Title:
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An investigation into the effectiveness of two mindfulness techniques: mindful breathing and the body scan
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Literature Review
The use of mindfulness techniques has gained popularity over the last two decades or so,
and increasing amounts of research are being undertaken in the field. There now exis~s a
range of literature to support the use of mindfulness techniques in clinical practice with a
range of populations. The current research leaves many questions unanswered, particularly
the need for a clear definition and exploration of what the concept of mindfulness is and
how and why training in mindfulness works. The following review describes the existing
research around mindfulness training and explores the different therapeutic models which
incorporate aspects of mindfulness in clinical interventions. Limitations of the current
literature are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.
Empirical Paper
The literature on mindfulness as a clinical intervention has rapidly expanded in recent years
but questions about its use and effectiveness remain unanswered, one ofwhich concerns
the active agents of change. The current study aimed to investigate two specific techniques
which currently form partoflarger mindfulness training packages: mindful breathing and
the body scan. 59 university undergraduates were recruited and were tested on a number of
measures of stress tolerance, psychological symptoms and affect, as well as attention and
mindfulness skills. A range of mixed design ANOVA statistics are calculated but no
significant effect of training in either technique is reported. These results are discussed in
terms of their implications for future research and clinical interventions. The study suggests
that non-specific factors, such as membership of a group, might be important in the
success of mindfulness training.
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