Can Inner Peace be Improved by Mindfulness Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Inner peace is a desirable state, yet its improvement through non-clinical interventions is under-researched.
• Mindfulness training is hypothesized to foster positive psychological states, including inner peace.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of mindfulness training in enhancing inner peace among healthy adults.
• To examine the impact of mindfulness training on attentional focus and self-rated mindfulness.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial with 57 participants assigned to mindfulness training or a wait-list control group.
• Utilized the experience sampling method for real-time assessment of inner peace.
• Employed the Meditation Breath Attention Score and the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) for attention and mindfulness evaluation.

Main Results:

• Mindfulness training significantly increased scores for inner peace, attentional focus (Meditation Breath Attention Score), and self-rated mindfulness (FFMQ) compared to the control group.
• No significant mediation effect was found between changes in inner peace and changes in self-rated mindfulness or attentional focus.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness training demonstrates immediate positive effects on inner peace in healthy individuals.
• Further research with follow-up assessments is needed to understand the long-term effects and underlying mechanisms.