This study aimed to examine whether mindfulness skills training can help to reduce experiential avoidance and anxiety level. This study investigated whether the training delivery methods (audio-guided mindfulness exercise or virtual reality-based mindfulness exercise) differ in terms of changing general experiential avoidance and anxiety symptoms.
The experimental design (randomized trial) was used in this study. Data were collected through convenience sampling. After obtaining ethical approval fromEthics Committee of the Bahçeşehir Cyprus University, participants were invited to participate in the study via advertisements posted in the university building. Recruited participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group or control group. All participants will be provided with an informed consent form which provided information about participant's right and data management. Participants in the experimental group completed mindfulness exercise on Virtual Reality (VR) system where they listened to an audio track (guide for the exercise) and saw calming nature scenes (e.g., views on the beach) whereas those in the control group completed mindfulness exercise by listening to the (same) audio track only. Each mindfulness session took approximately 15 mins. In total, four sessions were completed in two weeks (2 sessions per week). After obtaining informed consent, the participants completed a survey pack that included valid and reliable measurement scales (mindfulness skills \[The Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale - Revised\], experiential avoidance \[Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II\], and anxiety symptoms \[Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale\]) at two-time points (i.e., pre-test \[before intervention\], and post-test \[after 4 sessions/when sessions were completed\], At the end of the study, the participants were provided with a debrief form.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
40
The intervention aimed to increase participants' mindfulness skills which may be critical in decreasing general experiential avoidance and anxiety symptoms
Bahçeşehir Cyprus University
Nicosia, Cyprus
Change in experiential avoidance
Experiential avoidance is an example of psychological inflexibility. Experiential avoidance was measured via Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II. The scale includes 7 items that are rated on a seven-point scale (1 = never true - 7 = always true). The minimum and maximum scores on the scale range between 7 and 49 points. Higher scores on the scale indicate greater experiential avoidance (psychological inflexibility)
Time frame: at two time points (pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention)
Change in anxiety
Anxiety symptoms were measured via Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale. The scale includes 7 items rated on 4 point scale (0 = Not at all, 1 = Several days, 2 = More than half of the days - 3 = Nearly every day). Scores 5, 10, 15 obtained from the test indicate mild, moderate, and severe anxiety, respectively.
Time frame: at two time points (pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention)
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