Mindfulness Based Research
Over the past 30 years, research from The University of Massachusetts Medial School and research centres throughout the
world have shown MBSR and Mindfulness Based programs to be highly effective, with research showing long term and consistent
positive effects across different types of medical and psychological conditions, including chronic pain for participants in
these programs. While nothing can be guaranteed to anyone enrolling in the program it is likely you will benefit in some way
and experience a deeper understanding of yourself and your capacity to grow and heal.
Current Research Projects
Mindfulness-Based Functional Therapy (MBFT) for Chronic Back Pain:
An integration of psychology and physiotherapy practices (Curtin University)
For further information please email Rob Schutze rob@yogaspace.com.au
This project aims to explore the feasibility and utility of running a group-based blended psychology and physiotherapy intervention for patients with chronic low back pain. Although some components of this intervention have been previously used in research and clinical settings, this is a novel combination of therapies that aims to integrate psychological and physio-therapuetic approaches in a way that is more effective than using each modality separately. Therefore an important aim of this pilot study is to develop and refine this multidisciplinary protocol. Specifically, the aim is to create a protocol for an intervention that uses mindfulness-based cognitive and functional training to improve outcomes in chronic back pain patients.
MIndfulness Based Childbirth Education
For further information contact Jean Byrne (University of Western Australia)
This study will develop and test the benefits of a mindfulness- and skills-based mental health promotion intervention for first time mums and their birth support person. This mental health promotion initiative is targeted at non-clinical populations for the purpose of preventative treatment. Specifically, it aims to improve the mental health of pregnant women and their birth support person and increase resilience of women and their birth partners in pregnancy as a way of preventing post-natal depression, maternal dissatisfaction with labour and maternal stress, which is linked to a range of negative child development outcomes.
The intervention - Mindfulness-Based Child Birth Education (MBCE) - is a novel combination of mindfulness meditation and antenatal education that aims to integrate a skills-based antenatal education program with Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), a widely validated group intervention. The protocol focuses on the skills of evidence-based decision-making and mindfulness, which is the practice of intentionally focusing one’s attention on the unfolding of experience moment-by-moment with a non-judgmental attitude. Involvement in decision-making is a key component in maternal satisfaction with birth. Therefore MBCE facilitates better mental health outcomes for pregnant women and pregnant women and their birthing partners by practicing communication and decision-making skills in order to feel actively involved in pregnancy, birth and early parenting, thereby increasing their self-efficacy. At the same time, practicing mindfulness meditation aims to improve their mental health, by reducing stress, anxiety, depression and fear of birth. Given the strong evidence linking mindfulness to the prevention of depressive relapse, this intervention also aims to inoculate women against the onset of postnatal depression by building resilience to the demands of early parenting.
This mental health promotion initiative has been designed to take advantage of the latest research to provide an innovative approach to antenatal education and care where the focus is on mental health, resilience and protective factors rather than clinical treatment. The likely benefits to people participating in this mental health promotion initiative include: learning to manage labour pain more effectively; limiting the negative effects of unhelpful thoughts; learning ways to communicate with caregivers in order to feel involved in the decision-making process during pregnancy, birth and early parenting; learning how to make informed decisions; identifying fears regarding birth and parenting and identifying effective ways to work with and overcome those fears; identifying values and expectations of birth and working towards a positive birth experience. These specific benefits are likely to result in the more generalized benefits of improving emotional functioning and wellness in pregnancy, which are likely to have beneficial flow-on effects for postnatal and infant health.
An important aim of this mental health promotion pilot study is not only to assess the effects of the MBCE intervention, but also to develop and refine this protocol. Specifically, the aim is determine whether a larger study is warranted and to create a curriculum of documents, manuals, weekly lessons plans, workbooks and CD’s for home use by women in regional and remote areas and to be used in training health professionals to deliver MBCE.