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Cited by 67Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsReligion, Spirituality, and PsychologyIndian and Buddhist Studies

Defining a complex intervention: The development of demarcation criteria for “meditation”.

Bond, Kenneth, Ospina, Maria B., Hooton, Nicola, Bialy, Liza, Dryden, Donna M., Buscemi, Nina, Shannahoff-Khalsa, David, Dusek, Jeffrey +1 more·2009·Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
DOI 10.1037/a0015736
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Abstract

The authors used a 5-round Delphi study with a panel of 7 experts in meditation research to achieve agreement on a set of criteria for a working definition of “meditation” for use in a comprehensive systematic review of the therapeutic use of meditation. Participants agreed that essential to a meditation practice is its use of (a) a defined technique, (b) logic relaxation, and (c) a self-induced state. Participants also agreed that a meditation practice may (d) involve a state of psychophysical relaxation somewhere in the process; (e) use a self-focus skill or anchor; (f) involve an altered state/mode of consciousness, mystic experience, enlightenment or suspension of logical thought processes; (g) be embedded in a religious/spiritual/philosophical context; or (h) involve an experience of mental silence. The results of this study provide insight into the challenges faced by researchers who want to demarcate meditative practices from nonmeditative practices, and they describe an approach to this problem that may prove useful for researchers trying to operationalize meditation in the context of comparative research.

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  • By its nature, relaxation involves increased self-focus, where attention is directed toward (or away from) thoughts and other private events that occur while trying to relax.

    “By its nature, relaxation involves increased self-focus, where attention is directed toward (or away from) thoughts and other private events that occur while trying to relax (Bond et al., 2009).”

    From How Exactly Do I “Let Go”? The Potential of Using ACT to Overcome the Relaxation Paradox (2014) · cites this paper as Bond et al., 2009

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Authors
Bond, K., Ospina, M. B., Hooton, N., Bialy, L., Dryden, D. M., Buscemi, N., Shannahoff-Khalsa, D., Dusek, J., & Carlson, L. E.
Affiliations
  • University of Alberta (CA)
  • University of Calgary (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2009-05
Volume
1
Issue
2
Pages
129-137
ISSN
  • 1941-1022 (ISSN-L)
  • 1943-1562
DOI
10.1037/a0015736
OpenAlex
W2017924730
Cited by
67
References
37
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 4
FWCI
2.83
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (publishedVersion)
Funders
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (290-02-0023)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Religious studies › Indian and Buddhist Studies
Keywords
meditation, demarcation criteria, complex interventions, altered states of consciousness, mystical experience, Delphi consensus

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