Meditation

REVIVE is a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effects of a remotely delivered seated Tai Chi/Qigong (TCQ) intervention on cardiometabolic health, stress, sleep, and psychological well-being among women with mobility impairments. Women with mobility impairments experience higher rates of obesity, cardiometabolic disease, chronic stress, sleep disturbances, and mental health concerns compared with women without disabilities. Limited access to accessible physical activity programs and barriers to participation in traditional exercise interventions contribute to these health disparities. Tai Chi and Qigong are gentle mind-body practices that may improve physical and psychological health through movement, breathing, and mindfulness techniques and can be adapted for individuals with limited mobility. Participants will be randomized to either a seated Tai Chi/Qigong intervention or a health education video control condition. During the 12-week intervention phase, participants will receive daily video-based content delivered remotely. Participants assigned to the Tai Chi/Qigong group will engage in seated meditative movement practices, while participants assigned to the control group will receive health and wellness education videos unrelated to physical activity or nutrition behavior change. Outcomes will be assessed remotely at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. Primary outcomes include waist circumference and indicators of physiological stress regulation, including heart rate variability and salivary cortisol. Secondary outcomes include perceived stress, emotion regulation, depression, anxiety, emotional eating, sleep quality, and sleep disturbance. Additional measures collected through wearable technology, sleep diaries, questionnaires, and biological samples will be used to examine potential behavioral, psychological, and physiological mechanisms underlying intervention effects. The findings from this study will contribute to the development of accessible, scalable, and evidence-based health promotion interventions designed to improve cardiometabolic health and overall well-being among women with mobility impairments.

The present study will examine whether women at high risk for developing hypertension, i.e., post-menopausal status, at least mild psychological distress, and mildly elevated blood pressure, show improvements in these risk factors after a 12-week Transcendental Meditation (TM) intervention compared to Women's Health Education (WHE). Positive findings will provide initial evidence of using nonpharmacological methods, such as TM, to prevent hypertension in postmenopausal women.

This study is a pilot clinical trial designed to evaluate a flexible, online mindfulness program for pediatric residents. Medical training can be stressful, and although mindfulness programs are often offered to support well-being, many are either in-person or follow a fixed format that may not fit individual schedules or preferences. This study will test a digital mindfulness program called Wakeful, which allows participants to complete the course at their own pace. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will be able to choose the length of their mindfulness program (3, 5, or 7 weeks), while the other group will be assigned a program length without a choice. The goal is to understand whether giving participants a choice improves how often they use the program, how satisfied they are with it, and whether they complete it. The main outcomes of this study focus on how participants interact with the program, including how many sessions they complete, how often they practice mindfulness on their own, and how useful and relevant they find the program. The study will also look at overall satisfaction and how many participants drop out before finishing. In addition, the study will explore whether participants report changes in mindfulness and compassion for others, although it is not designed to determine clinical improvements in mental health. By understanding how pediatric residents engage with different program formats, this study aims to inform the design of more flexible and user-centered digital wellness programs that better fit into demanding medical training environments.

This study will evaluate how a comprehensive meditation-based program, Inner Engineering, supports teens ages 15-18 in becoming more joyful, focused, resilient, and better equipped to manage stress and thrive. Through this study, researchers will examine whether practices like meditation, yoga, and cognitive reframing can help adolescents view and respond to challenges with greater clarity and balance. The study will assess mental and physical impacts through self-report, physiological, and neuroimaging methods.

The purpose of this research is to investigate associations between mindfulness and meditation techniques and changes in maternal breastmilk in the mother pumping for her NICU infant.

Aim-Introduction: The feeling of uncertainty about what will happen during labor, and the mother's perception of inadequacy regarding childbirth, can lead to anxiety and stress in some pregnant women, resulting in fear of childbirth and avoidance behaviors. This study was conducted to examine whether there are significant differences in childbirth self-efficacy and fear of childbirth between primiparous pregnant women who practiced meditation and those who did not during the first stage of labor. Materials and Methods: This experimental study is planned to be conducted between 01.04.2025 and 01.08.2025 with a total of 60 pregnant women (30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group) who applied to the delivery unit of a tertiary hospital in Turkey and were in the first stage of labor. After informing the pregnant women about the study and the procedures to be implemented, written informed consent was obtained from those who agreed to participate. Subsequently, the pre-tests of the relevant scales and the data collection form were administered. The relaxation meditation during childbirth was applied to the experimental group, followed by the post-tests of the same scales. Data were collected using the "Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory Short Form" and the "Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ) Version A." Descriptive statistics and hypothesis tests will be used for data analysis.

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a contemplative practice called Feeding Your Demons (FYD), based on a secular adaptation of Tibetan Buddhism, in improving psychological well-being, body image, body acceptance, compassion, and self-deconstruction in adult women. Participants will be randomly assigned to either FYD or an active control group practicing mindfulness meditation. Psychological variables will be assessed before and after the intervention, and at a six-month follow-up. Additionally, a qualitative exploration will be conducted through interviews with a subgroup of participants.

Background This study explores the effectiveness of Meditation Awareness Training (MAT), a second-generation mindfulness-based intervention, in enhancing quality of life, pain management, and psycho-spiritual wellbeing among cancer patients. Existing research underscores the benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) in alleviating psychological distress and improving overall quality of life for cancer patients. However, first-generation MBIs often exclude traditional Buddhist concepts such as impermanence and emptiness, Consequently, this can result in a superficial application that may not fully engage with the underlying causes of psychological distress or promote long-term spiritual and psychological growth. In contrast, second-generation MBIs like MAT aim to reintegrate these wisdom principles, potentially offering deeper psycho-spiritual benefits. By incorporating concepts like impermanence and emptiness, these interventions encourage a more holistic understanding and acceptance of life's challenges, fostering meaningful perspectives on illness and enhancing both spiritual and psychological wellbeing. This approach seeks to provide a more comprehensive and transformative experience for individuals, particularly those facing serious health challenges such as cancer. Aims The primary aim is to understand the effectiveness of MAT in individuals diagnosed with cancer. The study focuses on: Evaluating the impact of MAT on reducing psychological distress and enhancing pain management and quality of life. Exploring whether practising Buddhist wisdom concepts can foster meaningful perspectives on illness and life, thereby increasing spiritual wellbeing. Determining if MAT participation leads to the establishment of new daily practices and habits among cancer patients. Method The study employs a mixed-methods approach across three phases: Phase 1: A quantitative study using a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design. Participants will be divided into an intervention group (MAT) and a treatment-as-usual (TAU) control group. The effectiveness of MAT will be assessed using psychometric scales at multiple time points (baseline, week 4, week 9 post-intervention, and six-month follow-up). Importantly, participants in the TAU group will be offered the MAT intervention after the completion of the RCT, ensuring that all participants have access to the potential benefits of the intervention. Phase 2: A qualitative exploration using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to gain insights into participants' lived experiences post-MAT intervention. This phase involves semi-structured interviews conducted at one month and six months post-intervention. Phase 3: A content analysis of diary entries collected from participants during the intervention to capture real-time reflections and experiences. Expected Outputs The study aims to provide empirical evidence on the effectiveness of MAT in improving psychological and spiritual wellbeing among cancer patients. It is expected to offer insights into how Buddhist wisdom can be integrated back into clinical mindfulness practices to enhance their impact. The findings could inform clinical practices and contribute to the development of more holistic mindfulness-based interventions for cancer care. Project Timelines Recruitment: Began in November 2024. Phase 1: The RCT is aimed to begin in the first quarter of 2025, with the intervention lasting 8 weeks, followed by data collection at specified time points. Phase 2: Conduct interviews at one month and six months post-intervention. Phase 3: Collect and analyse diary entries throughout the 8-week intervention. The entire study is structured to ensure comprehensive data collection and analysis, allowing for both quantitative and qualitative insights into the MAT intervention's impact on cancer patients.