1,721,039 research outputs found
Non-pharmacological Approaches Based on Mind-Body Medicine to Enhancement of Cognitive and Brain Reserve in Humans
No full textIn recent years, the concepts of cognitive reserve (CR) and brain reserve (BR) have been used to take account of the interindividual variability between cognitive impairment and degree of brain damage occurring in a variety of neurological disorders. These studies, however, have typically not addressed the critical issue of the clinical implications of this research for the clinical care of the patients. After an introduction to CR and BR theory, the present chapter will review studies exploring CR and BR in healthy ageing and in a series of progressive and relatively common neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Parkinson’s disease (PD). In the second part of the chapter, we will discuss the implications of CR and BR for clinical interventions based on mind-body medicine (in particular meditation), as possible approaches aimed at potentiating individuals’ reserve in the conditions of healthy ageing, AD, MS, and PD
Mindfulness Through Storytelling for Mental Health of Primary School Children: Impact on Acceptability and Its Associations with Personality
Full text linkPurpose: Acceptability of mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) in primary school settings seems to represent a critical factor influencing the intervention effects on children’s mental health. This study aims at assessing the acceptability of an MBP delivered through the technique of storytelling, as well as identifying which participants’ personality characteristics can influence it. Participants and Methods: Italian children in grades 3-to-5 (n = 147, 47.6% girls) participated in a 24-session MBP, which included 225 minutes of formal mindfulness practices and was delivered by the pupils’ school teachers. Children’s personality traits were assessed with the junior Temperament and Character Inventory (jTCI), while their subjective experiences and acceptability of the program were investigated using a survey containing open-ended and closed-ended questions. Results: Program acceptability was 2.9 ± 0.7 on a 0–4 scale. Higher jTCI scores of persistence, cooperativeness, and self-transcendence were related to higher ratings in liking the program, finding it useful and engaging themselves in it. Moreover, 57.8% of the children generalized the mindfulness practices in daily life and 93.9% of them declared they would recommend the program to their friends/parents. Five main themes emerged from children’s answers on what they learned: “help for difficulties (emotional, mental, and physical)”, “calm, relax, tranquility”, “resilience, positiveness, personal growth”, “self-exploration, interoception”, and “attention, concentration, and here-and-now”. Conclusion: Program acceptability was generally higher than in similar programs in the literature, and children reported personal gains in various areas related to psychological well-being. The study also suggests which children’s personality traits should be considered when proposing an MBP in order to improve its acceptability and utility
Mindfulness-Oriented Professional Resilience (MOPR) Training to Reduce Compassion Fatigue in Healthcare Workers: A Pilot Study
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: Compassion Fatigue (CF) is a critical issue among healthcare professionals, exacerbated by exposure to trauma and chronic workplace stress. This pilot study evaluates the effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Oriented Professional Resilience (MOPR) program, a structured intervention designed to mitigate CF and enhance resilience in healthcare professionals. The program integrates mindfulness practices, arousal modulation techniques, and resilience-building strategies over six weekly sessions. Methods: A sample of 73 healthcare workers (mean age 48.6, SD = 9.42) participated in the study, and pre–post data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Results indicated significant improvements in professional quality of life, with increased Compassion Satisfaction (p < 0.001) and reductions in Burnout (p = 0.003) and Secondary Traumatic Stress (p < 0.001). Mindfulness skills improved significantly across four dimensions—Observing, Describing, Acting with Awareness, and Non-reactivity—with p-values ranging from <0.01 to <0.001. Arousal modulation showed increased Optimal Arousal Zone scores (p < 0.001) and reduced maladaptive stress responses, including Fight/Flight, Freeze, and Feigned Death (p < 0.05). Psychological well-being improvements were observed, particularly in Self-Acceptance (p = 0.014) and Positive Relations (p = 0.041). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the MOPR program is a promising intervention for healthcare professionals, supporting resilience and reducing the psychological burden of caregiving. Future controlled studies should explore its long-term efficacy in diverse clinical settings and in larger samples
Improving personality/character traits in individuals with alcohol dependence: The influence of mindfulness-oriented meditation
No full textThe study of personality is critical to enhance our knowledge of the psychological characteristics of alcohol dependence (AD). Recent evidence shows that mindfulness-oriented meditation (MOM) positively influences healthy individuals' character. Here we assessed whether 8-week MOM promotes similar changes in a group of alcohol-dependent individuals. A control group with AD was also tested. MOM participants showed an increase in the character scores of the Temperament and Character Inventory together with reduced risks of relapse. These longitudinal data highlight the importance of assessing personality in alcohol-dependent individuals and support the utility of therapeutic interventions for AD aimed at enhancing individuals' character
The Nature and Function of Languages
Full text linkSeveral studies in philosophy, linguistics and neuroscience have tried to define the nature and functions of language. Cybernetics and the mathematical theory of communication have clarified the role and functions of signals, symbols and codes involved in the transmission of information. Linguistics has defined the main characteristics of verbal communication by analyzing the main tasks and levels of language. Paleoanthropology has explored the relationship between cognitive development and the origin of language in Homo sapiens. According to Daniel Dor, language represents the most important technological invention of human beings. Seemingly, the main function of language consists of its ability to allow the sharing of the mind’s imaginative products. Following language’s invention, human beings have developed multiple languages and cultures, which, on the one hand, have favored socialization within communities and, on the other hand, have led to an increase in aggression between different human groups
The Arousal Modulation Model Questionnaire (AMMQ): Development, validation, and transdiagnostic applications
No full textTrauma emerges as a significant etiological factor associated with a wide range of psychopathologies, including anxiety, mood disorders, impulse dysregulation, psychosis, substance dependence, personality disorders, conduct issues, and suicidal behavior. Furthermore, trauma plays a central role in somatoform and alexithymic disorders, eating disorders, and self-injurious behaviors. Additionally, trauma is linked to the development of various physical health conditions such as cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and inflammatory diseases, as well as cancer. Thus, the negative health consequences of trauma extend beyond PTSD and often manifest in personalized, polysymptomatic, and polysyndromic ways, suggesting the utility of adopting transdiagnostic approaches. This study focuses on validating the Arousal Modulation Model Questionnaire (AMMQ), grounded in Ogden and Minton's Arousal Modulation Model originating from Siegel's concept of the Window of Tolerance. The validation process encompasses multiple facets of questionnaire validation, including construct validity, reliability, and other psychometric properties. Participants included a sample of 304 individuals recruited for this study, with a mean age of 39.36 years (SD = 12.88). Although participants may have experienced one or more traumatic events in their lives, they were currently not under the care of the National Health Service Psychiatry Centers. Construct validity of the AMMQ was assessed through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Initial exploratory factor analysis revealed a coherent factor structure consistent with theoretical expectations derived from the Arousal Modulation Model, yielding four distinct factors: "Optimal Arousal Zone" (OAZ, 7 items), "Fight/Flight" (FF, 4 items), Freeze (Fr, 6 items), and "Feigned Death" (FD, 5 items). Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis supported this structure, demonstrating excellent model fit (χ2(203) = 381.738, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.94; TLI = 0.93; RMSEA = 0.05; SRMR = 0.05). Internal consistency was high, with a mean categorical omega (ω) of 0.83 across all subscales, supporting the reliability of the AMMQ. Convergent validity was assessed by examining the associations between each AMMQ subscale and a set of established external measures. The Optimal Arousal Zone (OAZ) subscale showed strong positive correlations with all dimensions of psychological well-being (PWB-SF) and negative correlations with emotional distress (DASS-21), dissociation (DES-II). Conversely, all three dysregulation subscales—Fight-or-Flight (FF), Freeze (Fr), and Feigned Death (FD)—were positively associated with anxiety, depression, stress, and dissociation, as well as with increased autonomic reactivity measured by the BPQ-22 (all p < 0.001). The AMMQ test-retest reliability was also good (0.83). Overall, the validation results suggest that the Arousal Modulation Model Questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing arousal modulation processes within the context of stress reactivity. Its good psychometric properties make it a valuable tool for clinicians and researchers working in trauma-informed assessment and intervention. Finally, robust correlations between all AMMQ factors and the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation - Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) scales (all p < 0.001) bolster its efficacy for transdiagnostic screening in psychotherapy, clinical research, and various psychological well-being interventions (e.g., mindfulness-based approaches)
- …
