Mindfulness and cardiovascular health: Qualitative findings on mechanisms from the mindfulness-based blood pressure reduction (MB-BP) study.

Autor: Nardi WR; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.; Department of Behavioral Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America., Harrison A; Department of Behavioral Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America., Saadeh FB; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America., Webb J; Department of Behavioral Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America., Wentz AE; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America., Loucks EB; Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.; Department of Behavioral Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.; Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: PloS one [PLoS One] 2020 Sep 23; Vol. 15 (9), pp. e0239533. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Sep 23 (Print Publication: 2020).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239533
Abstrakt: Background: Mindfulness-based programs hold promise for improving cardiovascular health (e.g. physical activity, diet, blood pressure). However, despite theoretical frameworks proposed, no studies have reported qualitative findings on how study participants themselves believe mindfulness-based programs improved their cardiovascular health. With an emphasis on in-depth, open-ended investigation, qualitative methods are well suited to explore the mechanisms underlying health outcomes. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the mechanisms through which the mindfulness-based program, Mindfulness-Based Blood Pressure Reduction (MB-BP), may influence cardiovascular health.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted as part of a Stage 1 single arm trial with one-year follow-up. The MB-BP curriculum was adapted from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to direct participants' mindfulness skills towards modifiable determinants of blood pressure. Four focus group discussions were conducted (N = 19 participants), and seven additional participants were selected for in-depth interviews. Data analysis was conducted using the standard approach of thematic analysis. Following double-coding of audio-recorded transcripts, four members of the study team engaged in an iterative process of data analysis and interpretation.
Results: Participants identified self-awareness, attention control, and emotion regulation as key mechanisms that led to improvements in cardiovascular health. Within these broader themes, many participants detailed a process beginning with increased self-awareness to sustain attention and regulate emotions. Many also explained that the specific relationship between self-awareness and emotion regulation enabled them to respond more skillfully to stressors. In a secondary sub-theme, participants suggested that higher self-awareness helped them engage in positive health behaviors (e.g. healthier dietary choices).
Conclusion: Qualitative analyses suggest that MB-BP mindfulness practices allowed participants to engage more effectively in self-regulation skills and behaviors lowering cardiovascular disease risk, which supports recent theory. Results are consistent with quantitative mechanistic findings showing emotion regulation, perceived stress, interoceptive awareness, and attention control are influenced by MB-BP.
Competing Interests: The authors have read the journal’s policy and have the following potential competing interests: EC is the Director of the Mindfulness Center at Brown University. The Mindfulness Center, a non-profit entity, has an Education Unit that provides mindfulness-based program delivery to the general public for fees. Dr. Loucks’s salary is not tied to quantity, or content, of programs offered through the Mindfulness Center, and this therefore does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products associated with this research to declare.
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz:
Nepřihlášeným uživatelům se plný text nezobrazuje