Mindfulness (psychology)

Mindfulness ( engl. mindfulness ) can be understood as a form of attention in connection with a particular perception and consciousness, as a specific personality trait and as a method for reducing suffering (in the broadest sense). Historically, " mindfulness", especially in the Buddhist teachings and meditation practice to find. In Western culture, the practice of " mindfulness" in particular through application in various psychotherapy methods has become known.

• 2.1 mindfulness in Buddhism
• 2.2 mindfulness in Western medicine and psychology

• 3.1 methods 3.1.1 questionnaires on mindfulness
• 3.1.2 Neurophysiological methods

• 3.2.1 General
• 3.2.2 mindfulness and emotion regulation

• 4.1 Psychology / Psychotherapy
• 4.2 Buddhism

Definitions of mindfulness

Mindfulness Kabat -Zinn

One of the most cited in the research literature, most definitions comes from Kabat-Zinn. Thus, mindfulness is a particular form of attention, the

• Is purposeful,
• Refers to the present moment (instead of the past or the future), and
• Is not judgmental.

Mindfulness by Brown and Ryan

Brown and Ryan have been focusing strongly on the aspect of attention and mindfulness formally define as receptive attention and awareness of current events and experiences.

In their review they hold different definitions and concepts of mindfulness from different Buddhist traditions together. Therefore describes the following aspects of mindfulness:

• Clear consciousness (eg Henepola Gunaratana, Nyanaponika, Charles Tart)
• Not conceptual, not discriminating awareness
• Flexibility of awareness and attention
• Empirical attitude in relation to the reality
• Oriented to the consciousness of the present
• Stability and duration of attention and awareness.

Mindfulness to Bishop et al

Bishop et al. proposed in 2004 an operational definition of mindfulness before, which includes two components:

• Self-Regulation of Attention: the self-regulation of attention ( so that it remains focused on the immediate experience, and an increasing awareness of mental processes in the present moment is possible), and
• Orientation to Experience: an orientation to the present experience, which is characterized by curiosity, openness and acceptance.

Here, the Self-Regulation of Attention of three subcomponents:

• Sustained Attention ( attention maintenance ) as constant as possible perception of the present moment, to an increased perception of mental processes, to enable as the emergence of thoughts, feelings or sensations.
• Attention Switching ( attention change): Change of attention back to the present experience, after a thought, a feeling or sensation has surfaced in consciousness.
• Inhibition of Elaborative Processing ( non- elaborative awareness ): inhibition of elaborative, secondary processes regarding emerging thoughts, feelings and sensations, and the identification with the currently experienced.

Furthermore, they emphasize that no specific condition, such as Relaxation or a change in emerging feelings is sought. State and contents of the current consciousness are merely noted.

Definition of mindfulness of concentration

Mindfulness can be clearly distinguished from concentration. Concentration is to be carefully adjusted to a particular object or an object area, such as a header row, to focus on his eyes, and to devote his full attention for this limited range of his perception. " Mindfulness" has an opposed alignment. Here the focus of attention is not specifically restricted, but rather placed far. In the maximum case, a wide angle like attention setting is reached, which consists in a comprehensive, clear and wide-awake openness to the full line of perception.

From Chögyam Trungpa this state of consciousness was characterized as panoramic awareness and inscribed. Such focused on " open space " ( Bodhidharma ) mindfulness (or mindfulness meditation) therefore leads gradually to as "full " attention that traditionally " right " or " perfect mindfulness " is mentioned, a state wide-awake witted or presence, " in which the mind is far as the firmament " - extremely clear, vivid and transparent.

Kabat-Zinn in his book " In everyday life, find peace " following description of mindfulness given: " ... so intense and satisfying as it may be, to exercise in concentration, the result remains incomplete if it does not carry the practice of mindfulness is complemented and deepened. On its own, it resembles ( concentration) of a shrinking back from the world. Their characteristic energy is more closed than open, rather than sunk accessible, rather trance-like as wide awake. What this state lacks, is the energy of curiosity, the thirst for knowledge, openness, openness, commitment to the entire spectrum of human experience. This is the domain of mindfulness practice ... "

History of the term

Mindfulness in Buddhism

Mindfulness ( Pali: sati, Sanskrit: smrti ) than attention- related attitude the meditative practices of all Buddhist traditions as a basis.

Two Discourses of the Buddha, the Anapanasati Sutta ( about mindfulness in breathing ) and especially the Satipatthana Sutta ( on the foundations of mindfulness; same content Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta ) Majjhima Nikaya in the Suttapitaka describing mindfulness and its practice. The " Four Foundations of Mindfulness " are Satipatthana Sutta after the

Mindfulness meditation is referred to in Buddhism as Vipassana. It can be distinguished from the concentrative meditation ( Samatha ), which is the foundation of mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness is the seventh member of the Noble Eightfold Path, the first point of the seven factors of awakening, and the third ability of the total five skills: Confidence, energy, mindfulness, Collection, wisdom.

Mindfulness in Western medicine and psychology

With the proliferation of Buddhist mindfulness techniques in the West among others, the works of Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, Alan Watts and Eugen Herrigel played an important role. From the 1960s, interest in the use of meditation techniques increased in the field of psychotherapy, especially among psychoanalysts (eg BCG Jung, Erich Fromm ) and representatives of humanistic psychotherapy (eg, Fritz Perls, Carl Rogers, Charlotte Selver ). Aspects of mindfulness and acceptance were accordingly in psychoanalysis (eg in terms of the free association of the analysand and the floating attention of the analyst, Sigmund Freud also called uncritical self-observation. ), Gestalt therapy, the client-centered psychotherapy and the method of Focusing and integrated into body-oriented methods, such as Hakomi.

Gestalt therapy takes here, however, has an exceptional position: From the beginning ( 1940s ) consciousness or awareness forms ( the English expression goes here awareness) a basic element of therapeutic theory and practice. Consciousness or awareness, according to Gestalt therapy using the terms, both an unintentional, active, inner attitude of mindfulness and a more directed form of mindfulness call and be directed to all the phenomena of perception and experience. Originally, it was even thought of Gestalt therapy " concentration therapy" to call to recognize the importance of conscious perception.

From the 1960s a growing interest in the field of experimental psychology at ways of expanding consciousness, including through meditation, and first EEG studies of meditators were performed.

First scientific studies on the use of mindfulness meditation in psychotherapy were conducted from the late 1970s. A decisive influence in this case had the work of Jon Kabat -Zinn, mindfulness techniques ( now known as mindfulness -based stress reduction or MBSR ) first started in patients with chronic pain. Since then, the research interest took on the topic constantly, and there were also several other (mainly cognitive- behavioral therapy -oriented ) developed therapies that mindfulness techniques used (eg, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy and mindfulness -based cognitive therapy ). Also developed by Luise Reddemann on psychoanalytic basis Psychodynamic Imaginative Trauma Therapy includes independent mindfulness exercises as essential elements.

Meanwhile, the principle of mindfulness is used in the treatment or prevention of a variety of mental and physical disorders or problems.

Research on mindfulness

Methods

Questionnaires on mindfulness

Various psychological questionnaires were developed by which an attempt is made to capture the construct of mindfulness. These include

• The Freiburg Questionnaire for Mindfulness ( FFA; engl Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, FMI. )
• The Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills ( KIMS )
• The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale ( MAAS )
• The Five - Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire ( FFMQ )
• Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale - Revised ( CAMS -R )
• The Toronto Mindfulness Scale
• The Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale
• The Southampton Mindfulness Questionnaire ( SMQ )
• The Conscious Presence and Awareness Scale
• The Comprehensive Inventory of Mindfulness Experiences ( CHIME )

Neurophysiological methods

Among other neurophysiological methods were used to study the effects of mindfulness about elektroenzephalografische or imaging techniques (eg, fMRI).

Results

Generally

Ospina et al conducted for the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States through a comprehensive review of work in which they are summarizing and evaluated the results of all published by 2005 studies on meditation and health. Of the 813 studies found examined 147 (16%) mindfulness meditation ( of which 49 MBSR, 28 Zen meditation, 7 MBCT, 6 Vipassana meditation), 50 of whom had a randomized controlled study design. Ospina, among others came to the conclusion that there is evidence of the efficacy of meditation techniques va give in healthy people, but due to the poor quality of most studies to date, no reliable information about the effects of meditation on health is possible.

Even writers of other systematic reviews criticized the poor methodological quality of many studies, however, came to the conclusion that there is evidence that mindfulness training has a favorable effect on various aspects of mental health such as mood, life satisfaction, emotion regulation, and the extent of psychological symptoms.

Since the effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy ( MBCT ) is meanwhile occupied in relapse prevention in several depressive episodes in the history as sufficient MBCT was included as a treatment recommendation for relapse prevention in these patients in the S3 guideline depression.

Mindfulness and emotion regulation

Initial studies suggest that mindfulness can lead to improved emotion regulation. So, for example, showed fMRI studies in individuals with high dispositional mindfulness (as measured by the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale) an increased inhibition of the amygdala by the prefrontal cortex during naming of emotions.