Using Heartfulness Meditation and Brainwave Entrainment to Improve Teenage Mental Wellbeing

Teenagers are highly susceptible to mental health issues and this problem has been exacerbated by the quarantine restrictions of COVID-19. This study evaluated the use of Heartfulness Meditation and Audio Brainwave Entrainment to help teenagers cope with mental health issues. It used 30-min Heartfulness meditation and 15-min brainwave entrainment sessions with binaural beats and isochronic tones three times a week for 4 weeks. Using a pretest-posttest methodology, participants were asked to complete a survey battery including the Pittsburgh Quality of Sleep Index, Perceived Stress Scale, Patient Health Question-9, Profile of Mood States, and Cambridge Brain Health assessment. Participants (n = 40) were divided into four experimental groups: the control group (n = 9), Audio Brainwave Entrainment group (n = 9), Heartfulness Meditation group (n = 10), and a combined group (n = 12), for a 4-week intervention. Data were analyzed with paired t-tests. The singular Audio Brainwave Entrainment group did not see statistically significant improvements, nor did any of the intervention groups for brain health (p > 0.05). This study, however, proved the efficacy of a 4-week Heartfulness Meditation program to regulate overall mood (p = 0.00132), stress levels (p = 0.0089), state depression (POMS; p = 0.0037), and anger (p = 0.002). Results also suggest adding Audio Brainwave Entrainment to Heartfulness Meditation may improve sleep quality (p = 0.0377) and stress levels (p = 0.00016).

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Further evidence that singing fosters mental health and wellbeing: the West Kent and Medway project

Mental Health and Social Inclusion ◽

10.1108/mhsi-11-2016-0034 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 53-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Stephen Clift ◽

Sharon Manship ◽

Lizzi Stephens

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Small Sample Size ◽

Geographical Area ◽

Small Sample ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Control Group ◽

Health Issues ◽

Content Type ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Community Singing

Purpose Clift and Morrison (2011) report that weekly singing over eight months for people with enduring mental health issues led to clinically important reductions in mental distress. The purpose of this paper is to test the robustness of the earlier findings. Design/methodology/approach Four community singing groups for people with mental health issues ran weekly from November 2014 to the end of 2015. Evaluation place over a six-month period using two validated questionnaires: the short Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (CORE-10) questionnaire, and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS). Findings In all, 26 participants completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires. CORE-10 scores were significantly reduced, and WEMWBS scores significantly increased. Comparisons with the earlier study found a similar pattern of improvements on CORE items that are part of the “problems” sub-scale in the full CORE questionnaire. There was also evidence from both studies of participants showing clinically important improvements in CORE-10 scores. Research limitations/implications The main limitations of the study are a small sample size and the lack of a randomised control group. Originality/value No attempts have been made previously to directly test the transferability of a singing for health model to a new geographical area and to evaluate outcomes using the same validated measure.

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Mental Health and Academic Success of First-Year College Students

International Journal of Higher Education ◽

10.5430/ijhe.v6n3p178 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 178 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Tammy Jordan Wyatt ◽

Sara B Oswalt ◽

Yesenia Ochoa

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

College Students ◽

Academic Success ◽

Undergraduate Students ◽

Health Assessment ◽

First Year Experience ◽

First Year ◽

College Health ◽

Health Issues ◽

Mental Health Issues

The prevalence and severity of mental health issues are increasing among college students, and such issues pose a threat to health and academic performance. Responses from 66,159 undergraduate students about mental health and academics from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II were examined using regression analyses. Differences in mental health diagnoses were found by classification with first-year students reporting higher rates of self-injury and seriously considering suicide. Upperclassmen reported higher rates of academic impact from mental health factors. Findings indicate one’s first-year of college as the prime time to promote awareness of and strategies to prevent mental health issues or negative academic effects; implications for first-year experience programs are discussed.

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A Short Communication on Indoor-Based Therapies to Reduce Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Research ◽

10.30799/jpmr.049.20050104 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 100-101

Author(s):

Karam Daljit Singh ◽

Rajoo Keeren Sundara ◽

Muharam Farrah Melissa ◽

Zulperi Dzarifah

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Music Therapy ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

General Public ◽

Short Communication ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Health Issues ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Healthy Body

Preserving mental health during the COVID-19 crisis should be a priority for individuals worldwide. In this regard, mental health professionals should advise the general public on the actions/activities that they can take to prevent mental health issues from becoming the next pandemic. However, the general public should also actively take measures to improve their mental wellbeing. Music therapy, aromatherapy or indoor nature therapy may or may not have the potential to preserve mental wellbeing, but individuals should experiment with them to ascertain the effects on themselves. Moreover, the guidelines provided by WHO should also be adhered to, as a healthy mind starts with a healthy body.

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The Importance of Assessing and Treating Mental Health in Transition-Aged Adolescents with Epilepsy: A 1-Year Follow-up

Journal of Pediatric Epilepsy ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1716867 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 09 (04) ◽

pp. 186-192

Author(s):

Sarah A. Healy ◽

Tadeu A. Fantaneanu ◽

Sharon Whiting

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Treatment ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Health Impact ◽

Health Issues ◽

Adult Care ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Transition Clinic ◽

The Impact

AbstractMental health issues become especially problematic when adolescents with epilepsy are preparing to transition from pediatric to adult care. Consistent with guidelines, a transition clinic with ongoing mental health assessment was created, providing treatment to patients scoring in the moderate severity range or higher. In order to examine the effectiveness of our epilepsy transition clinic and the impact of mental health in transition-aged adolescents, baseline and one-year follow-up data were compared in 36 participants (M = 15.82 years, 24 males). Results showed that the majority of participants had improved or comparable mental health scores at follow-up. Furthermore, participants who met threshold for mental health treatment had significantly improved mental health (t = 3.19, p = 0.015), while those who did not showed worsened mental health (t = − 2.50, p = 0.019). Looking specifically at mental health impact, those with worsened mental health showed significantly worsened quality of life (t = 3.35, p = 0.012). Furthermore, those without mental health issues showed improved transition skills (t = − 3.86, p = 0.002), while those with mental health issues did not. Results suggest that the transition clinic is effective in helping transition-aged adolescents with their mental health. Additionally, findings suggest that addressing these mental health issues are essential to ensuring successful transitions and the best outcomes in these patients.

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What could we learn from SARS when facing the mental health issues related to the COVID-19 outbreak? A nationwide cohort study in Taiwan

Translational Psychiatry ◽

10.1038/s41398-020-01021-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Nian-Sheng Tzeng ◽

Chi-Hsiang Chung ◽

Chuan-Chia Chang ◽

Hsin-An Chang ◽

Yu-Chen Kao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Sleep Disorders ◽

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Control Group ◽

Research Database ◽

Health Issues ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Anxiety Depression

Abstract There were several studies about the psychiatric and mental health issues related to the severe adult respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, however, the association between SARS and the overall risk of psychiatric disorders and suicides has, as yet, to be studied in Taiwan. The aim of this study is to examine as to whether SARS is associated with the risk of psychiatric disorders and suicide. A total of 285 patients with SARS and 2850 controls without SARS (1:10) matched for sex, age, insurance premium, comorbidities, residential regions, level of medical care, and index date were selected between February 25 and June 15, 2003 from the Inpatient Database Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. During the 12-year follow-up, in which 79 in the SARS cohort and 340 in the control group developed psychiatric disorders or suicide (4047.41 vs. 1535.32 per 100,000 person-years). Fine and Gray’s survival analysis revealed that the SARS cohort was associated with an increased risk of psychiatric disorders and suicide, and the adjusted subdistribution HR (sHR) was 2.805 (95% CI: 2.182–3.605, p < 0.001) for psychiatric disorders and suicide. The SARS cohort was associated with anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder/acute stress disorder (PTSD/ASD), and suicide. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the SARS group was associated with anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, PTSD/ASD, and suicide after the individuals with a diagnosis of psychiatric disorders and suicide were excluded within the first year, and with anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders, while those in the first five years were excluded. In conclusion, SARS was associated with the increased risk of psychiatric disorders and suicide.

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Overcoming Mental Health Challenges during Pandemic: Arguing in favour of Incorporation of Community Mental Health in Undergraduate Medical Curriculum

Journal of Comprehensive Health ◽

10.53553/jch.v09i01.002 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 3-4

Author(s):

Baijayanti Baur

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Community Mental Health ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Health Issues ◽

Home Culture ◽

Work From Home ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Social Wellbeing ◽

Travel Restrictions

The rapid and progressing Covid-19 pandemic is building an upsurge of fear, anxiety and stress globally. Repeated episodes of lock down, physical distancing norms, work from home culture in the new normal scenario, travel restrictions, school shutdown, home isolation and quarantine, bed and oxygen crisis, prolonged hospitalization, post Covid morbidities and deaths, Covid orphans, loss of job, lack of recreation, loneliness and the others cumulatively are contributing to tremendous stress on individual mental health. Though by definition ‘Health’ includes “mental wellbeing” apart from physical and social wellbeing but the mental health issues have largely been pushed into backstage in this current pandemic conundrum.

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‘I was just thinking’

Research on Children and Social Interaction ◽

10.1558/rcsi.17650 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Ian Hutchby ◽

Michelle O’Reilly ◽

Alison Drewett ◽

Victoria Stafford

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Conversation Analysis ◽

Cognitive Processing ◽

Child Mental Health ◽

Subjective Experience ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Health Issues ◽

Mental Health Assessment ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Health Assessments

Based on a corpus of child mental health assessment meetings, this article explores how practitioners use reports on their own cognitive processing, such as I was just thinking or I’m just wondering, in interaction with children and adolescents presenting with potential mental health issues. Using the methods of conversation analysis, the findings reveal different ways in which this device is used to encourage the child to engage with a particular topic, interpretation, or version of events from the standpoint of subjective experience; in other words, to produce feelings-talk. The analysis contributes further towards the understanding of child–adult interaction in professional arenas of action: in this case child mental health assessments.

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Assessing the Efficacy of Mobile Health Apps Using the Basic Principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Systematic Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.8598 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Amy Leigh Rathbone ◽

Laura Clarry ◽

Julie Prescott

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy ◽

Mobile Health ◽

Behavioral Therapy ◽

Cognitive Behavioral ◽

Control Group ◽

Health Issues ◽

Web Based ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

Mhealth Apps

BACKGROUND Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in its basic principle has developed itself as a stand-alone, substantial method of therapy. With effective application in therapy for a range of mental health issues, the spread of CBT methods to Web-based therapy sources is evident. The development of mobile phone apps using CBT principles is increasing within the research area. Despite the move to Web-based methods of therapy, it is argued that these methods lack the same efficacy of face-to-face therapy sessions. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to assess extent research findings with regard to the effectiveness of CBT-related mobile health (mHealth) apps. By assessing only studies employing a randomized controlled trial design, the review aimed to determine app efficacy within the highly regarded method of investigation. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted across several databases. Search results were filtered, and results were subject to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria because of the nature of the review. Where possible, analysis of effect size was calculated and results reported. RESULTS A total of 8 studies investigating the effectiveness of mHealth CBT-related apps across a range of mental health issues were reviewed. Three studies used the app against a control group, and 5 studies used the app intervention against another form of treatment or intervention. A range of effect sizes were seen across all included studies (d=−0.13 to 1.83; 0.03-1.44), with the largest effects often being seen when comparing the data from pre- to posttest for the app engaged group. CONCLUSIONS The studies reviewed support the use of mHealth apps containing CBT principles for a range of mental health issues. However, the effectiveness over longer time periods should be assessed. Researchers and professionals should seek to collaborate effectively when creating new apps to enhance their effectiveness as a treatment for the general public.

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