher HCCs in the hair segments corresponding to the time of the pandemic compared to hair corresponding to an earlier period (partial η290%CI = 0.123-0.397); in the same model, higher HCCs were also found in nurses from high-risk environments compared to low-risk ones (partial η290%CI = 0.002-0.176). None of the subjective questionnaire measures were significant predictors of HCCs. In conclusion, these data showed that HCCs reflect the increased stress among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the difference in nurses between high- and low-risk environments.

Neuroendocrine responses to a psychosocial stress test for larger groups of participants: comparison of two test exposures.

Objective. Individual stress tests characterized by social evaluative threat and uncontrollability are known to elicit strong neuroendocrine responses. We tested whether a psychosocial stressor submitted to a larger group of participants (up to 60) may elicit comparable stress responses.Methods. A total of 59 adult subjects (33 women, 26 men) participated in the study, whereas 24 of them suffered from allergy and 35 were healthy. The stress test consisted of a distraction stress task followed by a speech task, in which the participants were randomly subjected to questions related to a topic that they had to prepare as well as arithmetic questions in front of their peers and a committee that responded in standardized and non-supporting manner. State and trait anxiety inventory (STAI) for anxiety state was administrated before and after the test and salivary samples taking. The test was repeated after five months.Results. The results showed that the shared psychosocial stress application in a larger group of subjects was prosperous. The larger group test (LGST) resulted in an enhanced subjectively experienced stress and an intensive sympathetic nervous system activation, reflected by elevated salivary alpha-amylase activity and the heart rate. The cortisol increment after exposure to the stress test was not significant. Repeated exposure to the test failed to reproduce the original stress responses with exception of the heart rate rise.Conclusions. In a larger group of subjects, the psychosocial stress test did elicit stress responses similar to the individual stress tests. Our data indicate that the above-mentioned stress test is apparently not an appropriate approach for the repeated use.