The Impact of a Single, Brief Mindfulness Intervention on Cognitive and Emotional Reactivity: An EEG Study

Objectives

Mindfulness training produces behavioral and neuronal enhancements for executive and emotional control processes that strengthen with experience. We aimed to examine how a single 30-min session of mindfulness impacts behavioral and electrophysiological outcomes (event-related potentials; ERPs) of inhibitory control and perception of affectively negative words.

Method

Using a mixed within-subject design, 62 university participants provided behavioral and electrophysiological data, and were randomly assigned to two groups: audio-guided mindfulness meditation or relaxation technique of their choice. Participants completed two blocks of computerized tasks (two measuring inhibitory function: Go/NoGo, Simon task; and one assessing affective perception: word rating task), as well as provided self-reported state-induced mindfulness levels before and after the intervention.

Results

Regardless of group, Go/NoGo performance accuracy was at ceiling (≥ 91%). All participants showed enhanced post-intervention NoGo-N2 amplitudes indicating an increased need for conflict monitoring processes. No significant between-group effects emerged for the behavioral Simon Effect or for incongruent P3 ERPs. Behavioral ratings of negative and positive words were unimpacted, whereas neutral words were rated more positively by all participants post-intervention. Initial ERP analyses indicated faster post-intervention LPP components across valence for the mindfulness group; however, results did not remain significant after accounting for multiple comparisons.

Conclusions

Our report contributes to the research surrounding how brief (30-min) sessions of mindfulness practice impact one’s ability to inhibit themselves as well as perception of affective words. Future studies should include fewer or shorter tasks to maximize the transient effects of mindfulness practice.