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
January 1, 2006
Mark A. Lau, Scott R. Bishop, Zindel V. Segal et al.
1,462 citations
A new self-report questionnaire, the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS), measures the state of mindfulness. In two studies, the scale showed good internal consistency and two factors: Curiosity and Decentering. TMS scores increased with more mindfulness meditation experience. In a second study, participants in an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program showed increased TMS scores after treatment, and Decentering scores predicted improvements in clinical outcomes. The TMS is a promising measure with good psychometric properties and predictive validity for treatment outcome.
International Journal of Stress Management
May 1, 2005
Shauna L. Shapiro, John A. Astin, Scott R. Bishop et al.
1,328 citations
An eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program may reduce stress and improve quality of life and self-compassion among health care professionals, who often face high levels of stress linked to depression, lower job satisfaction, and psychological distress. These results come from a small randomized controlled pilot study.
Psychosomatic Medicine
January 1, 2002
Scott R. Bishop
759 citations
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a clinical program that trains people in mindfulness meditation to help them adapt to medical illness and manage stress and emotions. Despite widespread use in medical settings over the past 20 years, a critical review of the medical and social science literature finds that research on MBSR has been scarce and often methodologically flawed. Consequently, very little is known about its effectiveness. Some evidence suggests it may hold promise, but the available evidence does not support a strong endorsement of the approach at present. Serious investigation is strongly recommended.
Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy
November 1, 2007
Nicole D. Anderson, Mark A. Lau, Zindel V. Segal et al.
326 citations
Healthy adults who completed an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course reported greater improvements in emotional well-being and mindfulness compared to a wait-list control group, but showed no improvements in attentional control. Improvements in mindfulness after MBSR were correlated with better detection of objects in visual scenes, suggesting a link between mindfulness and non-directed attention.