Mindfulness-based approaches: are they all the same?
Journal of Clinical Psychology
Format:
Journal Article
Publication Year:
2011
Pages:
404–424
Source ID:
shanti-sources-22481
Zotero Collections:
Contemplation by Applied Subject, Contemplation by Tradition, Psychiatry and Contemplation, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction / Cognitive Therapy, Psychotherapy and Contemplation, Health Care and Contemplation, Interreligious Contemplation, Buddhist Contemplation
Abstract:
Mindfulness-based approaches are increasingly employed as interventions for treating a variety of psychological, psychiatric and physical problems. Such approaches include ancient Buddhist mindfulness meditations such as Vipassana and Zen meditations, modern group-based standardized meditations, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and further psychological interventions, such as dialectical behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. We review commonalities and differences of these interventions regarding philosophical background, main techniques, aims, outcomes, neurobiology and psychological mechanisms. In sum, the currently applied mindfulness-based interventions show large differences in the way mindfulness is conceptualized and practiced. The decision to consider such practices as unitary or as distinct phenomena will probably influence the direction of future research. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1-21, 2011.