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Defensive Functioning Moderates the Effects of Nondirective Meditation
Anne Grete Hersoug1, Morten Wærsted2, Bjørn Lau3
1Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Frontiers in Psychology
|February 15, 2021
Summary
Nondirective meditation effectively reduces stress in working professionals. However, individual defensive functioning influences the extent of these stress reduction benefits, impacting outcomes like nervousness and sleep quality.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
- Mindfulness Studies
Background:
- Nondirective meditation is known to facilitate stress reduction.
- Defensive functioning, involving defense mechanisms, may influence the effectiveness of stress management interventions.
- Understanding moderators is crucial for optimizing workplace wellness programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if defensive functioning moderates the stress-reducing effects of nondirective meditation.
- To explore the impact of defense mechanisms on outcomes of corporate stress management programs.
- To analyze changes in defensive functioning over a 6-month study period.
Main Methods:
- A population of 105 active, working professionals from Norwegian companies participated.
- An intervention group received nondirective meditation, while a control group did not.
- Defensive functioning was assessed using the Life Style Index questionnaire at four time points.
Main Results:
- The intervention group showed significant improvements in stress-related outcomes (nervousness, distress, sleep, pain).
- No significant benefits were observed in the control group.
- Lower baseline defense scores were noted in healthy participants, with a reduction in defenses in both groups over 6 months.
- Defensive functioning significantly moderated outcome changes in the intervention group but not the control group.
Conclusions:
- Nondirective meditation offers significant stress reduction benefits for working professionals.
- Individual differences in defensive functioning play a role in modulating the effectiveness of these meditation interventions.
- Further research into psychological moderators can enhance the personalization and efficacy of corporate stress management strategies.
Keywords:
defense mechanismsdefensive functioningmental distressmuscle painnondirective meditationstress managementstress reductionworriesMore Related Videos
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