Increasingly there is published research which indicates that the majority of participants in the MBSR Course report improvements over a wide number of physical and psychological areas.
In general, participants who completed the Course at the University of Massachusetts report:
- An increased ability to relax
- Reductions in pain levels and an enhanced capacity to deal with pain that will not go away
- Greater energy and enthusiasm for life
- Improved self-esteem
- Lasting decreases in physical and psychological symptoms
- An ability to cope more effectively with short and long-term stressful situations
Mindfulness is a research-based, Mind-Body medicine intervention which integrates modern scientific medicine, psychology, nutrition, exercise physiology and working with thoughts to enhance the natural healing capacities of body and mind.
The evidence in support of MBSR is so strong that almost 75% of GPs in the United Kingdom think it would be beneficial for all patients to learn mindfulness meditation skills.
Some Useful Links:
An overview of some results of research can be found in the University of Bangor site:
http://www.bangor.ac.uk/mindfulness/research.php.en?subid=0
These results are also being reported in news sources and the popular press such as in the following articles:
BBC (2008): Recent research on mindfulness:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7319043.stm
TIME Magazine:
http://psyphz.psych.wisc.edu/web/News/Time_Jan06.html
CNN :
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/06/01/mindfulness.training.stress/
New York Times (2003) Daniel Goleman writing on science and mindfulness:
Harvard Gazette: Meditation changes brain function:
www.web.archive.org/web/20061210192647/www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/02.02/11-meditate.html
Oprah Magazine:
http://www.oprah.com/article/spirit/emotionalhealth/devotion_meditate
A nice article on Mindfulness in schools :
Some research published in scientific journals:
Kabat-Zinn. J., An out-patient program in Behavioral Medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: Theoretical considerations and preliminary results. General Hospital Psychiatry (1982) 4:33-47.
Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A. O., Kristeller, J., Peterson, L.G., Fletcher, K., Pbert, L., Linderking, W., Santorelli, S. F., Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Am. J. Psychiatry (1992) 149:936-943.
Research on other Mindfulness-based treatments:
John Teasdale, Zinden Segal, Mark G. Williams, Ridgeway, Soulsby, Lau. Prevention of Relapse/Recurrence in Major Depression by Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.
