Sitting and silent meditation as a strategy to study emotion regulation.

Abstract

Emotion regulation is the capacity to control the way in which people attend, perceive, process and react to emotional information. Practitioners of sitting and silent meditation develop a greater control of their mental processes, culminating in regulatory abilities that lead to well-being and emotional balance. In this paper we reviewed evidence from recent studies on neurophysiology and cognitive psychology on emotion regulation-focusing on negative emotions-and meditation in order to discuss their intertwining. This critical review showed that controlling attention and fostering a relaxation state are the main mechanisms for the interaction between emotion regulation and meditation. Importantly, it is suggested that the effects of meditation on emotion regulation should be conceptualized separately as those taking effect during the practice and those occurring as an outcome of such practice. Finally, it is highlighted that meditation should be conceived as a particular type of emotion regulation strategy, and that further studies comparing these strategies more directly are warranted.

‘I can’t accept that feeling’: Relationships between interoceptive awareness, mindfulness and eating disorder symptoms in females with, and at-risk of an eating disorder

“…The fact that interoceptive awareness consistently emerged as the stronger mediator in the present study accords with the view it is a 'prerequisite' for effective emotion regulation (Fustos, et al, 2013;Menezes et al, 2012). A prospective investigation could assess the sequential connection between interoceptive awareness on emotion regulation and by consequence symptom change in eating disorders.…”

“…Increasingly, neuroscientific research points towards the importance of interoception as an enhancing agent for effective emotion regulation (Fustos et al, 2013;Menezes et al, 2012).…”

“…Additionally there is ample evidence to indicate how cultivation of interoceptive awareness directly influences emotion regulation ability (Fustos et al, 2013;Holzel et al, 2011;Kerr et 29 al., 2013;Menezes et al, 2012). In addition to practices that increase interoceptive awareness, cultivation of intention to accept what arises in awareness without judging or engaging with it is central to producing gains from mindfulness practices .…”

“…In a non-clinical study that used the heartbeat detection method of assessing interoceptive awareness EEG analysis shows that adaptive emotion regulation depends upon how clearly one is aware of interoceptive bodily signals (Fustos et al, 2013). Mindfulness meditation promotes adaptive emotion regulation by enhancing awareness of internal states (Menezes, Pereira, & Bizarro, 2012) but also by enabling non-judgemental acceptance of internal states as passing phenomena. Therefore, it is not yet certain whether one or both aspects of interoceptive awareness examined by Merwin et al (2010) should be considered as "targets" of MBTs.…”

Brief Meditation and the Interaction between Emotional Interference and Anxiety

“…Finally, our findings contribute to the discussions regarding the mechanisms that underlie and foster emotion regulation skills (Bishop, 2007;Derryberry & Reed, 2002;Kanske & Kotz, 2012;Mocaiber et al, 2009;Oliveira et al, 2013;Sheppes et al, 2013), and support the proposition that meditation may be a valuable strategy for the study of regulatory processes (Menezes, Pereira, & Bizarro, 2012). However, our results should be extended and complemented by larger scale trials, as well as by the usage of more ecologically valid measures.…”