Mindfulness-apps as a means to maintain the practice and positive effects of mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) courses.

Research shows that the practice of mindfulness has positive effects in a wide range of outcome domains. Mindfulness skills are usually acquired in group courses of 8 weekly two-hour sessions, with additional daily practice at home. This study among participants in such courses investigates if (1) increased mindfulness is associated with increased body awareness and more effective emotional processing, and (2) the use of mindfulness apps contributes to maintaining the positive effects of such courses. Participants complete questionnaires about mindfulness, mindfulness practice, general well-being, general psychopathology, body awareness, and emotional processing before, directly after, and 1 and 4 months after a mindfulness course. After the mindfulness course, participants will be randomly allocated to an experimental condition (in which they receive information and reminders about the use of mindfulness apps by e-mail) or to a control condition (without such e-mails).

(Experimental) participants who receive information about the availability and use of mindfulness-apps after an MBSR course:

(1) report higher frequency of mindfulness practice,

(2) report higher mindfulness, lower general psychopathology, and higher general well-being,

compared to (control) participants who do not receive such information. Also:
(3) changes in mindfulness, general psychopathology, and general well-being are mediated by more frequent mindfulness practice as a result of app use.

T0: start MBSR course,

T1: completion MBSR course,

T2: 1 month after completion MBSR course,

T3: 4 months after completion MBSR course.

Four weekly informative emails about the availability and use of mindfulness-apps.