Search Results (58)

Mindfulness and body image anxiety are psychological factors associated with disordered eating and may contribute to orthorexia nervosa, yet their combined effects remain underexplored. In this cross-sectional online survey, 382 adults in Greece completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS-15), the Orthorexia scale (ORTO-6), the Social Physique Anxiety Scale (SPAS-12), and measures of body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (PAVS). Descriptive statistics, correlations, regression analyses, and mediation analysis were conducted to examine the associations among mindfulness, body image anxiety, and orthorexia. Mindfulness correlated negatively with orthorexia and body image anxiety, whereas body image anxiety correlated positively with orthorexia. In multinomial logistic regression, higher body image anxiety increased the odds of low (OR = 1.194, 95% CI 1.114–1.280) and moderate mindfulness (OR = 1.125, 95% CI 1.068–1.185); orthorexia also increased the odds of low (OR = 1.146, 95% CI 1.040–1.264) and moderate mindfulness (OR = 1.099, 95% CI 1.026–1.176). Overall, psychological factors (mindfulness, body image anxiety) appeared more influential than anthropometric or lifestyle factors (BMI, physical activity) in relation to orthorexia. These findings indicate that mindfulness was inversely associated with orthorexia tendencies, while body image anxiety was positively associated with orthorexia and was statistically linked to this association in the mediation analysis. Full article

To evaluate the effectiveness of an adaptive physical education (APE) program using VR technologies, we studied the physical development and vitality indicators of college female students in two groups: those with and without functional health limitations (N = 70 each). Students with disabilities were randomly divided into experimental and control groups of 35 people each. The experimental group participated in physical education classes using VR. The health assessment included heart rate, blood pressure, and subjective health assessments. Physical development was assessed by the biological age index (BAI) by Voitenko, static balance duration, and breath-holding time. Psychological activity was assessed using the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Rezapkina Vitality Test, and the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS). The delayed effect was assessed using a questionnaire. Students with functional impairments initially demonstrated a significant decrease in overall vitality, physical activity duration, and more negative health self-perception. After the virtual reality sessions, they showed a restoration of physical development and vitality indicators to levels close to healthy, as well as a decrease in BAI. The delayed effect was confirmed after three months. The use of virtual reality technologies in the APE program effectively improves the physical development and activity (vitality) of students with functional health impairments. Full article

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dental fear and mindfulness levels, and to examine how this relationship varies across different dental specialties. Methods: The Dental Fear Scale (DFS) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) were administered to 411 adult patients receiving treatment in six different clinics of the Faculty of Dentistry at Kafkas University. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney U, Chi-square, and Spearman’s correlation tests. Results: A moderate, significant, and negative correlation was found between MAAS and DFS scores (r = −0.41; p < 0.001). Mean scores differed significantly across clinics. Patients in the Prosthodontics Department exhibited the highest levels of fear (62.21 ± 4.62) and the lowest levels of mindfulness (3.22 ± 0.23), whereas patients in the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Department demonstrated the lowest fear levels (40.60 ± 15.76) and the highest mindfulness levels (4.30 ± 1.00). Consistent with these score-level differences, the distribution of dental fear categories varied across clinics, with a significantly higher prevalence of high anxiety in the Prosthodontics clinic (75.7%) compared to the Orthodontics and Radiology clinics. Conclusions: Higher levels of mindfulness were associated with lower levels of dental fear, and this relationship was consistent across all clinical settings. The study highlights that clinical context significantly influences both mindfulness and fear levels, with invasive specialties showing a higher risk profile. Brief mindfulness-based interventions may serve as effective and feasible strategies to enhance patient cooperation and improve treatment outcomes, particularly in clinics where high levels of fear are prevalent. Full article

Recreational dance offers significant psychological well-being potential. However, traditional instruction emphasizes technique while limiting attention to nervous system development and embodied meaning-making. Despite empirical support for polyvagal theory, motor learning science, somatic education, and phenomenology, their systematic integration into unified structures is not clearly established in recreational dance contexts. This protocol integrates nervous system regulation, motor learning, and creative expression within structured Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) modern dance syllabus for recreational adults. It presents a 12-week integrated dance-mindfulness intervention addressing this gap through a three-phase structure grounded in neuroscience and embodied pedagogy. The intervention comprises eight standardized components delivered weekly. The randomized controlled trial evaluates intervention effects using the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and the Leisure Involvement Scale (LIS). Qualitative assessment via semi-structured phenomenological interviews (Weeks 8 and 12) and weekly journaling captures somatic awareness, nervous system resilience, technical confidence, creative expression, relational and social belonging, and embodied meaning-making. Intervention participants are expected to show significantly greater improvements compared to controls. Results will establish evidence-based practice standards for recreational dance and demonstrate neuroscience integration’s efficacy for psychological wellbeing and embodied meaning-making. Full article

Background/Objectives: Traumatic experiences may lead to both negative and positive outcomes. Positive psychological changes following trauma are commonly referred to as posttraumatic growth (PTG). The present study aims to examine factors associated with posttraumatic growth among Syrian refugees who have been living in Turkey for an extended period. Methods: This cross-sectional study included a sample of 240 Syrian refugees. Participants completed the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-5), the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Path analysis was conducted to examine the effects of PTSD symptoms and mindfulness levels on posttraumatic growth. In addition, Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) analysis was used to identify threshold values for the contributions of these variables to posttraumatic growth. Results: The mean age of the participants was 36.9 ± 10.4 years, and 47% were female. The direct effect of PTSD symptoms on posttraumatic growth was negative and statistically significant (β = −0.291, p < 0.001). PTSD symptoms also had an indirect effect on posttraumatic growth through mindfulness (β = −0.254), resulting in a total effect of −0.545. According to the MARS model, when MAAS scores exceeded 78, mindfulness demonstrated a positive effect on posttraumatic growth. Conclusions: The findings indicate that PTSD symptoms among refugees are associated with posttraumatic growth through both direct and indirect pathways. Furthermore, mindfulness emerges as a key factor in understanding the development of posttraumatic growth in this population. Full article

Amid the uncertainties of the post-pandemic era, there has been a notable rise in information addiction among individuals, which may function as a coping mechanism in response to perceived situational threats. Family cohesion can function as a protective factor against internet addiction. However, the mechanism by which family cohesion mitigates internet addiction remains largely undiscovered. The study aimed to reveal the role of family cohesion in increasing information addiction behavior and the mediating effects of mindfulness and anxiety in this epidemic. A total of 1043 college students completed an online questionnaire including the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACESIII), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and Information Addiction Scale. (1) Family cohesion and information addiction exhibited a negative correlation; (2) mindfulness and anxiety functioned as mediators within this association; (3) stronger family cohesion was predictive of reduced information addiction behavior through a chain mediating effect, whereby mindfulness negatively predicted anxiety. These findings substantiate the study’s theoretical framework, underscoring the interconnected nature of information addiction during crises. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to examine the severity of misophonia symptoms in individuals diagnosed with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and to evaluate the pattern of the relationship between misophonia and OCD symptom severity in relation to anxiety sensitivity and mindfulness. Materials and Methods: This comparative and cross-sectional study included 108 patients diagnosed with OCD according to DSM-5 criteria and 81 healthy control subjects without any psychiatric diagnosis. Participants completed the Misophonia Symptom List (MSL), Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Statistical analyses included group comparisons, Pearson correlations, multiple linear regression, and mediation analyses using the PROCESS macro. Results: MSL scores were significantly higher in the OCD group compared to the control group (104.10 ± 33.00 vs. 87.56 ± 20.07, p < 0.001). ASI-3 (33.53 ± 18.72 vs. 18.12 ± 11.55, p < 0.001) and BAI scores (20.74 ± 13.14 vs. 11.04 ± 8.47, p < 0.001) were higher; MAAS scores were lower (53.23 ± 14.92 vs. 60.72 ± 12.70, p < 0.001). In the OCD group, MSL scores were positively correlated with anxiety sensitivity (r = 0.626, p < 0.001) and Beck anxiety (r = 0.515, p < 0.001) and negatively correlated with MAAS (r = −0.357, p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, anxiety sensitivity was identified as the only variable significantly predicting misophonia severity (β = 0.523, p < 0.001). Mediation analyses showed that anxiety sensitivity emerged as the dominant indirect pathway between OCD symptom severity and misophonia, whereas the contribution of mindfulness was not independent of anxiety sensitivity in the serial mediation model. Conclusions: The findings indicate that misophonia symptoms are significantly elevated in individuals diagnosed with OCD and that these symptoms are particularly associated with cognitive-emotional variables such as anxiety sensitivity and mindfulness. Given the cross-sectional design, the mediation findings should be interpreted as indirect associations rather than evidence of causal pathways. Considering these variables may be useful in assessing misophonia symptoms accompanying OCD and planning clinical approaches. Full article

Amid escalating ecological degradation, social fragmentation, and rising mental health challenges—especially in rural and agricultural communities—there is an urgent need to reimagine systems that support both planetary and human flourishing. This viewpoint examines an emerging paradigm in agriculture that emphasizes the role of farmers’ inner development in fostering practices that enhance ecological health, community well-being, and a resilient food system. A key goal is to draw more academic attention to growing community calls for more holistic, relational, and spiritually grounded approaches to food systems as an important focus for ongoing research. Drawing on diverse case studies from Japan, India, and Europe, we examine how small-scale and natural farming initiatives are integrating inner development, universal human values, and ecological consciousness. These case studies were developed and/or refined through a program led by the Conscious Food Systems Alliance (CoFSA), an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that seeks to integrate inner transformation with sustainable food systems change. The initiatives are intended as illustrative examples of how agriculture can transcend its conventional, anthropocentric role as a food production system to become a site for cultivating deeper self-awareness, spiritual connection, and regenerative relationships with nature. Participants in these cases reported significant shifts in mindset—from materialistic and extractive worldviews to more relational and value-driven orientations rooted in care, cooperation, and sustainability. Core practices such as mindfulness, experiential learning, and spiritual ecology helped reframe farming as a holistic process that nurtures both land and life. These exploratory case studies suggest that when farmers are supported in aligning with inner values and natural systems, they become empowered as agents of systemic change. By linking personal growth with planetary stewardship, these models offer pathways toward more integrated, life-affirming approaches to agriculture and future academic research. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the mediating roles of social skills and peer relationships in the association between mindfulness and spiritual well-being (SWB) among adolescents. Drawing on the mindfulness-to-meaning theory, the research sought to clarify how mindfulness supports adolescents’ spiritual well-being through social and relational mechanisms. Method: A correlational research design was employed with a sample of 761 adolescents attending high schools in Türkiye. Data were collected using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, Social Skills Scale, Peer Relations Scale, and the Three-Factor Spiritual Well-Being Scale. The hypothesized serial mediation model was tested using PROCESS Macro Model 6 with 5000 bootstrap samples. Results: Mindfulness was positively associated with SWB. Both social skills and peer relationships showed significant mediating effects. The serial indirect effect through social skills and peer relationships was also significant. Conclusions: Findings highlight mindfulness as a key psychosocial resource that enhances adolescents’ spiritual well-being through improved social skills and supportive peer relationships. School-based mindfulness programs should integrate peer interaction and social skills components to promote adolescents’ holistic development. Full article

Psychological distress impacts a large portion of the general population. While effective treatments are available, few seek them out. This lack of treatment seeking may be due to several factors, particularly low mental health literacy (MHL). MHL is the knowledge an individual has regarding psychological disorders and their symptoms, treatments, and where to seek appropriate help when identified. The capacity to pay attention to present-moment experiences in MHL translates to the qualities of dispositional mindfulness (DM), the capacity to pay non-judgmental attention to present-moment experiences. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the reliability and preliminary convergent validity of a newly developed, vignette-based assessment of psychological disorder recognition. A total of N = 299 participants were recruited via TurkPrime and completed measures of DM (FFMQ), MHL (MHLS), depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and treatment-seeking attitudes (MHSAS). Participants were subsequently asked to read newly created vignettes based on ICD-11 criteria of major depressive, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, bipolar disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. Participants then responded to questions assessing the recognition of disorder presence and identification. The vignettes with accompanying questions were titled the Psychological Disorder Recognition—Vignette (PDR-V) task. The PDR-V evidenced a Kuder–Richardson Formula 20 (KR-20) of 0.83, indicating excellent internal consistency. Independent sample t-tests indicated that participants with prior psychotherapy exposure, a history of mental health diagnosis, and, unexpectedly, those reporting lower education levels and no current mindfulness practice, scored significantly higher on the PDR-V. Spearman correlations revealed that higher scores on a validated MHL scale and specific facets of DM (describe, act with awareness) were positively correlated with PDR-V scores. Bipolar disorder evidenced the highest recognition as a psychological problem broadly, while social anxiety had the highest specific disorder identification accuracy rates. Generalized anxiety disorder had the lowest recognition and identification accuracy. While the PDR-V demonstrated promising preliminary psychometric properties, it also observed anomalies that warrant further investigation, as findings are limited by its cross-sectional nature. These findings suggest that the PDR-V is a versatile tool for differentiating the presence of a problem and accurately identifying the condition, supporting its potential as a reliable and sound measure. Full article

Background: Picky eating behaviors among children challenge nutritional intake and healthy development and place considerable stress on parents. Parenting approaches play a critical role in shaping young children’s dietary behaviors. Mindful parenting, which refers to parents responding to their child’s needs with awareness, acceptance, attention, and mindful discipline, has gained increasing attention. Parental dietary competence may determine whether mindful parenting effectively discourages picky eating behavior in children. Objectives: This study explored whether mindful parenting and parental dietary competence are associated with picky eating behaviors in young children. The mediating role of parental dietary competence in this association was also investigated. Methods: A total of 412 parents of children enrolled in six preschools across six administrative districts in New Taipei City, Taipei City, and Taoyuan City, Taiwan, were invited and recruited. Data were collected using three validated parent-reported instruments, including a mindful parenting scale, parental dietary competence scale, and children’s picky eating behaviors scale. Results: Mindful parenting influenced children’s picky eating behaviors through the full mediation of parental dietary competence. The identification of parental dietary competence as a mediator underscores the need for early preventive interventions and parenting education that integrate parental mindfulness and dietary competence to foster healthy eating habits from the outset of early childhood. Conclusions: Practical recommendations and future research directions are provided regarding mindful parenting, parental dietary competence, and picky eating behaviors in young children. Full article

Background/Objectives: In the age of digitalization, nomophobia has emerged as a relevant issue, especially among university students who utilize smartphones heavily for academic and social purposes. The Stressor–Strain–Outcome (SSO) framework explains the relationship between stressors, strain, and outcomes. Stressors such as nomophobia induce psychological strain. This strain subsequently influences outcomes like mindfulness. Nomophobia has been linked to higher distress, including depression, anxiety, and stress, that can negatively impact students’ focus. However, the mechanisms by which nomophobia impacts mindfulness remain less explored. Hence, this study aims to analyze the mediating effect of distress on the relation between student’s nomophobia and mindfulness. Methods: In this quantitative study, the researcher employed a structured close-ended survey to collect data from 723 students at the University of Ha’il in Saudi Arabia. Nomophobia was measured using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). The level of distress was measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale (DASS-21) Furthermore, the assessment of mindfulness was conducted using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Structural equation modeling was utilized to test the hypotheses of this study. Results: The results from PLS-SEM indicate that nomophobia did not directly reduce mindfulness, as its effect was statistically non-significant (β_1 = −0.052, p-value = 0.168). This suggests that nomophobia alone may not weaken focus. However, it significantly increased distress, particularly depression (β_2a = 0.327, p-value < 0.001), anxiety (β_2b = 0.294, p-value < 0.001) and stress (β_2c = 0.259, p-value < 0.001). In plain terms, students with higher nomophobia reported more depression and stress, which in turn reduced mindfulness. Anxiety, however, did not significantly affect mindfulness (β_3b = 0.006, p-value < 0.933), indicating its influence may be negligible or context-specific. Mediation analysis confirmed indirect effects of nomophobia on mindfulness through depression (β_4a = −0.096, p-value < 0.001) and stress (β_4c = −0.045, p-value < 0.020). Together, these mediators explained a substantial portion of the variance in mindfulness. Conclusions: The findings align with the SSO model, indicating that nomophobia acts as a stressor, exacerbating distress, which in turn reduces mindfulness. From a practical perspective, the results highlight the need for comprehensive student support. Universities should integrate digital wellness programs, stress-management resources, and mindfulness training into their services. Limitations and Future Research: The cross-sectional design and convenience sampling restrict causal inference and generalizability. Future studies should employ longitudinal research designs. They should also examine diverse cultural contexts. In addition, researchers should investigate potential mediators such as social support and sleep quality. Full article

It is important to study if and how athletes’ mental resilience and mindfulness are connected, because both could promote mental health, as well as facilitate coping with stress and successful athletic performance. It was hypothesized that mental resilience and mindfulness would correlate, and also that mental resilience and mindfulness would differ in both means and correlation strength according to the type of sport. The possible nexus of mental resilience and mindfulness with the longevity of sports practice was also examined. The sample consisted of 177 athletes whose mean age was 21 years old and whose average sports practice lasted 8.7 years. Most of them were professional athletes (N = 121, 68.4%). They practiced individual sports (N = 85, 48.0%), combat sports (N = 47, 26.6%), and team sports (N = 45, 25.4%). The Bulgarian adaptations of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and the Brief Resilience Scale were used. The athletes’ mental resilience and mindfulness correlated significantly and positively. The athletes’ mental resilience correlated positively with the years of sports practice among the amateur athletes and among the athletes practicing team sports. The athletes’ mindfulness increased with age for the athletes practicing combat sports and team sports. Mindfulness diminished with more years of sports practice for the amateur athletes and for those practicing individual sports. The athletes practicing combat sports had higher mental resilience than those practicing individual sports and those practicing team sports. The male athletes had higher mental resilience than the female athletes. The established positive nexus between the athletes’ mental resilience and mindfulness means that training mindfulness could be a mechanism for strengthening mental resilience, as well as higher mental resilience could facilitate mindful awareness of the present moment and focus attention on what is happening now. The athletes practicing individual sports are those who need more training for enhancing mindfulness and mental resilience. Physical activity and sports participation may contribute to mental health improvement by strengthening mindfulness and mental resilience. Full article

The compulsive and unregulated use of social media, also known as problematic social media use (PSMU), has raised increasing concerns about its detrimental impact on psychological well-being and daily functioning among young individuals. Understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying this behavioural pattern is essential, with personality traits emerging as a particularly relevant area of investigation. While some personality traits, such as narcissism, have received substantial attention, others remain overlooked. Through a cross-sectional design, this study examined how trait mindfulness, as captured in terms of awareness and acceptance, predicts PSMU while accounting for sociodemographics (age, sex, and education) and both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. A total of 180 participants (mean_age = 22.16 years; SD_age = 2.47 years; 95 females) completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory-13, the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale, the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale, and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Regression analyses indicated that only the acceptance of trait mindfulness significantly predicted PSMU. These findings suggest that cultivating a non-judgmental and open stance towards internal experiences may protect against PSMU through affect regulation and emotional acceptance. Full article

Phubbing, a relatively new phenomenon in the field of digital risks, refers to the act of ignoring someone in favor of focusing on a smartphone during face-to-face interactions. Parental phubbing, a specific form of this behavior, is a prevalent negative parenting practice that can affect parent–child relationships and child development. However, the impact of parental phubbing on the emotional and behavioral development of preschool children remains unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between parental phubbing and preschoolers’ behavioral problems, as well as test whether parents’ mindful attention awareness (MAA) acts as a mediator between them. Method: A questionnaire was administered to 138 Italian parents (mean age = 38.5, SD = 6.2) of 138 kindergarten preschoolers (mean age = 3.9, SD = 1.03). Questionnaires included the Generic Scale of Phubbing (GSP), the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Results: Analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between the MAAS and SDQ total scores, a positive correlation between the GSP total score and the SDQ total score, and a negative correlation between the GSP total score and the MAAS total score. The mediation analysis did not show a direct effect of GSP on SDQ, suggesting that parental phubbing did not directly predict children’s behavioral difficulties. Nevertheless, the indirect effect measured by bootstrapping was significant, indicating that parental MAA fully mediated the relationship between parental phubbing and preschoolers’ problematic behaviors. Conclusions: Although further research is needed, parental mindfulness may influence phubbing behaviors in parents providing valuable insights for early interventions aimed at reducing problem behaviors in young children. Full article