Improving Mental Health and Well-Being through Informal Mindfulness Practices: An Intervention Study.

BACKGROUND: Mindfulness-based programs have been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, and enhancing well-being. However, it remains unclear whether longer formal mindfulness practices are necessary to obtain such results. We therefore aimed to assess the effectiveness of a program (FOVEA, 8 weeks, 2h/week) which was only based on brief and informal practices. METHODS: Using a switching replication design, participants (N = 139) were assigned to a FOVEA or a wait-list group, and completed the following self-report questionnaires online at three time points: perceived stress, anxiety, depression, satisfaction with life (dependent variables), and mindfulness (mediating variable). They also completed a daily practice diary. RESULTS: Relative to the wait-list group, FOVEA participants showed significantly reduced perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, and increased satisfaction with life. These changes were completely mediated by increased mindfulness, and were maintained 2.5 months after the end of the program. The effect sizes were moderate to large. CONCLUSIONS: These results underline the potential benefits of a mindfulness informal practices program for the general population. This type of program could constitute a first step towards more formal practices once the motivation to practice has been enhanced by the perceived benefits of brief practices.

[Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program with workers in an industrial setting: a pilot study]. / Effets de la Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) sur le stress et les symptômes associés dans un contexte industriel : une étude-pilote contrôlée et randomisée.

The article describes the implementation of a pilot program in the tradition of secondary prevention interventions aimed at reducing the severity of stress symptom. Developed from the MBCT protocol, designed to prevent depressive relapse, its specificity lies in the adaptation of its teaching materials resting on the mindfulness meditation-cognition-psycho-education triptych. The transposition of the princeps model has been the subject of a controlled and randomized experimental trial performed on a non-clinical population working in an industrial environment to assess the effect of the aforesaid program on stress and associated symptoms. The outcomes suggest preliminary contributions as for the benefits generated on the psychic health of a group of workers.

Benefits of immediate EMDR vs. eclectic therapy intervention for victims of physical violence and accidents at the workplace: a pilot study.

This study focuses on 34 victims of aggression at the workplace, less than 48 hours following the incident of aggression. We compared victims who received an EMDR emergency protocol (URG-EMDR; n = 19) that we developed with those who received a method of intervention called eclectic therapy (n = 15). The results show that URG-EMDR therapy, provided within 48 hours, resulted in a greater decrease in perceived stress and a lower PCL-S score than eclectic therapy did. The scores were lower in both groups after 24 hours, and after 3 months, the drop was significantly greater among the victims treated with the URG-EMDR protocol; none of the EMDR-treated patients exhibited symptoms of posttraumatic stress.

[Full conscious meditation and psychotherapy in health and illness: literature review]. / Méditation de pleine conscience et psychothérapie dans la prise en charge de la santé et de la maladie.

This research aims at delimitating the realm of meditation as therapeutic care in the field of the health psychology. The authors concentrate on the most prolific current of these last years in research terms : the meditation in full consciousness. The objective is to define the concept of meditation and full consciousness, to then pay attention on the relevant psychotherapies and clinical studies in this domain. Meditation in full consciousness constitutes a very promising field of research for health psychology within the framework of care. Techniques such as MBSR, MBCT applied to the full consciousness turns out relevant and result in improvement of general health. However, studies on full consciousness are still at very early stage and more rigorous approaches on a methodological level and refined conceptual developments are necessary.