• Feasibility of online self-help mindfulness intervention integrating Chinese classical poetry and its impact on participants’adherence

    Subjects: Psychology >> Applied Psychology submitted time 2024-06-06

    Abstract: In recent years, mindfulness interventions have been applied across various fields and have achieved significant efficacy. With the widespread adoption of mobile Internet, online mindfulness interventions are flourishing, thus holding tremendous potential. However, a prominent issue is the generally low adherence of participants in such online mindfulness interventions. Concurrently, previous studies have demonstrated that poetry is also regarded as an important supplement to psychotherapy and mindfulness intervention therapy. Yet, no research has been conducted on the integration of Chinese classical poetry and mindfulness interventions—a topic that warrants further exploration. Moreover, Chinese classical poetry possesses distinct Chinese characteristics and is a highly appreciated literary art form among the local population. Therefore, based on the above propositions, this study considers the feasibility of integrating Chinese classical poetry into mindfulness intervention and whether it can enhance participants’ adherence.
    In Study 1, a 49-day online self-help mindfulness intervention incorporating Chinese classical poetry was developed based on Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) and poetry therapy. A total of 54 participants were recruited online who completed the pre- and postintervention assessments, including measures of mindfulness, perceived stress, and general well-being. The participants were required to answer additional questions regarding the feasibility of the intervention within one week postintervention. Then, the effectiveness of the intervention was analyzed using paired samples t-tests, whereas its feasibility was evaluated across five dimensions: Acceptability, Demand, Implementation, Practicality, and Limited-efficacy testing. In Study 2, 258 participants were recruited online and randomly assigned to Group A or Group B. Group A attended a mindfulness intervention program that integrated Chinese classical poetry, while Group B attended the same program without poetry. In the end, a total of 245 participants joined the study (118 in Group A and 127 in Group B). All participants were required to complete pre-, mid-, and postintervention assessments measuring mindfulness, perceived stress, and general well-being levels. Furthermore, the intervention’s effectiveness was examined using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), whereas the impact of the presence or absence of Chinese classical poetry on participants’ adherence was analyzed using chi-square tests.
    The results confirmed the feasibility of the developed online self-help mindfulness intervention integrating Chinese classical poetry in terms of Acceptability, Demand, Implementation, Practicality and Limited-efficacy testing, with participants perceiving the intervention as effective. The results of Study 2 demonstrated that both programs with and without poetry significantly improved participants’ mindfulness, perceived stress, and general well-being levels. However, the former significantly enhanced participants’ adherence. In addition, compared with the overall adherence levels of current online mindfulness interventions (ranging from 35% to 92%), the participants’ adherence to the proposed online intervention with Chinese classical poetry (84.75%) is relatively high. Finally, the study also found that integrating poetry into mindfulness interventions enhanced the majority of Chinese individuals’ engagement and completion rates, regardless of their personal preferences for Chinese classical poetry at baseline.
    This study represents the first integration of Chinese classical poetry into mindfulness intervention, resulting in a program enriched by Chinese cultural elements. The program facilitates the combination of outstanding traditional Chinese culture with modern psychological theories and practices, fostering their creative transformation and innovative development. Furthermore, the purely online self-help program employed in this study reduces reliance on therapists while simultaneously enhancing participants’ adherence. At the same time, this study provides more possibilities for the widespread application of mindfulness intervention and provides individuals with more choices for mental health treatment. Overall, these contributions hold significant practical significance and social value.

  • Enhancing mindfulness interventions for test anxiety: A perspective based on the NIH stage model

    Subjects: Psychology >> Clinical and Counseling Psychology submitted time 2023-07-13

    Abstract: Because interventions to reduce test anxiety’s detrimental consequences have remained ineffective, the academic community has begun to introduce the concept of mindfulness into such interventions following the concept’s repeated validation. The NIH stage model, aimed at promoting the implementation and dissemination of psychological interventions, divides the development of interventions into six stages: basic research, intervention generation and refinement, efficacy testing, mixed efficacy–effectiveness testing, effectiveness testing, and implementation and dissemination. In our study, we therefore organized past studies on mindfulness-based interventions for test anxiety according to the NIH’s model. First, we explored the potential mechanism underlying mindfulness when it comes to treating test anxiety. Second, we summarized three dominant approaches, labeled “initial evaluation of treatment,” “refinement of intervention,” and “promotion of implementation and dissemination,” all rooted in previous evidence. Last, considering the NIH’s model and the uniqueness of mindfulness as an intervetion, we encourage future research focused on exploring the mechanism of change and implementing pragmatic research while being sensitive to four aspects of recent studies on mindfulness: the inclusion of open monitoring, the proper assessment of treatment adherence, increasing attention to how mindful attitudes are learned, and the possible influence of different understandings of self between Western and Eastern cultures.

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