Eudaimonic well-being that protects mental and physical health has received increasing attention. This investigation aimed to review which comprehensive instruments for measuring eudaimonic well-being were applied with clinical populations (reporting mental or physical illnesses), beyond Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale. Articles citing at least 1 of the measures of eudaimonic well-being identified by previous theoretical work were extracted from medical and psychological electronic databases and screened.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.)
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to present an overview of the research on the effects of yoga on positive mental health (PMH) among non-clinical adult populations. METHODS: This was a systematic literature review and meta-analysis, including a risk of bias assessment. The electronic databases PubMed/Medline, Scopus, IndMED, and the Cochrane Library were searched from 1975 to 2015. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of yoga interventions on PMH among a healthy adult population were selected. RESULTS: A total of 17 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND: High levels of stress have been identified in medical students and increasingly in other health profession student population groups. As stress can affect psychological well-being and interfere with learning and clinical performance, there is a clear argument for universities to include health professional student well-being as an outcome in core curriculum. Mindfulness training is a potential construct to manage stress and enhance academic success.
OBJECTIVE: Among efforts to improve the well-being of healthcare professionals are initiatives based around mindfulness meditation. To understand the value of such initiatives, we conducted a systematic review of empirical studies pertaining to mindfulness in healthcare professionals. METHOD: Databases were reviewed from the start of records to January 2016. Eligibility criteria included empirical analyses of mindfulness and well-being outcomes acquired in relation to practice. 81 papers met the eligibility criteria, comprising a total of 3,805 participants.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.)
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to present an overview of the research on the effects of yoga on positive mental health (PMH) among non-clinical adult populations. METHODS: This was a systematic literature review and meta-analysis, including a risk of bias assessment. The electronic databases PubMed/Medline, Scopus, IndMED, and the Cochrane Library were searched from 1975 to 2015. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of yoga interventions on PMH among a healthy adult population were selected. RESULTS: A total of 17 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis.
Mindfulness practice, where an individual maintains openness, patience, and acceptance while focusing attention on a situation in a nonjudgmental way, can improve symptoms of anxiety, burnout, and depression. The practice is relevant for health care providers; however, the time commitment is a barrier to practice. For this reason, brief mindfulness interventions (eg, ? 4 hours) are being introduced. We systematically reviewed the literature from inception to January 2017 about the effects of brief mindfulness interventions on provider well-being and behavior.
BACKGROUND: The poor health consequences of stress are well recognized, and students in higher education may be at particular risk. Tai Chi integrates physical exercise with mindfulness techniques and seems well suited to relieve stress and related conditions. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the health benefits of Tai Chi for students in higher education reported in the English and Chinese literature, using an evidence hierarchy approach, allowing the inclusion of studies additional to randomized controlled trials.
BACKGROUND: The health of doctors who work in primary care is threatened by workforce and workload issues. There is a need to find and appraise ways in which to protect their mental health, including how to achieve the broader, positive outcome of well-being. Our primary outcome was to evaluate systematically the research evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve General Practitioner (GP) well-being across two continua; psychopathology (mental ill-health focus) and 'languishing to flourishing' (positive mental health focus).
OBJECTIVE: Low well-being during pregnancy can have significant adverse outcomes for mother and child. The effects of mindfulness interventions on prenatal maternal well-being are increasingly examined but outcomes have yet to be systematically evaluated. The aims of the current paper are to systematically evaluate intervention effects and current research approaches with pregnant groups. DESIGN: A systematic review of eight studies examining mindfulness intervention effects on prenatal well-being.
Cortisol is increasingly included in examinations of mindfulness intervention effects as an indicator of efficacy; however, the association of cortisol and mindfulness has yet to be rigorously evaluated. A systematic review of six studies examining mindfulness intervention effects on cortisol was conducted. Inconsistent results were found for mindfulness effects on cortisol. Significant changes in cortisol levels were observed in within-participants studies but not observed in randomised controlled trial designs. Mindfulness may influence cortisol, but findings are inconclusive.
