about the study
What is the aim of the study?
Investigate long term effect mindfulness-based stress reduction program on a brain grey matter density.
What did the p’s report about in the questionaire?
Observation, description, acting with awareness, nonjudgemental, and non-reactivity.
Describe the psychology being investigated.
Biology
Explain reverse scoring
numerical scoring scale runs in the opposite direction.
what is the design of the study?
Longitudinal design/ independent measures
What are five details of the experimental group?
N = 16 (2 withdraw-uncomforted by MRI)
6 males 10 females
Mean age 38
13 Caucasians, 1 Asian, 1 African American, 1 multiethnic
Average years of education = 17
What research method is used?
Longitudinal design and self report and brain scans
What does localization mean?
specific parts of the cerebral cortex are relatively specialized for particular types of cognitive and behavioral processes.
What is the IV or the DV of the study?
IV: MSBR and control group
DV: FFMQ (5 subscale) Voxel based morphometry score.
What is the purpose of the control group?
Compare to experimental group and strengthens researches ability to draw conclusions from a study
Describe FFMQ
Five facet mindfulness questionnaire
Define mindfulness
in the moment while nonjudgmentally acknowledging one's thoughts and emotions
How was this study different than previous studies?
It was Longitudinal and previous studies were cross-sectional.
What guidance was given to the Participants?
MBSR program with the audio rec.
Describe the strength of using an MRI
see images from inside the body
Describe what is meant by observing and acting with awareness
Observing- (noticing internal and external stimuli)
Acting with awareness- measures ability to attend to your own current actions.
Name two strengths and two weaknesses
Strength - high levels of standardization for replicability. Plus, experiments have high levels of controls.
Weaknesses - Questionnaires (socially desirable answers) lowers validity of findings. Also, If questionnaires has closed questions, p's might choose an answer that doesn't that doesn't reflect their opinion.
Describe the procedure for brain scans
Used an MRI, All p's scanned twice, the MBSR participants were conducted 2 weeks prior to program and 2 weeks after program. The control group were scanned 2 months apart, ROI. 1) hippocampus and 2) Insula. Main analysis used was morphometry(measures brain tissue concentration)
What were the 3 types of mindfulness activities?
Body scan, mindful yoga, and sitting meditation.
What were the 2 regions of the brain?
Hippocampus and Insula