Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Publication Date
Spring 5-1-2024
Journal
Undergraduate Honours Theses
Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that mindfulness practice, including both mindfulness intervention and brief mindfulness-based intervention (BMBI), can improve people’s emotional recovery and stress management (Cho et al., 2017; Del Palacio-González & Clar, 2013). Meanwhile, as an adjunction of mindfulness practice, the MUSE 2 headband (InteraXON, 2018) has drawn attention from the academic community. Research has shown that the MUSE 2 headband, a commercial product which provides acoustic biofeedback (based on electroencephalogram data) to users during mindfulness practices, could increase meditation quality by reducing mind wandering and improving mindfulness attention (Hunkin et al., 2020). The purpose of current study was to determine whether a BMBI session with a MUSE headband had a higher efficacy on improving emotional recovery and mindfulness level than a conventional BMBI session. 21 participants were recruited and randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups (sham BMBI, BMBI with no biofeedback, and BMBI with biofeedback). Participants were exposed to an anxiety-provoking video prior to their respective intervention session. Participant anxiety levels and mindfulness levels were quantified by utilizing a Visual Analog Scale, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-15, and the electroencephalogram data provided by the MUSE headband. The results suggest no significant influence of biofeedback on promoting emotional recovery and mindfulness level; however, it revealed that simply listening to a nature soundtrack likely produces anxiety-alleviating effects.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Notes
Thesis Advisor(s): Dr. Derek Quinlan