As Zen Replaces the Id-Abstracts3

Journal Abstracts

Research Related to Psychology and Zen

* Please take note that different journals have varying levels of stringency when considering articles for publication.
These abstracts are listed to help visitors find information that will lead to closer inspection of the studies before any convictions are made.

Relaxation Techniq ues, General Theory

TITLE: Stress reduction through mindfulness meditation: Effects on psychological symptomatology, sense of control, and spiritual experiences.

ABSTRACT: Examined the effects of an 8-wk str ess reduction program based on training in mindfulness meditation among 28 undergraduates who were randomized into either an experimental group or a nonintervention control group. Following participation, experimental Ss, when compared with controls, evid enced significantly greater changes in terms of (1) reductions in overall psychological symptomatology; (2) increases in overall domain-specific sense of control and utilization of an accepting or yielding mode of control in their lives; and (3) higher sc ores on a measure of spiritual experiences. It is concluded that the techniques of mindfulness meditation, with their emphasis on developing detached observation and awareness of the contents of consciousness, may represent a powerful cognitive behavioral coping strategy for transforming the ways in which we respond to life events. They may also have potential for relapse prevention in affective disorders. ((c) 1998 APA/PsycINFO, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Astin, John A.
AFFILIATION: U California, Dept of Psychology & Social Behavior, Irvine, CA, USA
PUBLICATION: Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics
ISSUE: 1997 Mar-Apr Vol 66(2) 97-106.

TITLE: Mindfulness-based stress reduction in the inner city.

ABSTRACT: This article describes a mindfulness based stress reduction program presented in either English or Spanish in an inner-city setting. The demographic profile of approximately 200 patients who completed the Stress Reduction and Relaxation P rogram at the Community Health Center in Meriden, Connecticut, is presented. Patient groups are heterogeneous with respect to medical and mental health diagnoses. Mindfulness meditation is defined, and the practices of breathing meditation, eating meditat ion, walking meditation, and mindful yoga are described. The relationship of mindfulness practice to patients' suffering and to physical and emotional pain is discussed. The article concludes with an exploration of how mindfulness practice facilitates pro found personal change as well as symptom relief and health improvement. ((c) 1998 APA/PsycINFO, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Roth, Beth
AFFILIATION: Stress Reduction & Relaxation Program, Community Health Ctr, Meriden, CT, USA
PUB LICATION: Advances
ISSUE: 1997 Fal Vol 13(4) 50-58.

TITLE: Confronting stress: Integrating control theory and mindfulness to cultivate our inner resources through mind/body health methods.

ABSTRACT: Discusses how becoming a more integral part of the healing process and getting to know oneself on a deeper level can lead to understanding the reasons why ineffective organized behaviors are chosen to deal with stressful situations. Mindfulness, an eastern meditation technique, can be used to increase utilization of control theory. People would benefit from stress reduction techniques by increasing their awareness of themselves. After they have learned to slowly bring in their fears and observe the behaviors they have used to repress them, they can learn how to stop the conflict within and transform and heal the mind and body. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1997 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Barbieri, Patric
AFFILIATION: LABBB Collaborative, Lexington, MA, US
PUBLICATION: Journal of Reality Therapy
ISSUE: 1996 Spr Vol 15(2) 3-13

TITLE: Using meditative techniques in psychotherapy.

ABSTRACT: Although research evidence exists concerning the efficacy of meditation in psychotherapeutic settings, therapists and counselors are often unfamiliar with meditative techniques and their usefulness. Those in professional fields frequently lack ways of bridging the gap between what may rep resent the spiritual domain of life and the more pragmatic concerns typically presented by clients. This article presents a model that employs meditative approaches to enhance the therapy process for practitioners as well as their clients. The model is de signed to provide a sequential approach to dealing with relaxation, self-awareness, inner control mechanisms, emotional felt senses, and intuition, within a nonreligious context. It is applicable to holistic and experiential perspectives on the process of psychotherapy. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1997 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Kelly, Gary F.
AFFILIATION: Clarkson U, Potsdam, NY, US
PUBLICATION: Journal of Humanistic Psychology
ISSUE: 1996 Sum Vol 36(3) 49-66

TITLE: Meditation and psychosocial adaptation: An exploratory study.

ABSTRACT: Examined differential patterns of interrelationships between meditators and nonmeditators on issues pertaining to psych osocial adaptation, specifically, psychological distress, gender stereotyping, and dogmatism. 23 female and 9 male meditators and 24 female and 9 male nonmeditators completed the SCL-90--R, the Traditional Egalitarian Sex Role scale, the Short-Form Dogmat ism Scale, and a demographic form. Meditators completed a questionnaire on meditative practice. Findings indicate that there are no differences between meditators and nonmeditators on level of psychosocial adaptation. Findings from the correlational analy sis within the nonmeditator group revealed positive relationships between gender stereotyping and both dogmatism and psychological distress. Multiple regression analyses revealed similar findings. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1997 American Psychological A ssn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Lepuschitz, Judith K.; Hartman, Valerie L.
AFFILIATION: U Central Oklahoma, Coll of Education, Edmond, OK, US
PUBLICATION: Current Psychology: Developmental, Learning, Personality, Social
ISSUE: 1996 Fal Vol 15(3) 215-222

TITLE: Relaxation: Mapping an uncharted world.

ABSTRACT: Investigated factors related to relaxation with 940 practitioners of massage, abbreviated progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), yoga stretching, breathing, imagery, and meditation, who described their technique experiences. 10 relaxation categories were found: Joyful Affects and Appraisals, Distant, Calm, Aware, Prayerful, Accepted, Untroubled, Limp, Silent, and Mystery. The relax ation response and cognitive/somatic specificity models predict Calm and Limp. PMR and massage are associated with Distant and Limp; yoga stretching, breathing, and meditation with Aware; meditation with Prayerful, and all techniques except PMR with Joyfu l. Results are consistent with cognitive-behavioral relaxation theory and have implications for relaxation theory, treatment, training, assessment, and research. A revised model of relaxation is presented with 3 global dimensions: tension-relief passive d isengagement, and passive engagement. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1997 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Smith, Jonathan C.; Amutio, Alberto ; Anderson, John P. ; Aria, Leslie A.
AFFILIATION: Roosevelt U, Sch ool of Psychology & Stress Inst, Chicago, IL, US
PUBLICATION: Biofeedback & Self Regulation
ISSUE: 1996 Mar Vol 21(1) 63-90

TITLE: Trauma, psychotherapy, and meditation.

ABSTRACT: Presents a model whereb y meditation practices are interwoven in the process of traditional psychotherapy to facilitate healing and empower the client. Initially a review of the various meditative techniques is provided, focusing on Mindfulness Meditation and Concentration Medit ation. Five actual therapy cases are presented to demonstrate the diversity of treatment approaches with this model. The paper then discusses how combining meditation practice with psychotherapy can simultaneously develop ego strengthening as well as mean ingful experiences of egolessness, even for the trauma survivor. A strong therapeutic alliance as well as trust between client and therapist is the cornerstone of this integrated approach. How the combined treatment of meditation with psychotherapy may de crease mental health care utilization, yet enhance the psychotherapeutic process in this era of managed care and cost containment, is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1997 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Urba nowski, Ferris B.; Miller, John J.
AFFILIATION: U Massachusetts Medical Ctr, Stress Reduction Program, MA, US
PUBLICATION: Journal of Transpersonal Psychology
ISSUE: 1996 Vol 28(1) 31-48

TITLE: Meditation and the u nconscious.

ABSTRACT: Describes the practice of meditation and examines it from the constructivist perspective of G. Kelly (1955). Kelly's view of the unconscious is discussed in the context of "preverbal construing," "suspension,"" constric tion," and "loosening," and some similarities between meditation and psychotherapy are described. Meditation practice sensitizes the world within, which includes subverbal and unconscious material. With increased adeptness, its practice may lead to the temporary suspension of habitual, dualistic, cognitive construing, and thus facilitate the experience of no-thought, tranquility and a sense of oneness or unity. In the long-term, meditation practice may elaborate both subverbal and transverbal construing. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1996 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: DelMonte, Michael M.
AFFILIATION: St Patrick's Hosp, Dept of Psychiatry, Dublin, Ireland
PUBLICATION: Journal of Contemporary Psychothera py
ISSUE: 1995 Fal Vol 25(3) 223-242

TITLE: Silence and emptiness in the service of healing: Lessons from meditation.

ABSTRACT: Gives a brief historical introduction to meditation in the Christian and other relig ious traditions, relating it to concepts of Freud and W. R. Bion. Following a description of the technique of meditation, its essence is then discussed, especially in terms of its embeddedness in mystical traditions which hail from the old religions of th e Orient. The work and teachings of J. Main (1982, 1984, 1989), a Benedictine monk, arguably did the most to reintroduce the ancient discipline of Christian meditation to contemporary Western practitioners. Parallels are drawn between Main's view of silen ce in meditation and silence in psychoanalysis. Meditation, as Main described it, may not be ideal for schizoid, dissociated, or overly narcissistic individuals. Those practitioners with good ego-strengths are likely to benefit the most. (PsycINFO Databas e Copyright 1995 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Del Monte, Michael
AFFILIATION: St Patrick's Hosp, Dublin, Ireland
PUBLICATION: British Journal of Psychotherapy
ISSUE: 1995 Spr Vol 11(3) 368-378< br>

TITLE: Helping meditation: Creative growth in education.

ABSTRACT: Focuses on some modernized ancient techniques that have survived to the present and highlights their practical applications to modern living through a p rocess of creative education. A variety of meditative approaches are presented to enable people of differing points of view to find a comfortable way to reap its benefits. The sources of healing meditation, the role of stress, and the meditation technique s are discussed. Meditation is described as a guideline to fulfilled living and education, in the light of health benefits, harmonious creative flow, feeling in control, and personal productivity. Healing meditation applies meditative techniques to practi cal life experiences, providing the creative growth in human education that enables people to find a satisfying reason for being with positive contributions to living a good life. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1996 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Greenspan, Marlene R.
AFFILIATION:
PUBLICATION: Early Child Development & Care
ISSUE: 1995 Jun Vol 110 113-122

TITLE: Zen meditation: A psychoanalytic conceptualization.

ABSTRACT: Presents a psychoanalytic conceptualization of Zen meditation. Zen and psychoanalysis are both powerful ways to understand human conditions and problems of everyday living. During Zen meditation, the self is allowed to resume its original state or the true self. The goal of both Soto and Rinzai Zen is realization of one's true self. According to the psychoanalytical perspective, the ego serves its own interests. In Zen, there is an attempt to suspend the activities of the ego. Due to this inacti vity, the ego resumes its original nature in and as the id. In this state the libido is life affirming, as the destructive impulses are neutralized by the libido. An attempt to replace the concepts of ego and libido by existential consciousness has also b een made. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1996 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Leone, George
AFFILIATION:
PUBLICATION: Journal of Transpersonal Psychology
ISSUE: 1995 Vol 27(1) 87-94

TITLE: How does cognitive therapy prevent depressive relapse and why should attentional control (mindfulness) training help?

ABSTRACT: Presents an information-processing analysis (IPA) of depressive relapse and its prevention through cognitive therapy. Preventive interventions operate by changing the patterns of cognitive processing that become active in states of mild negative affect. From this perspective, training in the redeployment of attention is relevant to preventing depressi ve relapse. Mindfulness training is described, and an IPA of its therapeutic effects is presented. The essentials of attentional control training, a relapse prevention program that integrates elements of mindfulness training with more traditional elements of cognitive therapy, are summarized. This IPA was developed within the interacting cognitive subsystems conceptual framework. (PsycINFO Database Copyright 1995 American Psychological Assn, all rights reserved)

AUTHOR: Teasdale, John D.; Se gal, Zindel ; Williams, J. Mark G.
AFFILIATION: MRC Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge, England
PUBLICATION: Behaviour Research & Therapy
ISSUE: 1995 Jan Vol 33(1) 25-39

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