Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Moving And Dancing Mindfully: A Community-Based Project For A Competitive Dance Team, Clare Terrio

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This graduate-level thesis explores the integration of mindfulness and Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) principles applied to the competitive dance community. Drawing from the personal experience and studies of DMT of the author, there is an exploration of the importance of mindfulness when fostering dancers' connection to their bodies and promoting wellbeing through a community-based project. A one-hour workshop titled "Moving and Dancing Mindfully" was conducted to explore these concepts with a competitive dance team (N = 18), aged fourteen to eighteen. The workshop took place at a dance studio located in a suburban, lower to middle-class community in the East …

Being With Shame: A Literature Review Exploring Focusing-Oriented Expressive Arts Therapy For Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse, Ellen Wildhagen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This literature review thematically explores the potential benefits of the Focusing-Oriented Expressive Art Therapy (FOAT) approach as a treatment for shame for adults survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The goals of this literature review are to discuss the characteristics, consequences and prevalence of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and its impact on subsequent pathology as well as outline terms and themes related to shame, dissociation, and avoidance; explore treatment models for working with shame-based negative sequelae for CSA survivors; investigate the theoretical models and benefits of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) and Sensorimotor for working with trauma and the body; condense the …

Exploring The Relationship Between Perception Of Mindfulness In Email Communication And Employee Stress, Jacqueline Christine Snook

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between the perception of leadership mindfulness with email communication and employee stress. Foundational to this research was the theoretical basis of the Job Demands Resource model, the Buddhist philosophy of mindfulness, and the Bible. The framework provided a necessary structure for investigating the application of mindfulness to organizational behavior in terms of email communication practices. The study was conducted using a sample of 69 participants. The participants responded to a 33-item Likert inventory through Survey Monkey. Reliability was assessed to determine the consistency and trustworthiness of each item for …

Expressive Therapies And Resiliency – Resistance In Mental Health: A Literature Review, Gabrielle Lopez

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

This review evaluates the current literature on psychological resistance amongst human service professionals experiencing burnout and the effect of Expressive Arts interventions on resiliency. Concepts include identifying the main symptoms, risk factors, causes, and treatments for burnout in education faculty, medical staff, and clinicians. Qualitative, quantitative, and meta-analysis studies are included to identify the most prevalent intervention frameworks for reducing stress including Arts-Based and Mindfulness-compassion based techniques. The effectiveness of Arts-based tools on strengthening identity, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and meaning-making in combating burnout is presented. Based on analysis of the literature, the author proposes a three-step intervention framework for utilizing …

The Effect Of Mindfulness Training On Muscular Endurance Exercise Performance, Mindfulness, And Mental Toughness, Donte Mcgee

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

INTRODUCTION: Mindfulness training is a method of mental training becoming increasingly popular and has been positively associated with mental toughness, which may be valuable in highly fatiguing and stressful activities, like endurance exercise. Mindfulness training has resulted in increased endurance performance, but limited literature exists on a similar modality, muscular endurance exercise. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of an acute bout of mindfulness meditation on muscular endurance performance, mindfulness, and mental toughness. METHODS: Participants (n=24) completed two sessions, a week apart, of three planks until fatigue, with one-minute rest intervals. Immediately following each plank, RPE …

Restorative Yoga To Increase Mindfulness And Reduce Anxiety And Burnout Of Inpatient Mental Health Workers: A Quality Improvement Project, Rachaele Warden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Background/Significance: Burnout syndrome negatively impacts healthcare systems via quality reduction of patient care and communication, increased medical errors, hospital-acquired infections, staffing shortages, and costly malpractice suits (De Hert, 2020). The characteristic exhaustion, cynicism, job detachment, feelings of inadequacy and incompetence that emerge from burnout further hinder individual mental health and wellbeing.

Purpose: The purpose of the restorative yoga intervention strives to reduce employee anxiety, burnout and enhance mindfulness-based practice strategies within a local inpatient mental health hospital.

Methods: Quality improvement project with evidence-based interventions.

Interventions: The project intends to hold one instructor-guided and one video-guided 25-minute restorative yoga weekly session …

Integrating Mindfulness In Media Literacy: A Culture-Responsive Training Programme For Older Thai Adults, Nuntiya Doungphummes, Kwanchit Sasiwongsaroj, Theeraphong Boonrugsa, Sirintorn Bhibulbhanuvat, Waraporn Suebwongsuwan

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Media literacy is a much-needed competency in the digitalised world, but it is still an unknown knowledge base for older Thai adults. This design-based research set out as an initiative to promote media literacy through an agefriendly and culture-responsive training programme. The design process involved focus groups with key stakeholders and older adult ‘learners’ as well as field observations. This type of research work, in the Thai context, revealed the primacy of integrating media literacy learning with the Buddhist practice of mindfulness. It also highlighted the importance of incorporating certain cultural values and practices - collectivism, a sense of enjoyment, …

Exploring The Feasibility And Outcomes Of Concurrent Parent And Child Mindfulness-Based Interventions, Melissa Read

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) have shown to be effective in improving child and parent outcomes, including parental stress (Burgdorf et al., 2019; Friedmutter, 2016), child behaviour problems, and child executive functioning (Cheang et al., 2019; Donald et al., 2019; Dunning et al., 2019). The field of mindfulness has evolved to include parents and children together in programs, called parallel or concurrent parent and child MBIs. Children who have experienced adversity may be at a greater need for MBIs, as MBIs target stress and emotion regulation, areas where these children may need greater support (Bethell et al., 2016; Brenmer, 2003). As a …

Feedback And Focus: Exploring Post-Secondary Students’ Perceptions Of Feedback, Mindfulness, And Stress, Cecilia S, Dong, Erin Isings, Samantha M. Jones, Hugh Samson, Lisa Mccorquodale, Thomas G. W. Telfer, Tracey Ropp, Christine E. Bell

FIMS Publications

Addressing feedback-associated stress as a barrier to learning is increasingly relevant to student success and well-being. Mindfulness practices support stress management for students during the academic feedback process. Even if students receive high-quality feedback, the receiving end of feedback can be stressful, perhaps raising feelings of anxiety, confusion, or inadequacy. Feedback literacy and mindfulness practices complement one another. Mindfulness can potentially support feedback literacy by focusing one’s attention on the tasks needed to address feedback, instead of being distracted by emotions triggered by feedback. This study, comprised of an online survey (n = 237) and focus groups (n …

Transformative Mindfulness: Exploring The Role Of Mindfulness In Mitigating Cognitive Biases And Political Polarization, Olivia Paulsen

Montserrat Annual Writing Prize

This paper explores how cognitive biases, including confirmation, intergroup, and interpretation bias, contribute to political polarization and how this influence can be effectively mitigated by meditation and mindfulness practices.

Law Library Blog (April 2024): Legal Beagle's Blog Archive, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Law Library Newsletters/Blog

No abstract provided.

The (Dis)Advantages Of Device Free Time: A Mixed-Methods Digital Detox Study, Sandy Burrill

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Digital detox practices are periods of device restriction, reduction, or abstinence aimed to seek improvements in the negative outcomes associated with frequent device use. There are numerous gaps in digital detox literature including unsustainable periods of detox, imprecise definitions of digital detox, a lack of investigation into mediating mental health constructs, no collection of participant-driven qualitative data, and a failure to control for compensatory behaviors. Gaps like these could account for continued mixed findings in areas like anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction, salient to mental well-being. The present study aims to further parse the role that device-free time plays in …

Mindfulness And Teacher Stress, Burnout, And Depression Among K-12 Teachers, Macy Woods

Senior Honors Theses

Across school districts, teachers face high stress levels, inhibiting their ability to engage effectively with and teach students. Teachers can learn and utilize effective strategies to offset the difficulties of the profession. School districts often encourage and provide stress-reduction training for teachers; a new stress-reduction technique is known as mindfulness. Mindfulness is a cognitive skill that encourages internal and external awareness of emotions, feelings, and surroundings; it presents to be a beneficial strategy for increasing well-being in many professions. The present study, conducted among K-12 teachers in East Tennessee, will investigate the relationship between teacher mindfulness and each factor of …

Impact Of Mindfulness Training On Test Anxiety In College Students, Lindsay Alcock

ELAIA

Background Mindfulness is defined as the state of giving full attention to a stimulus, internal or external, without inducing judgment or becoming reactional about the feelings experienced, positive or negative (Davis & Hayes, 2012). Previous studies have investigated the relationship between mindfulness techniques and the reduction of anxiety (Chambers et al., 2008; Macdonald & Olsen, 2020); a smaller number of studies have considered test anxiety (Cho et al., 2016; Sparks, 2017). Prior research has used multiple mindfulness techniques to measure the impact on test anxiety, but few have isolated mindfulness trainings to compare the relative impact of each type on …

Mindfulness Resources In The Academic Library, Rebecca Maynite, Beryl White-Bing, Lauren Odom, Robin Mcneil

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

Listeners describe "tingles" as the ASMR experience, but many others enjoy ASMR even if they don't get tingles. ASMR videos have grown in popularity over the years. Recently, they made a resurgence on TikTok, even in parody form (think of the viral Mercedes ASMR video and all of the responses). Becca and Robin have utilized ASMR videos for relaxation and stress-management for the past 10 years. Beryl and Becca thought this could be a great resource for students.

Literature Review Nature-Based Art Therapy Exploring Connections And Relationships, Janell Lopez-Curtis

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Art therapy is a modality used in clinical psychotherapy. It is supported through both quantitative and qualitative research. Branching out from art therapy is nature-based art therapy. This branch of expressive therapies holds the potential to be beneficial as art therapy due to the interconnected access to the scientific fields of ecology, ecopsychology, art therapy, expressive therapies, and other nature-based therapeutic activities; this includes intersectionality in ecological theories such as ecofeminism and deep ecology as well. Through an exploration of literature, this paper will provide definitions and theory-based support through reviewing clinical psychotherapy, evidence-based practices, and art therapy theories. The …

Mindful Leadership And Climate Action, Matthew Law

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Organizations must get serious about reaching the goals for addressing Climate Action outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)13. The problem to solve is how the leaders who created the climate issues can be the leaders to make climate action happen. The development of mindful leaders within an organization is the answer to the problem. Mindful leaders are developed not only with the Inner Development Goal (IDG) framework which is developed to align and support the 17 SDGs of the United Nations. The development of mindful leaders comes from ancient and modern practices that draw from Buddhism, secular …

Mindful Moment Room & Ambassador Training Program: A Sustainable Mindfulness Program For Secondary Schools, Rebecca Archer

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Abstract

This thesis argues that sustainable mindfulness programming in secondary schools’ benefits teachers, students, and community members by providing a supportive school culture that values and nurtures holistic learning. The rationale for this project examines the contributions of mindful educators, the impact of mindfulness on social-emotional learning (SEL), the advantageousness of mindful students in secondary schools, and the significance of developing mindful school culture. The creative project for this thesis then outlines a school-based mindfulness program (SBMP) that integrates each of these components. This thesis project is a training manual that provides guidance on how to implement a sustainable mindfulness …

Narrowing The Gap: Bringing Mindfulness To Community-Based Mentoring, Kathleen Cormier

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Approximately 4.5 million youth in the United States participate in community-based mentoring programs, an accepted form of intervention worldwide. Adult mentors are typically paired with a minoritized, historically underserved youth (Rhodes, 2023). The mentor helps the youth navigate life’s roads and obstacles including academic, personal, and family issues, college transition, jobs, and mental health and wellness. Inherent in these relationships are generational and cultural gaps. Mindfully addressing these gaps can improve the relationship and lead to more successful outcomes.

Given the many challenges in our post-pandemic world, mentoring programs have never been more needed (Van Dam et al., 2022). The …

The Reinfusion Of Mindful Roots Into Power Yoga: A Mindfulness-Based Yogi Manual, Sarah Johnson

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The practice of modern yoga emphasizes the physical aspect of what was originally a contemplative tradition. Power yoga is perceived as a fitness experience that lacks an explicit articulation between the physical body and the mind. Investigating the roots of contemplative yoga through the language of mindfulness can bridge the divide between an intense external practice and one that can ultimately calm the mind. This thesis focuses on the recovery of mindfulness underlying modern yoga and encourages yoga teachers to reinfuse their power classes with the ancestral wisdom rooted in the practice.

Mindfulness Practices For Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Vince Banh

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This creative thesis project is intended to guide mindfulness instructors in offering a curriculum meant to instruct adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as potentially their families, teachers, and healthcare professionals in the use of mindfulness practices and principles to better manage the effects of ADHD on the adults’ personal and professional lives. The thesis is composed of a literature review and academic rationale discussion for the applicability of the principles and practices provided as well as a lesson plan and resources for the curriculum such as a syllabus, class presentation slides, and guided audio meditation recordings. The curriculum …

Finding Our Way Back Into The Body Through Somatic Movement: A Journey Through The Meanings And Challenges Of Mindfulness, Arwa Qutbuddin

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Mindful-movement practices such as walking meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong can support the cultivation and deepening of a sustained and embodied mindfulness practice. Because of their intrinsic gentleness, these practices are inherently trauma-sensitive, and can facilitate a gradual healing and re-integration of the body-mind through developing body-awareness. Mindfulness of the body is the first foundation of mindfulness practice. However, because of widespread misunderstandings around the meaning and definition of mindfulness, the bodyfullness in mindfulness practice is not always recognized and/or practiced. Furthermore, since bodily experience is seldom within one’s control, and because the body often times carries unresolved …

Wellness & Mindfulness For Black Women: A Transformative Four-Day Retreat, Kimberly Peavler

Mindfulness Studies Theses

In a world fraught with systemic injustices, where the intersecting forces of racism and misogyny

weigh heavily on the lives of Black women, there is a growing need for spaces of empowerment,

healing, and self-discovery. This thesis embarks on a profound journey into the transformative

potential of a culturally grounded four-day mindfulness and well-being retreat by creating and

presenting an experience explicitly tailored for Black women. The retreat is meticulously

designed to resonate with Black women's cultural and spiritual backgrounds. It uniquely fuses

Kemetic Yoga™ practices, mindfulness techniques, and candid discussions to dismantle

systemic oppression. The retreat provides a sanctuary …

The Contribution Of Mindfulness Practice To Supporting Children And Their Families’ Challenges Among School Social Workers: A Qualitative Multicase Study Of School Social Workers In California, Catalina Andrade

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the challenges school social workers experience when supporting students and their families in their schools. Additionally, the purpose of this study was to understand how school social workers use mindfulness practices to help them respond to the challenges of working with the students and their families in their school based on Lesser’s mindfulness model (2019): love the work, do the work, don’t be an expert, connect to your pain, connect to the pain of others, depend on others, and keep making it simpler. Methodology: In this multicase study, the …

A Clinical Trial Of The Examen And Mindfulness Within A Secular Substance Use Disorder Treatment Program, Christopher M. Buenrostro, Thomas G. Plante

Psychology

The Examen is a 500-year-old Jesuit introspective prayer and reflection. Recent research has indicated that it has utility in psychotherapy. This study implemented the Examen as a secular cognitive–behavioral tool in the first longitudinal clinical trial of the intervention with an addiction treatment population, comparing it directly to a treatment-as-usual mindfulness intervention. The study found that Examen and mindfulness are equivalent in outcomes on depression, anxiety, stress, and substance craving. Further research should continue to investigate the Examen as an alternative to mindfulness for religious and secular populations and the factors responsible for the success of these practices.

Maladaptive Perfectionism And Regulation Of Negative Affect After Failure: The Influences Of Self-Esteem And Mindfulness, Gregory Neil Friedman

Selected Full-Text Dissertations 2020-

The aim of the present study was to investigate the use of emotion regulation strategies among adaptive and maladaptive perfectionists and determine if there are differences. It proposed a model that maladaptive perfectionists experience heightened negative affect in response to their perceived deficiencies, and that both self-esteem and mindfulness contribute to emotion regulation strategy choice. A sample of 336 participants, ages 18 and older, completed online self-report measures related to perfectionism, self-esteem, mindfulness, current affect, and emotion regulation strategy choice, along with a manipulated failure task. Results showed that after a perceived failure, maladaptive perfectionists had lower odds of choosing …

Investigating The Novel Effects Of First-Time Wim Hof Breathing: An Experimental Study, Yuhan Kong

CMC Senior Theses

Breathwork, or voluntary controlled breathing exercise, is central around the world for spiritual and well-being purposes. Most extant research has focused on slow breathing techniques and has found a range of benefitsin physiological (e.g., increase in parasympathetic tone) and psychological (e.g., reduction in depression, anxiety, stress) outcomes. Less explored is fast-paced breathwork, which may also be beneficial for mental and physical health. Wim Hof Breathing (WHB), a novel breathing technique that gained popularity in recent years, has been claimed to have a range of health benefits, including improving mental health, autonomic regulation and cardiovascular functioning. However, very limited scientific studies …

Mindfulness: A Look Into The Effects On Performance In The Academic, Work, And Athletic Spaces, Danielle Beder

CMC Senior Theses

Mindfulness and meditation offer many benefits to people in all aspects of life. This paper provides insight to how mindfulness and meditation can affect an individual’s performance. Mindfulness and mediation has emerged as a very popular tool in western therapies in the last 60 years. Through reviewing lots of prior research and literature, the results show that mindfulness can help increase performance. This is done through three mechanisms: emotional regulation, flow state, and cognitive functions. Mindfulness increases an individual's emotional regulation systems through reduced depression and anxiety, increased happiness, and development of emotional intelligence. Mindfulness also increases the frequency of …

Life Satisfaction In Motherhood: The Influence Of Mindfulness On Life Stressors, Shyann Schumacher, Shyann M. Schumacher

Master's Theses

Motherhood can be a stressful and highly demanding role. With the challenges a mother faces, many factors can influence satisfaction a mother experiences in their life. Within the many roles mothers play throughout their lives, mindfulness is found to benefit both women and their children and positively influence mothers’ relationships with their children or partner. This study investigated the role of mindfulness within life satisfaction among mothers’ experiences by examining levels of social support, mother’s age, work-life balance, and socioeconomic status as predictors of life satisfaction when moderated by mindfulness. Participants were sampled through social media including Facebook and Instagram. …

Effects Of Mindfulness Training On Prosocial Responses In Intergroup Relations: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Denise Yiran Zheng

Theses and Dissertations

Based on social identity theory and intergroup emotions theory, individuals feel for and act toward others based on their group-based social identities. Recent research shows that mindfulness can enhance prosocial responses toward others across group divides. The current research examined the effects of mindfulness training on prosocial behavior in intergroup relations where such behavior is difficult (e.g., with marginalized or devalued social groups). The study also examined potential mechanisms, namely state empathic concern and appraisal, that may explain how mindfulness increases prosocial behavior toward outgroups. This study compared the effects of a 2-week mindfulness training to a matched coping training …