Journal Club Discussion session #2 by The Mindful University Project 2016 https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds Write your 300 words abstract en-us 2019-02-11 19:40:14 UTC 2019-02-28 16:07:49 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Brightnessdown.png https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/331554023 This paper investigates whether mindfulness training improves metacognitive awareness and reduces mind wandering in adolescents aged 16-18. Mindfulness training has previously been used with adults’, so this study was done to see if it would have an effect on adolescents. They hypothesised that the mindfulness training would benefit attention performance and would reduce self-reported mind wandering tasks and improvements in metacognitive beliefs. Five measures were used in this study. Five-Facet mindfulness questionnaire was the first measure which was used to assess the changes in mindfulness pre-post-training. The metacognitive questionnaire (adolescent version) was the second measure which was used to record changes in their perception of their abilities. The mind wandering measure was a self-reported questionnaire on the amount of mind wandering they experienced during the task. The acceptability which measured how much the students enjoyed the course and asked how frequently they would practice at home. Mindfulness course attendance was also measured. Results showed that the mindfulness programme was successful. More negative N2 amplitudes after training was found implying that there was less mind wandering and more attention. Mindfulness training was associated with a reduction of superstition and self-punishing beliefs. Mindfulness training for adolescents given by the teachers increased their attention and helped their mental health, as it reduced critical self-judgement, which supports the hypothesis. The questionnaire may have social desirability bais.

]]> 2019-02-14 22:34:16 UTC https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/331554023 https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/332303694 Research shows that adolescents tend to be more impulsive and have lower inhibitions, due to developmental stage the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex are. During this stage, their selective attention can be diminished as well as reduced ‘metacognition’ (awareness of one’s mental abilities and behaviour). Mindfulness consists of concentrating and focusing attention on a bodily experience (such as breathing); when the mind wanders, bring it back without judgement and refocus. Mindfulness has been shown to improve focused attention, reduce impulsivity, improve overall wellbeing. Consequently, the researchers decided to look at whether mindfulness training can help reduce impulsivity and increase focused attention in adolescents, who find this more difficult. 
The research question in this paper is; Will mindfulness training for 16-18 year olds enhance metacognition and inhibition of irrelevant stimuli? 
 It was hypothesised that mindfulness training would benefit attention performance and sustained attention (indicated by more negative N2 and more positive P3b amplitudes on an ERP). Reductions in self-reported mind-wandering and improvements in metacognitive beliefs were also expected. 
45 participants across four sixth-form colleges in Wales were recruited. There were two groups; one with a mean age of 16.6 years (SD = 0.6) and a control with a mean age of 17.1 years (SD = 0.6). 
A mindfulness course was conducted over eight, 50-minute weekly sessions at school. 
Participants completed 4 self-report measures: changes in mindfulness scores pre/post training (FFMQ); changes in student’s perceptions of their mental abilities (MCQ-A); how much mind wandering students experienced (Mind wandering measure) and how much students enjoyed the mindfulness training (Acceptability measure). 
Participants were connected to a portable EEG system whilst they completed an ‘oddball’ task with 4 shapes; 3 non-target and 1 deviant target shape. Participants were instructed to respond on a keyboard only when they saw the target shape appear. 
There was a significant increase in N2 negativity in response to colour deviant and standard non-target stimuli for the mindfulness group. There was significant increase in control group mind wandering over time. 
Mindfulness training for sixth-form students at school increases attention processing and may positively impact on metacognitive beliefs. 
One limitation is there were lots of insignificant results.
]]> 2019-02-18 11:15:54 UTC https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/332303694 https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/332317802 This research paper was to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based training inhibition and attention efficiency on meta-cognition in adolescents. This study was carried out across four schools in wales using participants with a age range of 16-18 . To measure attention the oddball task is designed to measure mind wondering, while participants were completing the tasks they are also asked to keep track of when their mind is wondering. The meta-cognition questionnaire measured students cognitive confidence and positive beliefs, the study used a version of the measure specifically made for adolescents. To measure mindfulness before and after training the Five Facet mindfulness questionnaire was used. Brain activity is measured with EEG and ERP machines at P3a, P3b and N200. Activity in these brain areas is proposed to be correlated with improved attention during the completion tasks.
Mindfulness training is associated positive scores on the meta-cognitions questionnaire and more negative results at N2 is associated with improved cognitive confidence.

]]> 2019-02-18 12:24:06 UTC https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/332317802 https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/332855725 The research question was that mindfulness training in schools affects adolescent’s sustained attention, and specifically response inhibition. This would be indicated by more negative N2 to non-target stimuli, and a more positive P3B amplitudes. It was also expected that there would be decreases in P3a to the non-target condition, alongside reduction in self-reported mind wandering. There would also be an increase in self-efficacy and an improvement in meta cognitive beliefs, and therefore an increased awareness and evaluations in cognitions.

Mind wandering may be a difficult symptom to measure by self report, it may be more to reliable to use a more frequency based measure, as these self-reports were likely quite subjective, and therefore influenced by individual differences, which may have hidden true effects.

No main or interaction effects between time or group (meditation or control) was found in the overall sample for self-reported mind wandering, however one significant group and time interaction effect was found in the subset of participants who were included in the ERP analysis. These results suggested greater control over mind-wandering over time due to meditation training. 

A main effect of time was found to significantly decrease false alarms, however this effect was found to be independent of the group type.

An overall decrease in N2 was found in the intervention group in reaction to shape-deviant non-target stimuli; and a significant interaction between group and time was found for the standard non-target suggesting greater response inhibition over the course of training.

Significant reductions in P3a and P3b were found over time and for different stimulus types. However these reductions which indicated reduced automatic attention orienting was found in both the intervention and control groups, and therefore wasn’t related to the effects of mindfulness training. 

It was concluded that the mindfulness-based programme which was delivered to adolescents successfully in more N2 negativity as a response to colour deviant and standard non-target stimuli, therefore indicating that mindfulness successfully increased inhibiting responses to non-targets. It also appeared that alongside these effects were reductions in perceived uncontrollability, and increased confidence in their cognitive abilities. However as their hypothesis concerning P3a and P3b amplitudes were not supported we can’t be completely confident in their conclusion that mindfulness training has positive impacts on attentional processing. It does however indicate at least some positive effects of mindfulness on response inhibition which can be studied further. 

]]> 2019-02-19 18:34:23 UTC https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/332855725 General comments colourlabnid https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/336457504 -Identification of the Research Question is generally correct, likewise specific hypotheses are correctly reported. 
-There is a generally accurate report of the method;
-Results (and there were a lot) are generally well reported, but there are some little inaccuracies [e.g there is a significant increase of mind-wandering in the control group, which is different from a 'decrease of mind wandering in the training group]

What was missing from all abstract was : that this research was apparently the first investigation of the impact of mindfulness-based training for adolescents in school suing NEUROSCIENTIFIC methodology.
From that perspective it would have also been useful to described the method as involving :
-self-reports;
-performances on attention task;
-neurophysiological measurement (or brain indexes as termed by the authors)

This could have make the conclusion of the evaluation easier, by reporting the main results (as you all did, well done) that N2 amplitude in response to frequent stimuli and colour-deviant non target were increase after training  but not translated in attention performance task. (the trained group does not perform better in term of RT or accuracy compared to the control group). Authors had to looked very closely at group differences to find in the trained-group a correlation between 'self-reported enjoyment of the course with target accuracy, which was not present in the control group).However, other (significant) positive effect of mindfulness were noted in some Metacognition sub-scales and indeed an increase in N2 amplitude that provides initial support to the benefice of the practice in teenagers if these first results could be replicated in the future. ]]> 2019-02-28 15:44:26 UTC https://padlet.com/colourlabnid/dlj9aob3peds/wish/336457504