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Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Gemäß der Zeitdiagnose des Soziologen Hartmut Rosa ist die Zeitstruktur moderner Gesellschaften durch Beschleunigung und Entfremdung charakterisiert. Für Rosa besteht ein Gegenentwurf hierzu im Aufbau resonanter Weltbeziehungen. Aus Sicht der Autoren lassen sich interessante Bezüge zwischen Resonanz und Achtsamkeit herstellen. Rosa jedoch hat die „Nutzung“ von Achtsamkeit in modernen westlichen Gesellschaften einer Kritik unterzogen. Ziel der Arbeit Darstellung von Rosas Konzepten „Beschleunigung“ und „Resonanz“ und Diskussion seiner wichtigsten Kritikpunkte an Achtsamkeit. Material und Methode Es werden die zentralen Ideen von Rosas Büchern zu Beschleunigung und Resonanz vorgestellt. Darüber hinaus werden einige der von Rosa in einem Vortrag genannten Kritikpunkte an Achtsamkeit diskutiert. Ergebnisse und Diskussion Das von Rosa dargestellte Resonanzkonzept erscheint auch an eine klinisch-psychologische und psychotherapeutische Perspektive anschlussfähig. Rosas Kritik an Achtsamkeit scheint v. a. bezüglich der „Nutzung“ von Achtsamkeit in modernen westlichen Gesellschaften zuzutreffen. Bezüglich anderer Aspekte dürfte seine Kritik jedoch teilweise auf einem verkürzten Verständnis von Achtsamkeit oder unterschiedlichen Schwerpunktsetzungen des Resonanzkonzepts und Achtsamkeit beruhen.

Background The myofascial system plays a fundamental role in the mechanics of the body, in body tension regulation and the etiology of pathological states like chronic pain. Moreover, it contains contractile elements and preliminary evidence suggests that its properties are linked to psychological factors. The aim of the present research was to investigate characteristics of the myofascial tissue in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and to examine whether the state of the myofascial tissue causally affects pathopsychological processes in MDD. Methods In Study 1, stiffness and elasticity of the myofascial tissue of 40 inpatients suffering from MDD measured with a tissue compliance meter were compared with those of 40 matched never-depressed participants. In Study 2, 69 MDD patients were randomly assigned to single-session self-myofascial release intervention (SMRI) or a placebo intervention. Effects on memory bias and affect were investigated. Results Results showed that MDD patients displayed heightened stiffness and reduced elasticity of the myofascial tissue and that patients in the SMRI group showed a reduced negative memory bias and more positive affect compared to patients in the placebo condition. Conclusions The preliminary results of our studies indicate that the myofascial tissue might be part of a dysfunctional body-mind dynamic that maintains MDD.

Background: Psychomotor retardation has long been recognized as a major feature of depression, and anxiety disorders have been linked with freeze and flight motor responses. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed a) to synthesize available evidence of motor alterations comparing individuals with depression and anxiety disorders to healthy individuals and b) to evaluate the effect of experimental manipulations of motor displays within these clinical groups. Method: The databases PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for studies either assessing motor differences between clinical and healthy control groups or manipulating the motor system within a clinical group. Results: The literature search yielded 87 relevant papers, comprising 82 studies comparing a clinical group to a healthy group and 5 studies investigating motor manipulations within a clinical sample. The results of the meta-analysis (K = 71) indicated a statistically significant combined estimate of differences between healthy and clinical groups (g = 0.38 [0.31, 0.45], adjusted for publication bias g = 0.26 [0.19, 0.33]) of a small size. This effect did not vary according to type of disorder (anxiety vs. depression, p = .468). From a narrative review of experimental studies within clinical groups, four out of five studies reported statistically significant effects of manipulating the motor system on affective outcomes. Discussion: This synthesis adds to the accumulating empirical evidence of motor alterations in depression and anxiety disorders. Future research will need to investigate how individuals suffering from depression or anxiety disorders could benefit from psychological, behavioral, and physical interventions directly aimed at the motor system.

Background Emotions play a central role in mental disorder and especially in depression. They are sensed in the body, and it has recently been shown in healthy participants that these sensations can be differentiated between emotions. The aim of the current study was to assess bodily sensations for basic emotions induced by emotion eliciting pictures in depression. Methods 30 healthy controls (HC), 30 individuals suffering from Major depressive disorder (MDD) without medication use (MDDnm) and 30 individuals with MDD with medication use (MDDm) were shown emotional and neutral pictures and were asked to paint areas in an empty body silhouette where they felt an increase or decrease in activation. Body sensation maps were then calculated and statistical pattern recognition applied. Results Results indicated statistically separable activation patterns for all three groups. MDDnm showed less overall activation than HCs, especially in sadness and fear, while MDDm showed stronger deactivation for all emotions than the other two groups. Conclusions We could show that emotion experience was associated with bodily sensations that are weaker in depression than in healthy controls and that antidepressant medication was correlated with an increased feeling of bodily deactivation. Results give insights into the relevance for clinicians to acknowledge bodily sensations in the treatment of depression.

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Unbegleitete minderjährige Flüchtlinge (UMF) sind eine besonders vulnerable Gruppe bezüglich psychischer Erkrankungen. Sie stellen daher nicht nur für die kinder- und jugendpsychiatrische und psychotherapeutische Versorgung, sondern auch für Einrichtungen der Jugendhilfe eine große Herausforderung dar. Die Studie untersucht die Wirksamkeit des Stabilisierungstrainings für jugendliche Flüchtlinge mit Traumafolgestörungen in stationären Jugendhilfeeinrichtungen. Methodik: Die randomisierte Kontrollgruppenstudie mit Prä-Post-Design wurde im naturalistischen Setting durchgeführt. Neun Wohngruppen für UMF wurden zufällig der Interventions- oder Wartekontrollbedingung zugewiesen. Die psychische Belastung von 46 UMF wurde sowohl durch Selbst- als auch durch Fremdurteil erfasst. Als Intervention wurde das Stabilisierungstraining für jugendliche Flüchtlinge mit Traumafolgestörungen von jeweils zwei pädagogischen MitarbeiterInnen in den Wohngruppen durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Die Trainingsteilnahme führte zu einer Reduzierung der subjektiv erlebten allgemeinen psychischen Belastung. Die psychische Belastung im Selbsturteil war in der Interventionsgruppe nach Trainingsende signifikant niedriger als in der Wartekontrollgruppe. Die Wirksamkeit des Trainings wird durch das verwendete Fremdbeurteilungsmaß offenbar nicht abgebildet. Schlussfolgerungen: Das Stabilisierungstraining kann ein geeignetes Instrument zur präklinischen Versorgung junger Geflüchteter und damit eine wichtige Grundlage für eine weiterführende Psychotherapie sein. Für die Bewertung des Trainingseffekts erscheint das Selbsturteil der Betroffenen bedeutsamer als Fremdbeurteilungen.

Hintergrund: Menschen mit intellektueller Beeinträchtigung (IB) sind häufig von psychischen Störungen betroffen. Gleichzeitig ist die psychotherapeutische Versorgung in diesem Bereich bisher unzureichend, und die Evidenz bezüglich der Wirksamkeit verhaltenstherapeutischer Interventionen bei Erwachsenen mit IB ist unklar. Ziele: Eine systematische Literaturrecherche in den Datenbanken PubMed, PsycINFO und Google Scholar wurde durchgeführt, um die aktuelle Studienlage zu verhaltenstherapeutischen Interventionen bei Menschen mit IB zu evaluieren. Ausgewählt wurden Studien zu verhaltenstherapeutischen Verfahren bei psychischen Störungen und Problemverhalten im Erwachsenenalter. Ergebnisse: Zweiunddreißig Studien entsprachen den Einschlusskriterien; es wurden sowohl einzeltherapeutische als auch gruppentherapeutische Interventionen eingeschlossen. Für Menschen mit leichter IB (IQ 50–69) und teilweise auch bei mittlerer IB (IQ 35–49) konnten in einigen Studien Hinweise auf effektive und gut umsetzbare Verfahren gefunden werden. Deutliche positive Effekte aus verschiedenen Studien zeigten sich bei depressiven Symptomen und bei aggressivem Verhalten sowohl im ambulanten wie auch im forensischen Setting. Für Angstsymptome und bei Raucherentwöhnung liegen ebenfalls positive Befunde vor. Bei psychotischen Störungen und bei pathologischem Horten muss die Wirksamkeit von verhaltenstherapeutischen Interventionen noch als unklar eingeschätzt werden. Schlussfolgerungen: Es bedarf weiterer Forschung (insbesondere randomisierter kontrollierter Studien mit aktiven Kontrollbedingungen), in der differenzierter überprüft wird, welche Aspekte der Therapien/welche Settingbedingungen die Effektivität bei den verschiedenen Graden der IB beeinflussen.

This review and meta-analysis explores the experimental effects of expansive and contractive motor displays on affective, hormonal, and behavioral responses. Experimental studies were located through systematic literature searches. Studies had to manipulate motor displays to either expansive or contractive displays and investigate the effect of the displays on affect, hormones, or overt behavior. Meta-analyses were conducted to determine the pooled, standardized mean differences between the effects of motor displays on affective, hormonal, and behavioral responses. From 5,819 unique records, 73 relevant studies were identified. Robust differences between expansive and contractive displays emerged for affective responses and overt behavioral responses across contexts, type of manipulation, and methods of measurement. The results suggest that the effects are driven by the absence of contractive motor displays (contractive vs. neutral displays: Hedges’s g = 0.45) rather than the presence of expansive displays (expansive vs. neutral displays: g = 0.06). The findings stand as a corrective to previous research, as they indicate that it is the absence of contractive displays rather than the presence of expansive displays that alters affective and behavioral responding. Future research should include neutral control groups, use different methods to assess hormonal change, and investigate these effects in the context of ideographic goals.

Achtsamkeit ist das Bemühen, sich den Erfahrungen im Hier und Jetzt mit möglichst großer Bewusstheit und Offenheit zuzuwenden. Dieses ursprünglich aus dem Bereich östlicher Meditationsansätze stammende Prinzip wurde in den letzten Jahren vermehrt in die Behandlung von Depressionen und unterschiedlichen anderen psychischen und körperlichen Störungen integriert. Der Band gibt einen praxisorientierten Einblick in die Hintergründe und die Methoden achtsamkeitsbasierter therapeutischer Arbeit. Der Band stellt die Grundzüge achtsamkeitsbasierter Behandlungsverfahren wie Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) oder Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) sowie zentrale Modelle zur Wirkungsweise achtsamkeitsbasierter Verfahren dar. Weiterhin gibt er einen Überblick über wichtige Forschungsergebnisse zur Wirksamkeit von achtsamkeitsbasierten Verfahren. Neben der Anwendung in der Rückfallprophylaxe bei Depressionen wird auch auf die Integration von Achtsamkeit bei der Therapie anderer Störungsbilder und in unterschiedlichen therapeutischen Settings eingegangen. Der Schwerpunkt des Bandes liegt auf der konkreten Darstellung der Behandlungsmethoden. Dabei wird das Vorgehen bei einzelnen Achtsamkeitsübungen, wie z.B. beim Body-Scan oder bei der Sitzmeditation, beschrieben und der Umgang mit möglichen Schwierigkeiten thematisiert. Die Neuauflage referiert aktuelle Forschungsbefunde und stellt ausführlich die achtsamkeitsbasierte Arbeit im Einzelsetting vor. Zudem werden in der Neubearbeitung kritische Aspekte im Kontext von Achtsamkeit diskutiert, wie z.B. die Frage von „Nebenwirkungen“ von Achtsamkeitsübungen oder das Problem einer „Kommerzialisierung“ und „Verflachung“ von Achtsamkeit.

Objectives Interpersonal problems were examined as moderators of depression outcomes between mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP) in patients with chronic depression. Methods Patients received treatment‐as‐usual and, in addition, were randomized to 8‐weeks of MBCT (n = 34) or 8‐weeks of CBASP (n = 34). MBCT and CBASP were given in a group format. The Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM‐D) was the primary and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI‐II) the secondary outcome. The subscales of the Inventory of interpersonal problems (IIP‐32) were moderators. Multilevel models were performed. Results Higher scores on the “vindictive/self‐centered” subscale were associated with a better outcome in MBCT than in CBASP (HAM‐D: p

In a recent study, Gebauer et al. addressed a fundamental question regarding the effects of mind-body practices (MBPs) on the self. Does the practice of MBPs in accordance with traditional contemplative traditions quiet the ego or is the practice of MBPs associated with increased self-centrality, which breeds self-enhancement bias? Both hypotheses were investigated in two separate studies with a longitudinal design. Study 1 included 93 participants, who regularly practiced yoga, and study 2 contained 162 participants, who regularly practiced loving-kindness meditation. In both studies, trait questionnaires of self-centrality and self-enhancement were taken after the practice of yoga (over the course of 15 weeks) or meditation (over the course of 4 weeks). Findings from both studies showed that participants scored higher on measures of self-enhancement and self-centrality after practicing yoga and meditation as compared with not practicing yoga and meditation. Based on these findings, Gebauer et al. argued that MBPs such as yoga and meditation do not quiet the ego, but instead lead to self-enhancement bias through increased self-centrality. We have concerns about the far-reaching conclusions made by Gebauer et al. regarding the effects of MBPs on the self. The key concerns refer to the conceptualization of the quiet ego and to the assessment of the psychological constructs investigated in this study. Gebauer et al. addressed a timely and important research question, but their far-reaching interpretations should be reconsidered due to conceptual and methodological ambiguities.

Objective: There is a debate in psychotherapy research as to whether different kinds of psychotherapy work through specific mechanisms of change. Particularly, it is questioned whether cognitive ch...

ObjectivesMindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) like mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) teach mindfulness in a group-based format. Empirical research has shown that many therapists working in individual therapy integrate mindfulness practices (e.g., body scan, sitting meditation) into their treatments. However, research on this topic is in its infancy. The purpose of this paper is to present recommendations for a responsible use of mindfulness in individual therapy.MethodsInformed by a literature review, an expert group developed guidelines for a responsible use of mindfulness in individual therapy.ResultsRecommendations for the following issues were developed: (a) different types of integration; (b) diagnoses/clinical problems for which integration of mindfulness in individual therapy could be useful; (c) qualification of therapists; (d) case formulation; (e) the inquiry process; (f) types and optimal duration of mindfulness practices in individual therapy; (g) managing difficult experiences; (h) integration of mindfulness into individual therapy training programs. Finally, we formulate important topics for research on the integration of mindfulness into individual therapy.ConclusionsBy formulating recommendations for the most important issues of the integration of mindfulness into individual therapy, we want to stimulate the discussion on a responsible use of mindfulness in this setting. Since research on this topic is scarce, our recommendations can only be tentative.

Background Repetitive negative thinking has been identified as an important predictor of suicide ideation and suicidal behavior. Yet, only few studies have investigated the effect of suicide-specific rumination, i.e., repetitive thinking about death and/or suicide on suicide attempt history. On this background, the present study investigated, whether suicide-specific rumination differentiates between suicide attempters and suicide ideators, is predictive of suicide attempt history and mediates the association between suicide ideation and suicide attempts. Method A total of 257 participants with a history of suicide ideation (55.6% female; Age M = 30.56, Age SD = 11.23, range: 18–73 years) completed online measures on suicidality, general and suicide-specific rumination. Results Suicide-specific rumination differentiated suicide attempters from suicide ideators, predicted suicide attempt status (above age, gender, suicide ideation, general rumination) and fully mediated the association between suicide ideation and lifetime suicide attempts. Conclusion Overall, though limited by the use of a non-clinical sample and a cross-sectional study design, the present results suggest that suicide-specific rumination might be a factor of central relevance in understanding transitions to suicidal behavior.

Background Previous laboratory findings suggest deviant gait characteristics in depressed individuals (i.e., reduced walking speed and vertical up-and-down movements, larger lateral swaying movements, slumped posture). However, since most studies to date assessed gait in the laboratory, it is largely an open question whether this association also holds in more naturalistic, everyday life settings. Thus, within the current study we (1) aimed at replicating these results in an everyday life and (2) investigated whether gait characteristics could predict change in current mood. Methods We recruited a sample of patients (n = 35) suffering from major depressive disorder and a sample of age and gender matched non-depressed controls (n = 36). During a 2-day assessment we continuously recorded gait patterns, general movement intensity and repetitively assessed the participant’s current mood. Results We replicated previous laboratory results and found that patients as compared to non-depressed controls showed reduced walking speed and reduced vertical up-and-down movements, as well as a slumped posture during everyday life episodes of walking. Moreover, independent of clinical diagnoses, higher walking speed, and more vertical up-and-down movements significantly predicted more subsequent positive mood, while changes in mood did not predict subsequent changes in gait patterns. Conclusion In sum, our results support expectations that embodiment (i.e., the relationship between bodily expression of emotion and emotion processing itself) in depression is also observable in naturalistic settings, and that depression is bodily manifested in the way people walk. The data further suggest that motor displays affect mood in everyday life.

Introduction: A disturbed sense of self is frequently discussed as an etiological factor for delusion symptoms in psychosis. Phenomenological approaches to psychopathology posit that lacking the sense that the self is localized within one’s bodily boundaries (disembodiment) is one of the core features of the disturbed self in psychosis. The present study examines this idea by experimentally manipulating the sense of bodily boundaries. Methods: Seventy-three patients with psychosis were randomly assigned to either a 10-min, guided self-massage in the experimental group (EG) to enhance the sense of bodily boundaries or a control group (CG), which massaged a fabric ring. Effects on an implicit measure (jumping to conclusion bias; JTC) and an explicit measure (Brief State Paranoia Checklist; BSPC) of delusion processes were assessed. The JTC measures the tendency to make a decision with little evidence available, and the BSPC explicitly measures the approval of paranoid beliefs. Results: Patients in the EG showed a lower JTC (M = 4.11 draws before decision) than the CG (M = 2.43; Cohen’s d = 0.64). No significant difference in the BSPC was observed. Discussion/Conclusion: Our results indicate that enhancing the sense of body boundaries through a self-massage can reduce an implicit bias associated with delusional ideation and correspondingly support the idea that disembodiment might be a relevant factor in the formation of psychotic symptoms.

Introduction: Research on body aspects in depression primarily focuses on somatic complaints, while phenomenologists emphasize the pre-reflective bodily experience of depression as relevant for the psychopathology of it. Despite this increasing acknowledgement of the subjective body’s impact on depression, empirically, it remains rarely studied. Methods: Relying on the psychotherapy method of Focusing (Gendlin, 1982), interviews were developed, which enable participants with depression to get in contact with pre-reflective bodily experiences through turning inward, attentively observing all bodily feelings that arise, and finding symbolizations for these feelings. Results: In 501 codings of the conducted interviews, the theme of passivity emerged on a continuum ranging from inhibition of drive to lack of drive. It can be split into 5 components (heaviness, emptiness, paralysis, blockage, and alienation), which were felt in the head or the whole body. Moreover, participants reported active, pressuring feelings in the chest and stomach areas, which were associated with specific emotions in some participants. Discussion: In conclusion, through focusing, participants were able to take note of their pre-reflective bodily feelings and described feelings of passivity, active, pressuring feelings, and an ambivalence between these two parts. Results support the notion that depression is associated with specific pre-reflective bodily experiences and lay a foundation for future research.

Effectiveness of stabilization training for adolescent refugees with trauma-induced disorders: A randomized controlled trial

Mindfulness-based and mindfulness-informed programs such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), or dialectic behavior therapy (DBT) have gained widespread attention over the past few decades. One way of bringing mindfulness programs into clinical practice is via a planned implementation process where empirically validated interventions are disseminated and implemented on a large scale. However, besides this planned process, it can be observed that mindfulness has diffused into current society as well as into psychotherapy practice in an unsystematic way. To date, however, little is known about the proliferation of mindfulness in clinical practice. We investigated a randomly drawn sample of German psychological psychotherapists with regard to their use of mindfulness in clinical practice using a web survey. Additionally, the psychotherapists’ personal mindfulness practice was assessed. The overwhelming majority (82%) of psychotherapists reported using mindfulness practices at least sometimes with their patients. Programs such as MBSR and MBCT are rarely applied. Rather, therapists use individual mindfulness practices in an eclectic way. Our results show that in addition to investigating the implementation of empirically underpinned mindfulness-based programs, mindfulness researchers should also investigate the ways in which mindfulness-based practices have diffused into clinical work with individuals. Guidelines on best practice for this work will support the future integrity of mindfulness programs.

Background/Aims: Basic research on embodiment has demonstrated that manipulating the motoric system has broad effects on cognitive and emotional processes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of an embodiment manipulation on the affective memory bias and specificity of autobiographic memories of depressed individuals. Methods: Forty currently depressed patients practiced either an upward-opening Qi Gong movement, which runs counter to the habitual slumped and downward depressive movement style, or a downward-closing Qi Gong movement. They were required to retrieve specific personal memories to positive or negative cue words during movement. Moreover, an incidental recall of the cue words was conducted. Results: Patients in the upward-opening movement condition in contrast to the downward-closing movement condition showed a more positively biased recall of affective words and recalled more specific autobiographical memories. Conclusions: Results indicate that the motoric system and key maintaining cognitive factors in depressive disorders are closely interrelated.

Der vorliegende Beitrag vermittelt zunachst grundlegende Informationen zu den Begriffen „Ziele“, „Werte“ und „Sinn“. Es wird ein Uberblick zur Bedeutung dieser Begriffe in verschiedenen psychotherapeutischen Traditionen gegeben; hierbei werden die existenziellen Ansatze von Yalom und Frankl besonders hervorgehoben. Es erfolgt eine ausfuhrliche Auseinandersetzung mit der Bedeutung von Zielen, Werten und Sinn in der aktuellen Verhaltenstherapie. Neben den Grundlagen zielorientierten Handelns in der Verhaltenstherapie werden der Ansatz von Kanfer et al. sowie die „Acceptance and Commitment Therapy“ detailliert vorgestellt. Aktuelle Integrationen existenzieller und verhaltenstherapeutischer Ansatze werden behandelt sowie weitere mogliche Entwicklungen im Ausblick diskutiert.

When making judgments and decisions, people suffering from depression are often faced with opinions and advice from others (e.g., from their therapists) but it is unclear how their psychopathology alters the utilization of such information. This study is the first to examine whether depressed people are more or less susceptible to informational social influence. To this end, we employed the Judge–Advisor-System, which allows for a pure test of how people utilize information from others. We found that depressed participants had significantly higher advice taking values than non-depressed participants, which was mediated by self-esteem. A fine-grained analysis of these group differences revealed that depressed participants were more likely to revise their initial estimates after receiving advice than non-depressed people. Yet, once having decided to revise their estimates, depressed people did not weight advice more heavily. Theoretical implications concerning two qualitatively independent effects of depression on advice taking are discussed.

Dieses Kapitel stellt die Bedeutung von Selbstmitgefuhl und liebevoller Gute im Rahmen von Achtsamkeit in der Psychotherapie vor. Dafur wird nach einer kurzen Begriffseinfuhrung und einer Einordnung von Achtsamkeit in die aktuelle Psychotherapie zunachst das Begriffsverstandnis von Mitgefuhl und Selbstmitgefuhl differenziert. Anschliesend werden aktuelle Entwicklungen und Behandlungskonzepte sowie ihre Evidenzbasierung vorgestellt. Zum Abschluss werden vor diesem Hintergrund zukunftige Entwicklungen und offene Fragen diskutiert.

In den letzten beiden Jahrzehnten haben sich neue Ansatze in der Verhaltenstherapie entwickelt, die verstarkt Prinzipien wie Achtsamkeit und Akzeptanz in die Behandlung integrieren. Achtsamkeit bedeutet, die eigene Aufmerksamkeit absichtsvoll und nicht wertend auf das bewusste Erleben des gegenwartigen Moments, des Hier-und-Jetzt, zu richten. Das Uben von Achtsamkeit soll dabei helfen, aus ungunstigen negativen Grubelprozessen auszusteigen. In dem Kapitel werden wichtige achtsamkeitsbasierte Ansatze vorgestellt. Dabei wird auf den Aufbau, zentrale Ubungen, die Wirkmechanismen und die Wirkungsweise eingegangen. Eine Besonderheit achtsamkeitsbasierter Verfahren ist der starke Korperbezug der durchgefuhrten Ubungen. Das Kapitel stellt daher wichtige Befunde zur Interaktion von motorischen und psychischen Prozessen bei Depression vor und diskutiert Grunde, die fur einen Einbezug des Korpers in die (achtsamkeitsbasierte) Psychotherapie sprechen.

Objectives The goal of the current study was to investigate the universality of the five-factor model of mindfulness and the measurement equivalence of the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Methods The study used FFMQdata from published and unpublished research conducted in 16 countries (total N = 8541). Using CFA, different models, proposed in the literature, were fitted. To test the cross- cultural equivalence of the best fitting model, a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used. Further, the equivalence of individual facets of the FFMQ and potential sources of non- equivalence was explored. Results The best fitting models in most samples were a five-facet model with a higher-order mindfulness factor and uncorrelated positive and negative item-wording factors and a five-facet model with a correlated facets and uncorrelated positive and negative item-wording factors. These models showed structural equivalence, but did not show metric equivalence (equivalent factor loadings) across cultures. Given this lack of equivalent factor loadings, not even correlations or mean patterns can be compared across cultures. A similar pattern was observed when testing the equivalence of the individual facets ; all individual facets failed even tests of metric equivalence. A sample size weighted exploratory factor analysis across cultures indicated that a six-factor solution might provide the best fit across cultures with acting with awareness split into two factors. Finally, both the five- and sixfactor solution showed substantially better fit in more individualistic and less tight cultures. Conclusions Overall, the FFMQ has conceptual and measurement problems in a cross-cultural context, raising questions about the validity of the current conceptualization of mindfulness across cultures. The results showed that the fit of the FFMQ was substantially better in individualistic cultures that indicate that further data from non-Western cultures is needed to develop a universal conceptualization and measurement of mindfulness.

Ein zentrales Kennzeichen der meisten Achtsamkeitsubungen, die in klinischen Programmen wie Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) oder Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) eingesetzt werden, ist ihr starker Korperbezug. Das Kapitel geht der Frage nach, warum Achtsamkeitsubungen diesen Korperbezug haben. In dem grundlagenorientierten Forschungsfeld zum Thema Embodiment geht man davon aus, dass zwischen korperlichen Prozessen, Emotionen und Kognitionen wechselseitige Beziehungen bestehen. Darauf aufbauend sollen die Zusammenhange zwischen Achtsamkeit und Embodiment sowie die Relevanz dieser Zusammenhange fur achtsamkeitsbasierte Interventionen auch im klinischen Kontext erortert werden. Zunachst gibt das Kapitel einen allgemeinen Uberblick uber die Kernideen der Achtsamkeit und des Embodiment. Darauffolgend wird die Rolle des Korpers im Rahmen von achtsamkeitsbasierten Interventionen diskutiert, um dann abschliesend die Relevanz fur die klinische Psychologie zu erortern.

Motivational issues are central to human life. Correspondingly, they are also central to the challenging endeavor of psychotherapy. Assisting patients to change involves motivational issues at various levels and at various stages of therapy. Patients might be more or less motivated to begin and to participate in the different stages of psychotherapy (therapy motivation). Besides these differences in therapy motivation, an understanding of the broader concepts of motivation in psychotherapy should mandate that motivational issues be considered in the treatment of all patients, not only those with obvious deficits in therapy motivation. Motivational issues influence the therapeutic relationship; they should be considered in tailoring specific interventions and they might be important factors for the onset and maintenance of psychological disorders. The present chapter presents theoretical and empirical background information and illustrates therapeutic approaches for dealing with patients’ motivation. Moreover, it summarizes the implications of basic and clinical research for a motivationally informed psychotherapy.

In this chapter, we will present findings from embodiment research related to depressive disorders. Depression has a particular importance for the healthcare system as it is a mental disorder occurring in 4.4 per cent of the world’s population, and accounting for the largest share of global disability and suicide deaths (World Health Organization, 2017). In contrast to the flourishing literature on brain mechanisms in depression, empirical research on the embodiment of depression is still relatively sparse. Yet there is growing interest in treating depression with BP and a first manual for depression has been presented. The literature on BP mostly presents qualitative descriptions of body posture and movement. At the same time, some indirect evidence for the significance of the body in depression comes from studies on processing emotional material in non-clinical populations. These studies have shown that the processing of emotionally negative and positive material can be influenced by bodily manipulations.

The body is central in many mindfulness-based interventions. Body mindfulness has been defined as observing body experiences and as a consequence appreciating body experiences. Since only a few psychometrically sound questionnaires are available to measure the observing aspect of body mindfulness and no scale specifically addresses the appreciating aspect of body mindfulness, the Body Mindfulness Questionnaire (BMQ) was created. This study presents the development and the psychometric evaluation of the BMQ. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested two scales: “Experiencing Body Awareness” and “Appreciating Body Awareness”. Evidence for the reliability (internal consistency and retest reliability), validity (factorial validity and construct validity), and sensitivity to change is reported. The findings suggest that the BMQ is a valid and reliable instrument that allows assessment of essential facets of body mindfulness.

Intuitions play a central role in everyday life decision-making but little is known regarding this capacity during depression. Thus, in Study 1, N = 39 depressed in-patients completed two well-established tasks, assessing intuitions of visual and semantic coherence. In the semantic coherence task, patients judged whether presented words triads were coherent (e.g. SALT DEEP FOAM, related to SEA) or not (e.g. DREAM BALL BOOK, no denominator). In the visual coherence task, patients judged whether blurred pictures depicted real-life objects (coherent) or not (incoherent). Results showed that higher depressive symptomatology was associated with impaired intuitions of semantic coherence but with enhanced intuitions of visual coherence. In Study 2, visual coherence intuitions of depressed patients (n = 27) were compared to healthy control participants (n = 30). Depressed patients outperformed the healthy control subjects in the visual coherence task. This pattern of findings shows both detrimental and beneficial decisional consequences of depression.