Clinical Psychology Science and Practice
January 1, 2004
Scott R. Bishop, Mark A. Lau, Shauna L. Shapiro et al.
6,266 citations
Mindfulness has attracted considerable interest as a way to reduce cognitive vulnerability to stress and emotional distress, but it has not been defined operationally. Recent consensus meetings produced a two-component model of mindfulness, specifying each component in terms of specific behaviors, experiential manifestations, and psychological processes. The paper addresses temporal stability and situational specificity, speculates on the conceptual and operational distinctiveness of mindfulness, and discusses implications for instrument development and measurement.
Journal of Clinical Psychology
December 29, 2005
Shauna L. Shapiro, Linda E. Carlson, John A. Astin et al.
3,933 citations
A theoretical model of mindfulness is proposed to explain how it produces positive changes in psychological and physical health. The paper suggests that while mindfulness-based interventions are effective for treating symptoms, the mechanisms behind these effects remain unclear. The model aims to identify potential processes through which mindfulness operates, offering directions for future empirical research on these mechanisms.
Stress and Health
March 15, 2010
Kathryn Birnie, Michael Speca, Linda E. Carlson
599 citations
A community sample participated in an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme. After the programme, participants showed significant reductions in stress symptoms and mood disturbance, along with increases in mindfulness, spirituality, and self-compassion. For empathy, perspective taking increased significantly and personal distress decreased significantly, but empathic concern did not change. Changes in self-compassion were linked to changes in mindfulness. Self-compassion and certain aspects of empathy were strongly associated with psychological well-being. The findings suggest MBSR can enhance self-compassion and specific empathy components.
Stress and Health
November 28, 2006
Michael J. Mackenzie, Linda E. Carlson, Marleny Munoz et al.
178 citations
Nine cancer patients who completed an 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program and continued attending weekly drop-in sessions described five themes from adding meditation to their lives: opening to change, self-control, shared experience, personal growth, and spirituality. These themes were used to develop theory about how MBSR creates change for cancer patients, which may help refine programs to better support patients during diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.
Annual Review of Psychology
September 14, 2022
Linda E. Carlson
50 citations
People diagnosed with and treated for cancer commonly experience distress, anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and caregiver burden, along with fatigue, pain, and sleep disturbance. This review covers psychological reactions across the disease continuum and evaluates interventions such as acceptance-based and mindfulness therapies, mind-body approaches, meaning-based therapies for advanced disease, and psychedelic therapy. It also identifies methodological shortcomings in the evidence base, offers design recommendations, and discusses future directions including pragmatic research designs, digital health interventions, and implementation science.
Christopher P. Albertyn, Jérémie Richard, Ron Joseph Shore et al.
preprint
Demoralization syndrome affects about one in five Canadians with advanced cancer, marked by helplessness, hopelessness, and loss of meaning, and is linked to a greater desire for hastened death and worse outcomes, but it is underrecognized and undertreated. Pharmacological treatments fail to address its existential roots, and psychosocial therapies are underfunded and not universally effective. Mindfulness-Based Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy (MB-PAT) combines mindfulness training with psilocybin's neuroplastic effects, but its traditional one-on-one delivery limits scalability. The authors argue that group-based MB-PAT could bridge this gap by leveraging existing group therapy infrastructure and therapist familiarity with mindfulness, offering a scalable, equity-focused model for publicly funded Canadian oncology. The Canadian Network for Psychedelic-Assisted Cancer Therapy (CAN-PACT) is highlighted as a key initiative to generate evidence and capacity.