Chieko Fujisaki
Tokushima Bunri University, Japan
Title: A study evaluating mindfulness and Naikan based therapy altering emotional organization-holistic operation for attachment style, self-actualization, depression and self-compassion and gratitude
Biography
Biography: Chieko Fujisaki
Abstract
AEON-HO (Altering Emotional Organization-Holistic Operation) contains methods of naikan therapy and mindfulness. Naikan and mindfulness are originally from Buddhism tradition, and they have a high affinity. AEON-HO was conceptualized to improve attachment issues and the growth of self-actualization because Naikan and mindfulness are known to be effective for attachment issues but partially if they are used independently. Naikan can approach to attachment avoidance, while mindfulness can approach attachment anxiety. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of AEON-HO on attachment styles, self-actualization, and depression by using attachment style scale (ECR-GO), self-Actualization Scale (SAS) translated to Japanese and Center for Epidemiologic Studies for Depression Scale (CES-D). Participants have taken these three psychological questionnaires before and after the eight-week program of AEON-HO, and the results of scales were compared. Participants were 36 adult participants (mean age=49 years, SD=3.9). Changes in two attachment styles, anxiety and avoidance and depressive state were observed between pre- and post-test, while there were no significant changes in self-actualization. However, attachment anxiety and self-actualization were correlated negatively in pre- and post-test, while attachment avoidance and self-actualization were correlated negatively only in the pre-test. The aim of the second study was to evaluate the effectiveness of selfâ€compassionate meditation in AEON-HO. It was examined the Skin Resistance Change (SRC) of Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) in each task: 1. Closing eyes, 2. Observing breathing, 3. Body scan and 4. Body scan with compassion and gratitude among volunteer students. It was found that task 4 has significantly decreased the Standard Deviation (SD) in SRC compared with the former different task and with the subsequent different task in all volunteers, although six of them preferred task B to task D. The body scans with compassion in AEON-HO program appears to be effective to relax by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.