Matching Items (73)
Description
A child’s death evokes intense and long-lasting grief in parents. However, few interventions exist to address the needs of this population. This mixed methods project used secondary data to evaluate the impact of a four-day, grief-focused mindfulness-based retreat on bereaved parents.
A quasi-experimental design with two nonequivalent groups (intervention group n = 25, comparison group n = 41) and three observations (pretest and two posttests) was used. Mixed-model repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to assess change over time for the intervention group and relative to a no-intervention comparison group. Outcome measures were depressive and anxious responses, measured by the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25); trauma responses, measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R); mindfulness, measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ); and self-compassion, measured by the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). The intervention group was expected to show significant decreases in psychological distress and significant increases in mindfulness and self-compassion over time and relative to the comparison group.
The qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews with nineteen retreat participants using a constructivist phenomenological approach in order to obtain a richer understanding of the retreat’s impact on participants’ lives.
There were significant time by condition interactions with small to medium effect sizes for the IES-R and its subscales, the HSCL-25 and its depression subscale, and three FFMQ scales (describe, act with awareness, and nonjudge), all favoring the intervention group. However, not all benefits were maintained at follow-up.
Psychoeducation and relationships emerged as key qualitative themes. Psychoeducation included benefits related to present-moment awareness, fully inhabiting grief, self-compassion, emotional equanimity, and reduced distress or judgment of distress. Relationships included benefits related to giving and receiving social support, emotional expression and sharing, validation and normalization of grief-related experiences, resonance and self-other awareness, self-appraisal, changes in relationships, and connection to a deceased child. Mindfulness seemed to be a key component in reducing trauma responses. Relationship factors, combined with psychoeducation and present-moment awareness, seemed responsible for increasing participants’ capacity for nonjudgmental acceptance of experiences.
The retreat may be an effective intervention for helping parents cope with and express their grief and warrants further study.
A quasi-experimental design with two nonequivalent groups (intervention group n = 25, comparison group n = 41) and three observations (pretest and two posttests) was used. Mixed-model repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to assess change over time for the intervention group and relative to a no-intervention comparison group. Outcome measures were depressive and anxious responses, measured by the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25); trauma responses, measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R); mindfulness, measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ); and self-compassion, measured by the Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). The intervention group was expected to show significant decreases in psychological distress and significant increases in mindfulness and self-compassion over time and relative to the comparison group.
The qualitative component consisted of semi-structured interviews with nineteen retreat participants using a constructivist phenomenological approach in order to obtain a richer understanding of the retreat’s impact on participants’ lives.
There were significant time by condition interactions with small to medium effect sizes for the IES-R and its subscales, the HSCL-25 and its depression subscale, and three FFMQ scales (describe, act with awareness, and nonjudge), all favoring the intervention group. However, not all benefits were maintained at follow-up.
Psychoeducation and relationships emerged as key qualitative themes. Psychoeducation included benefits related to present-moment awareness, fully inhabiting grief, self-compassion, emotional equanimity, and reduced distress or judgment of distress. Relationships included benefits related to giving and receiving social support, emotional expression and sharing, validation and normalization of grief-related experiences, resonance and self-other awareness, self-appraisal, changes in relationships, and connection to a deceased child. Mindfulness seemed to be a key component in reducing trauma responses. Relationship factors, combined with psychoeducation and present-moment awareness, seemed responsible for increasing participants’ capacity for nonjudgmental acceptance of experiences.
The retreat may be an effective intervention for helping parents cope with and express their grief and warrants further study.
ContributorsThieleman, Kara (Author) / Cacciatore, Joanne (Thesis advisor) / Segal, Elizabeth (Committee member) / Hodge, David (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
This quasi-experimental, concurrent, mixed method, action research study sought to evaluate how an elective 1-credit course informed by mindfulness and culturally sustaining pedagogy influenced honors students’ academic self-efficacy, self-compassion, and their meaning-making about what it means to be an honors student. Theoretical perspectives and research guiding the study included: academic self-efficacy, culturally sustaining pedagogy, mindfulness, and third space. Drawing from these perspectives, the 9-week Creative Compassion course utilized poetry and rap as a way to enact culturally sustaining pedagogy and also as a vehicle for students to practice mindfulness. Findings from quantitative data from pre- and post- surveys of a treatment and control population, as well as qualitative data (open-ended survey questions, focus groups, and student artifacts) from the treatment population are presented here. This study revealed the following: practices informed by culturally sustaining pedagogy positively impacted students’ mindfulness, these same practices allowed for the creation of a third space within the classroom, and improving student self-compassion should be an increased priority. Additional implications for research and practice are also presented.
ContributorsBillbe, Sasha (Author) / McArthur Harris, Lauren (Thesis advisor) / Golden, Amy (Committee member) / Watrous, Lisa (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
The purpose of this study is to explore the way mindfulness informs how leaders make sense of and navigate paradoxical tensions that arise in their organizations. This study employs a qualitative research methodology, based on synchronous, semi- structured, in-depth interviews of leaders who hold a personal mindfulness practice. Qualitative interviews illuminate how leaders’ communication about paradoxical tensions (e.g., through metaphorical language) reflects the way they experience those tensions. Findings extend the constitutive approach to paradox by demonstrating the way mindfulness informs awareness, emotion, pausing, and self-care. Specifically, this study (1) empirically illustrates how higher-level, dialogic more-than responses to paradox may be used to accomplish both-and responses to paradox, (2) evidences the way discursive consciousness of emotion may generatively inform paradox management, (3) suggests the appropriateness and use of a new paradox management strategy that I term ‘mindful dis/engagement’, and (4) highlights self-care as an others-centered leadership capability.
ContributorsTown, Sophia (Author) / Tracy, Sarah (Thesis advisor) / Fairhurst, Gail (Committee member) / Adame, Elissa (Committee member) / Brummans, Boris (Committee member) / Lange, Don (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Introduction/Purpose: the purpose of this study was to explore the perception of care after stillbirth and the use of physical activity and/or mindful approaches (e.g., yoga) to cope with grief in women of racial/ethnic minority who have experienced stillbirth.
Methods: This was an exploratory qualitative research study. Participants were African American, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian women, between the ages of 26 and 38, who have experienced stillbirth within the past 3 years. Participants completed a 20-30 minute phone interview.
Results: Fourteen women participated in the study (M age = 31.02 ± 5.97 years; M time since stillbirth = 1.47 ± 0.94 years). Women’s perceptions about physical activity and mindfulness to cope with grief were coded into the following major themes: perception of health care after stillbirth (satisfaction with the level of care provided), recommendations about inter-conception health care from physician (relating to mental, emotional, and physical health), grief (comfort with communicating with the physician), coping mechanisms, perception of the relationship between physical activity and mood, barriers to participating in physical activity (social and behavioral), pre-pregnancy physical activity, and perception of mindful approach (e.g., yoga) as a coping mechanism.
Conclusion: This was the first study to explore perceptions of health care and the use of physical activity and/or mindful approaches (e.g., yoga) to cope with grief after stillbirth in women of racial/ethnic minority. Findings from this study may help inform health care professionals alter their care practices and introduce physical activity and mindfulness based approaches as coping mechanisms to mothers of stillborn babies.
Methods: This was an exploratory qualitative research study. Participants were African American, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian women, between the ages of 26 and 38, who have experienced stillbirth within the past 3 years. Participants completed a 20-30 minute phone interview.
Results: Fourteen women participated in the study (M age = 31.02 ± 5.97 years; M time since stillbirth = 1.47 ± 0.94 years). Women’s perceptions about physical activity and mindfulness to cope with grief were coded into the following major themes: perception of health care after stillbirth (satisfaction with the level of care provided), recommendations about inter-conception health care from physician (relating to mental, emotional, and physical health), grief (comfort with communicating with the physician), coping mechanisms, perception of the relationship between physical activity and mood, barriers to participating in physical activity (social and behavioral), pre-pregnancy physical activity, and perception of mindful approach (e.g., yoga) as a coping mechanism.
Conclusion: This was the first study to explore perceptions of health care and the use of physical activity and/or mindful approaches (e.g., yoga) to cope with grief after stillbirth in women of racial/ethnic minority. Findings from this study may help inform health care professionals alter their care practices and introduce physical activity and mindfulness based approaches as coping mechanisms to mothers of stillborn babies.
ContributorsArvayo, Jordan Michelle (Author) / Huberty, Jennifer (Thesis director) / Hoffner, Kristin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This project was generated out of a desire to understand and explore a novel twist on a well-traversed route to happiness. I set out looking for a new perspective on fulfillment and found sustainable, everyday joy through gratitude. In doing so, I created a space where a group of people could practice and share gratitude as a community. Gratitude is familiar to most as a feeling, but putting intention behind gratitude turns it into an action, and even a virtue. In fact, Roman philosopher Cicero says, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." I created a Facebook community called Marvel at The Ordinary (MATO) applying principles rooted in the Theory of Change to express this greatest virtue. I found both success and earnest support from others in this novel approach to current gratitude practices. Defined by Dr. Robert Emmons, an expert in the science of gratitude, practicing gratitude is a two-step process: "(1.) affirming goodness in one's life, and (2.) recognizing that the sources of this goodness lie at least partially outside of the self." There is substantial research touting the worth of gratitude journaling, in fact, few things have been more repeatedly and empirically vetted than the connection between gratitude and overall happiness and well-being. Yet there is one facet ubiquitously overlooked in current gratitude research: what happens when gratitude journaling is shared with others? With anecdotal evidence, short-form interview analysis, thematic analysis of journaling lexicon, and a case study on the growth and engagement of Marvel at The Ordinary as a social movement, there is reason to believe that a social media-based community centered around gratitude may support and even enhance the practice of gratitude, which is typically practiced in isolation. It was also found that communities of this sort are highly sought after, based on the engagement within and growth of the Facebook group from 50 to 600+ members in a period of 2 months. MATO set out with the aspirations of creating a community which encourages others to gratitude journal, raising awareness about gratitude journaling, and building a community which fosters empathy, optimism, and awareness in an everyday sense. In each of these goals, overwhelming success was found.
ContributorsMccawley, Kevin William (Author) / Mokwa, Michael (Thesis director) / Huerta, Mark (Committee member) / Micevic, Vid (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
This paper will use a national cross-sectional survey approach to look at the association between trainable mind-body qualities (mindfulness and self-compassion) with well-being and resilience in 111 college students across the U.S.. Specifically, it will investigate (1) the relationship between trainable qualities (mindfulness, self-compassion) and the resilience, and subjective well-being in students, and (2) compare how these variables were distributed based on enrollment in a college course on compassion. After examination of descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations, comparative analyses were also employed to determine whether enrollment in compassion college courses had any relationship to one’s scores. Results: Respondents included 12 students enrolled in Compassion college course, and 99 students who were not. Both mindfulness and self-compassion showed significant positive correlations with well-being and resilience in all students, and in subgroups based on enrollment at p < .01. Additionally, students enrolled in the course averaged 3 points higher scores across all measures except resilience, where scores were about the same. Conclusions: In all college students, regardless of their enrollment in Compassion, well-being and resilience are positively correlated with both mindfulness and self-compassion. Furthermore, scores based on enrollment in “Compassion” yielded higher levels of mindfulness, self-compassion, resilience, and well-being.
ContributorsBrown, Evaline (Author) / Pipe, Teri (Thesis director) / Gueci, Nika (Committee member) / Jimenez, Manuela (Committee member) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2019-05
Description
This paper proposes that mindfulness should be integrated into the culture and pedagogy of educational institutions like Barrett, the Honors College. Research suggests that members of the millennial generation experience higher levels of stress due to the conditions of their upbringing. The text explores the author's experience of mindfulness practice both outside of the classroom and as integrated into pedagogy through transformative learning courses. This paper shows that practicing mindfulness, improving self-talk, transformative learning, increasing social connection, and practicing Free Listening will help to cultivate a more mindful culture in Barrett and help to reduce stress-levels in students.
ContributorsHanneman, Lauren Marie (Author) / Eckard, Bonnie (Thesis director) / Tracy, Sarah (Committee member) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MSBR) is a clinically standardized meditation process that has been shown to facilitate the treatment of a variety of mental and physical disorders. The known efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction is derived from research on participants who are defined as unhealthy in some form. The potential benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction for individuals who are considered to be healthy is under-studied, as less attention has gone into this subject area. Information Measurement Theory is a predictive theory that simplifies reality, and through this logical simplification, allows people to predict and see into the future. The concepts that are central to Information Measurement theory are natural laws, unique conditions, and relationships of unique conditions between the past, present, and future and the event model. This project aims to answer the question of if individuals, who are considered to be healthy, experience the same beneficiary results, that mindfulness-based stress reduction models execute, through the conception and knowledge of Information Measurement Theory. This study aims to compare MBSR and IMT in order to determine the consequences of each on the individual. The purpose of this study is also to highlight the promising success that Leadership Society of Arizona has achieved through the teaching of IMT in leadership courses.
ContributorsPirotte, Genevieve Katherine (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
The purpose of this thesis is to explore the effectiveness of a mindful and interdependent approach to success and happiness. I believe our happiness should be a constant priority of ours. To achieve happiness, I argue that we should always be thoughtfully considering our own perspectives as well as the perspectives of others. I begin by explaining the components of the Happiness Chain, which I've developed through my examination of literature on mindfulness, the treatment of others, positivity, stress, and other interrelated areas. The Happiness Chain starts with an internal analysis of ourselves as individuals. The components of this section include mindfulness, stress, and positivity. The second section of the Happiness Chain deals with how we treat with others. In this section we use what we've learned in the first section to acknowledge how our actions affect the happiness of other people. Ultimately, the emotional state of one individual affects the emotional state of the individuals they interact with, so it is in our best interest to increase the happiness of those around us as well and not just ourselves. I then discuss the importance of the Happiness Chain to the organization by comparing it with emotional intelligence, which is necessary for an effective leader to have. I specifically discuss how each component of the Happiness Chain relates to the five characteristics of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. Lastly, I provide specific tools that individuals, managers, or leaders, can use to achieve mindfulness and positivity for themselves and for others for a happier, more successful life overall.
ContributorsJerome, Zoe Kristine (Author) / LePine, Marcie (Thesis director) / Waymire, Cara (Committee member) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-12
Description
In the age of social media, the 24-hour news cycle, and an overwhelming pressure to become "successful," there is a marked lack of personal connection within communities and a constant state of stress and overwork. This constant state of stress then builds into anxiety, as there are few public resources for mental reprieve. The World Health Organization reports that anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders worldwide, begging the question as to how they can be addressed most effectively worldwide. As design is implicit within any environment that provides for mental wellness, it must be carefully curated to provide not only the physical necessities, but speak for something beyond explanation- a sense of mental refuge and comfort. Using the concept of mindfulness, architecture has the power to force users to truly be present in the experience, activating space to become a mental refuge rather than a passive infrastructure.
ContributorsDickson, Cassandra (Author) / Horton, Philip (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / Hejduk, Renata (Committee member) / The Design School (Contributor) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05