Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training: A Case Study of a High-Stress Predeployment Military Cohort,☆☆

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Abstract

Current military deployments have resulted in many psychological and physical health issues and created interest in protective measures to mitigate effects of prolonged and repetitive stress. Mindfulness training has been successfully used for stress reduction in other contexts. The following case report presents a detachment of U.S. Marines who received Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT) prior to deployment. Self-report measures of mindfulness, perceptions of stress, predictors of compliance with mindfulness practice, and time spent engaging in practice were indexed. More time spent engaging in practice corresponded with greater self-reported mindfulness; increases in mindfulness were associated with decreases in perceived stress.

Section snippets

The Deleterious Effects of Stress for the Military

Military service is an inherently stressful profession. Service-members are expected to deal with significant and potentially traumatizing stressors before, during, and after deployment, including threats to individual safety, the need to inflict harm on others, and exposure to injury, death, and significant human suffering (Adler et al., 2003). Ample evidence suggests that troops may experience considerable anxiety and distress in anticipation of deployment (Bolton et al., 2001, MacDonald et

The Utility of Mindfulness

Eastern contemplative traditions have long held that cultivating a specific mental mode known as mindfulness gives rise to enhanced well-being. In the West, interest in mindfulness has mushroomed in recent decades, and efforts to define, measure, and test mindfulness have gradually developed a construct that connects mindfulness training with positive physical and mental health outcomes (Grossman et al., 2004). Mindfulness involves “bringing one's attention to the present experience on a

Promoting Stress Resilience in Military Cohorts With Mindfulness Training

The current study was a nonclinical (Phase I) feasibility study, involving the adaptation of mindfulness training to promote psychological resilience in predeployment military service-members. Providing training to help military personnel manage stress before deployment may help them function more effectively while deployed and perhaps ameliorate the long-term health effects of the deployment itself. Moreover, recent reviews of resilience literature suggest that a willingness to face fears, the

The Group as a Case

While case reports traditionally focus on the treatment of an individual or small group, this case report focuses on the detachment of 34 U.S. Marine reservists who received MMFT. The detachment is appropriate for analysis as a single case for two reasons. First, MMFT was designed to be offered to existing military units, in their group setting, taking account of both rank hierarchy and organizational group dynamics, and many MMFT exercises were designed as group exercises, to be completed in

Assessment Procedures

Our aim was to assess changes in self-reported mindfulness and perceived stress before and after the MMFT course, as a function of how much time individuals spent engaging in mindfulness exercises outside of class. The instruments used to assess the training's effects were delivered during two testing sessions for both the MMFT and MC groups. All testing was conducted at the units' locations, with individual laptop testing stations, separated by dividers to minimize visual distraction and

MMFT: Similarities and Differences to MBSR

MBSR is an 8-week group intervention that is largely skill-based (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). The 24-hour course includes weekly 2-hour sessions, with one day-long retreat during the sixth week. Participants are also instructed to complete up to 45 minutes of “homework” each day, using CDs at home to guide them through mindfulness practices. Any didactic material presented comes from a “bottom-up” format, with insights emerging from the group discussion rather than as “top-down” presentations from the

Between Group Analyses of Variance

In the MMFT group, one subject was excluded from the analyses for failure to submit any practice logs and three subjects for failure to complete both testing sessions. Four subjects from the control group were excluded for failure to follow task instructions. Thus, the final quantitative analysis included 30 MMFT participants (mean age = 29, SD = 7.6) and 17 MC participants (mean age = 25, SD = 4.3) with no significant differences in age across groups.

Training-Related Changes in Mindfulness

A mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted

Discussion

In this study, we sought to explore the feasibility of MT during the predeployment military context. First, we sought to assess if MMFT could improve participants' levels of mindfulness, despite fewer hours of in-class MT instruction compared to a regular MBSR course. At the same time, preparing for deployment is stressful, with increases reported in negative mood, depression, and anxiety during the predeployment interval (Bolton et al., 2001, MacDonald et al., 1998). In light of other studies

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    EAS is the creator of Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT) and is the founder of the Mind Fitness Training Institute, a nonprofit organization established to support the delivery of MMFT. JMS is also an MMFT trainer and works on curriculum development with the Institute. To ensure impartiality, AK and APJ collected all data and conducted the analyses reported in this article; they have no vested interest in the outcome.

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    This project was funded by the John W. Kluge Foundation and the Dept. of Defense (Grant # W81XWH-08-1-0715 to APJ and EAS). We would like to thank Pauline Baniqued for assistance with data collection, Kaye Coker for support regarding intervention delivery, and Tussi and John Kluge for their generous support on this project. We also wish to thank J.S. and J.D. for their invaluable role in allowing this project to take place.

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