TEMPORAL AWARENESS AND HASSLES APPRAISAL: A COMPARISON OF WORKING ADULTS WHO PRACTICE FULL AWARENESS OF BREATHING MEDITATION WITH THOSE WHO PRACTICE WAKING DREAM IMAGERY (STRESS, BUDDHISM).
Contributors: New York University.
Published: 1996
Number of pages: 191
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Religion, General.; Psychology, Clinical.
Description: Theravadin Buddhism (Buddhadasa Bhikku, 1994) and Lazarus and Folkman's, (1984) cognitive theory of stress, appraisal, and coping provide the theoretical frame of reference for this experimental study. In addition, the Buddhist theory of meditation and Maslow's (1971) concept of self-actualization were compared.

The purpose of this study was to compare temporal awareness and hassles appraisal among three groups of working adults: those who practice Full Awareness of Breathing Meditation (FBM); a similar group who practice waking dream imagery (WDI); and a group who had no training (NT).

A review of literature indicated that FBM is an integrated method of concentration and insight meditation which can be practiced to enhance temporal awareness or mindfulness (Buddhadasa Bhikku, 1988; Thich Nhat Hanh, 1988). Mindful individuals have the characteristics which Maslow (1962) described as self-actualization. People who develop conscious breathing and mindfulness or sati cope wisely with everyday problems (Buddhadasa Bhikku, 1988) which constitute the hassles of daily life. FBM and WDI are coping stategies which could be used to enhance temporal awareness in order to influence the appraisal of hassles. Temporal awareness was measured by the TC major scale of the POI (Shortrom, 1974). Appraisal of hassles was defined as the cognitive evaluation of the daily personal stress experienced as irritating, frustrating, or distressing demands (Lazarus & DeLongis, 1983; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). It was measured by the revised Hassles and Uplifts Scales (DeLongis, 1986).

Participants were recruited from staff and volunteer workers in hospitals and health care agencies in New York City. Hundred and ten volunteers participants were assigned to three groups--38 for the FBM group, 36 each for the WDI and NT groups. The two experimental groups also completed a daily experience diary (DER) to monitor their practice. After eight 2 weeks all three groups completed the post-test of the POI and the Hassles and Uplifts Scales.

The following hypotheses were proposed: (1) Working adults who practice full awareness of breathing meditation will have greater temporal awareness than working adults who do not practice either full awareness of breathing meditation or waking dream imagery (no training). (2) Working adults who practice full awareness of breathing meditation will appraise less hassles than working adults who do not practice either full awareness of breathing meditation or waking dream imagery (no training).

ANCOVA for Time Competence Scale (TC) for the three groups was not statistical supported. However, the Post-Hoc T-Test supported one part of the first hypothesis: there was a significant difference between FBM and NT groups for temporal awareness at the.05 level.

ANCOVA for hassles variable for the three groups did not support the second hypothesis, even though the FBM group reported fewer post-test than pre-test.

Implications for further research indicate a need to replicate this investigation by increasing the amount of time for practice and learning the meditation theory and using the combined TC and ID major scales of the POI. A more effective means of measuring hassles appraisal should be sought. Finally, the population should be recruited from a larger group and delimited so that people who regularly practice meditation or imagery are eliminated. A qualitative investigation may provide more meaningful data about the experience of mindfulness and the hassles appraisal among meditators.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-08, Section: B, page: 4978.

Thesis (PH.D.)--NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, 1996.

School code: 0146.