Scrutinizing and Promoting Mindfulness Via New Technologies

Scrutinizing and Promoting Mindfulness Via New Technologies: Smartphone-based Assessment and Micro-intervention and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) (-Neurofeedback)

The overall goal of the outlined study is to scrutinize and to promote mindfulness via new technologies using a combination of smartphone-based assessment and micro-interventions, fMRI and real-time fMRI-neurofeedback.

The overall goal of the outlined study is to scrutinize and to promote mindfulness via new technologies using a combination of smartphone-based assessment and micro-interventions, fMRI and real-time fMRI-neurofeedback. More specifically, we aim to i) evaluate whether smartphone-based micro-interventions affect mindfulness, stress, and mood, ii) evaluate whether mindfulness, its neural substrate, and related mental and physiological functions can be modified by training volitional control over brain activity by means of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback (RT-fMRI-NF), iii) differentiate neural activation patterns during mindfulness vs. mind wandering.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Right-handedness
• Ability to participate in study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

• Color-Blindness
• Present or past psychological or psychiatric therapy
• Presence of cardiovascular disease
• History of major cerebral injury
• Medical MRI contraindication