Training
cognitive skills
SESSION
The “Cultivating Transformative Research Through Mindfulness” (or An introduction to and exploration of the six dimensions of emotional style–An overview of the neuroplasticity of the brain and how the brain can be trained to change responses to emotions;Training in mindfulness meditation and other contemplative practices, as well as cognitive skills and techniques; andStrategies for creating and maintaining healthy mental and emotional habits.The curriculum was developed in a culturally conscious way to be sensitive to the diverse and varied backgrounds and experiences of the graduate students, given the diversity represented at the institutions where the studies took place. The course content drew from the challenges of graduate school as a common denominator. The focus was to examine the underpinnings of how beliefs, opinions, biases, and behaviors are formed. Based on neuroscientific and psychological research, the participants were taught methods for developing insight into their biases, mental reactions, and habits in a non-judgmental manner. The cognitive and meditative tools provided throughout the course were designed to assist participants in managing emotional reactions and developing healthier perspectives, responses, and habits for improved resilience and emotional well-being.The curriculum was delivered over a total of six semesters in Phase 1 and Phase 2, and in parallel at University A and University B during Phase 2. Instruction for both phases at University A was delivered by two instructors (BH and SAM) with over 20 years of personal meditation practice and over 10 years of meditation teaching experience. These instructors were also responsible for customizing the curriculum for this research investigation. Training for University B in Phase 2 was led by an instructor with over 20 years of personal meditation/mindfulness practice and 17 years of mindfulness/meditation instruction. This instructor received comprehensive in-person curriculum training and a detailed training manual in order to ensure content and delivery consistency across sites.The curriculum consisted of eight weekly sessions of 50–60 minutes in duration. Our decision to offer eight instructor-led training sessions with limited expectations for practice outside of the formal sessions aligns with the recommendations of a recent meta-analysis [The training provided numerous opportunities for cognitive and contemplative skill-building in and outside the “classroom.” Each session began with a ten-minute check-in for sharing, discussion, and answering questions regarding the previous week’s home practice experience. In addition, time was allotted for reflection and discussion following each new meditation and cognitive exercise. Time spent on meditation and cognitive exercises, including reflection and discussion, was between 20–25 minutes per class session. The remainder of the time was spent introducing the emotional style being discussed and related concepts and content. The course emphasis was not only on learning the meditation techniques, but also on helping participants build insights, skills and strategies to support integrating mindfulness practices into their daily lives.Attention and self-awareness were considered key foundational concepts in developing a mindfulness practice and were covered in greater depth–two sessions each. Sessions 1 and 2 were devoted to the science of attention and the benefits of strengthening mental focus using techniques such as breath-focused meditations. Sessions 3 and 4 were devoted to the concept of meta-awareness and cultivating self-awareness of the mind-body connection as experienced through a body scan meditation. Session 5 (resilience) focused on the impact of stress on well-being and personal effectiveness, and cognitive reframing practices to enhance resilience in stressful times. Participants were also introduced to an open awareness meditation for maintaining mindfulness and staying present in challenging situations. Session 6 (positive outlook) focused on exploring the concepts of balance and equanimity, seeing and savoring positive experiences, practicing gratitude daily, and learning a meditation practice to open one to seeing potential benefits in challenging situations. Session 7 (social intuition) focused on cultivating the ability to read social cues, exploring connection as a basic human need, recognizing personal biases and deterrents to connecting, and practicing exercises in reading social cues and mindful listening. Session 8 (sensitivity to context) focused on recognizing and regulating emotions in a context-sensitive fashion, learning to stabilize reactions through balanced breath exercise, and using loving-kindness meditation to strengthen compassion and non-judgmental acceptance of self and others.In addition to the guided meditations and exercises conducted in the weekly sessions, participants were encouraged to practice formal mindfulness meditation (e.g., breath meditation, body scan meditation) daily for at least 10 minutes per day and to integrate brief mindfulness practices daily through the duration of the study. Each week the participants were reminded of the guided meditations and exercises they had learned so far and were asked to focus some of their weekly practice time on recently acquired skills. Additionally, on-line resources, including audio recordings of all meditations as taught during the course, were provided weekly to support participants in developing their practice and incorporating mindfulness into their daily life. Open-ended responses to the question “How much time did you devote to mindfulness activities in an average week?”, which was asked of the intervention group in the post-test immediately following the completion of training, indicated that the average practice time was approximately an hour-and-a-quarter per week in Phase 1 and approximately an hour per week in Phase 2. This was consistent with the practice time requested of the participants outside the “classroom.”