Objectives

EEG neurofeedback has potential to increase the effectiveness of mobile meditation applications by providing synchronous performance feedback to meditators. This crossover trial aimed to evaluate the effects of auditory EEG neurofeedback on state mindfulness during focused attention meditation—a putative mediator of mental health benefits—relative to no feedback.

Methods

Adult participants (N = 68, M_age = 22.66, SD_age = 7.35) completed a task-based measure of state mindfulness while meditating with and without auditory feedback from a consumer-grade EEG headband. Participants rated subjective meditation experiences in each condition. A subgroup (n = 29) completed 14 days of home practice with the device and responded to open-ended questions about their experience.

Results

Auditory feedback was associated with greater state mindfulness (RR = 1.15, 95% CI [1.00, 1.29]). Device-measured mind wandering was lower when feedback was present (d = − 0.22 [− 0.07, − 0.37]), but there was a negligible effect on device-measured recoveries from mind wandering episodes (d = − 0.11 [− 0.30, 0.08]). Feedback was associated with quantitative differences in subjective experiences consistent with heightened arousal. Thematic analysis revealed helpful (active, guiding) and unhelpful (stressful, distracting, incongruent with subjective experience) aspects of feedback.

Conclusions

EEG neurofeedback appears to increase state mindfulness in adults during a brief meditation. These results support feedback as an effective adjunct to meditation. Psychoeducation regarding feedback and the meditative experience may help to maximise the beneficial effects. Replication of these findings in clinical populations is warranted.

中文翻译：

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注意力集中冥想中的脑电神经反馈：对状态正念和冥想体验的影响

目标

通过向冥想者提供同步的性能反馈，EEG神经反馈有潜力提高移动冥想应用程序的效率。这项交叉试验旨在评估听觉脑电神经反馈对集中注意力冥想（一种假定的精神健康益处调节剂）相对于无反馈状态状态的影响。

方法

成年参与者（N = 68，M_年龄= 22.66，SD_年龄= 7.35）完成了一项基于任务的状态正念度测量，同时冥想了有无消费级EEG头带的听觉反馈。参与者对每种情况下的主观冥想经历进行了评分。一个小组（n = 29）使用该设备完成了14天的家庭练习，并回答了有关其使用经验的开放式问题。

结果

听觉反馈与更大的国家正念度相关（RR = 1.15，95％CI [1.00，1.29]）。当存在反馈时，设备测量的心理漂移较低（d =-0.22 [-0.07，-0.37]），但对设备测量的心理漂移事件恢复的影响可忽略不计（d =-0.11 [-0.30，0.08] ]）。反馈与主观体验的数量差异（与唤醒程度一致）相关。主题分析显示了反馈的有用（主动，指导）和无用（紧张，分心，与主观经验不一致）方面。

结论

在短暂的冥想中，EEG神经反馈似乎可以增加成年人的状态正念。这些结果支持反馈作为冥想的有效辅助。有关反馈和冥想体验的心理教育可能有助于最大程度地发挥有益作用。这些发现在临床人群中的复制是有保证的。