Effects of Mindfulness Training on Emotion Regulation and Social Cognition.

Effects of Mindfulness Training on Emotion Regulation and Social Cognition, a Psychophysiological and Neuroimaging Randomized Controled Study.

The present study will investigate the effects of a mindfulness training on emotion regulation and social cognition, using several psychological, behavioral, psychophysiological and neuroimaging methods.

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the impact of a mindfulness intervention, particularly the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), on the capacities of emotion regulation and social cognition, in caring/helping professions which are vulnerable to stress. In the context of a longitudinal intervention study, a randomized controlled trial, the efficacy of the MBSR to increase the capacity for self-emotion regulation, empathic attunement, and compassion capacities will be measured. For doing this, several psychological, behavioral, psychophysiological and neuroimaging brain measurements will be used.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy volunteers: Men or women
• Right-handed
• Normal or corrected-to-normal visión
• German as a first language
• No history of neurological or psychiatric problems, or use of controlled medication that might interfere with emotion or attention.
• No symptoms of claustrophobia
• Written informed consent form to participate in the study and neuro-imaging experiment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chemical dependence, including nicotine and alcohol
• Dementia or psychotic condition.
• Depression or use of antidepressants
• Pregnant or breast-feeding women
• Prior MBSR class or regularly practicing mindfulness meditation (or yoga) for three or more months.
• Non-controlled severe medical disease that might interfere with the performance of the study, such as neoplasias, cardiopathies, digestive pathologies, diabetes mellitus type I or type II
• Neoplasias in the central nervous system
• Tremor or dystonia in cephalic segment that hinders the performance of the MRI study (tremor equal to or higher than 3 in each corporal segment, according to the UPDRS scale)
• Fulfillment of any criterion of contraindication for the MRI exam (for instance, metallic implants, claustrophobia, pregnancy, use of pacemaker; intracranial aneurism clip; cochlear implants).
• Presence of odontological devices that might disturb the magnetic field or any sources of variation of the magnetic susceptibility
• Any other conditions the investigator might deem problematic for the inclusion of the volunteer in a trial of this nature will also be considered.