Research in the community
Part of the CIHM mission is community outreach through translational research. Through this work, the Center’s goal is to develop and adapt programs and interventions to promote health and well-being and enhance people’s everyday lives. Described below are three translational research projects currently underway.
Resilience-Building Programs for combat veterans
Twenty percent of the approximately 2 million veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from the debilitating symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Our past brain imaging research suggests that resilience-building programs based on breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness can increase emotion regulation, thereby potentially helping reduce the symptoms of PTSD. We plan to evaluate and compare different programs in veteran populations using multiple methods from brain imaging to psychophysiology and clinical evaluation. Results will provide information on the value of resilience-building programs and will also provide information to clinicians on how to best match veterans to effective programs based on their psychological profile. Click here to learn more this research.
The Kindness Curriculum, in collaboration with the UW Early Childhood Program
We are evaluating the impact of a kindness curriculum on 4 and 5-year old preschool students. The curriculum consists of activities, games, and selected books to foster a sense of caring towards oneself and others and to increase attention and self-regulation. Teachers at this preschool previously participated in a mindfulness course offered in conjunction with CIHM and have since expressed interest in bringing activities and lessons into their classrooms for students. The 8-week curriculum is taught three times per week in 20-25 minute lessons by CIHM staff. Measures are collected before and after the 8-week period to investigate changes in children’s empathy, peer relationships, and attention resulting from the curriculum.
The Teacher and Student Wellness Study, in collaboration with the Madison Metropolitan School District
This is a two-pronged study that involves both elementary school teachers and students. In the first phase of the study, MMSD teachers participate in a 10-week modified Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course, giving them the opportunity to actively engage in and gain direct experience with the concepts, language and practices related to mindfulness. Training for teachers is focused on translating skills that are learned into the classroom setting. The second phase involves classroom teachers, along with CIHM staff, presenting a 6-week mindfulness curriculum to 5th grade students. To provide support to the students in addition to assessing the effects of training, trained middle school staff and CIHM staff will follow these students throughout the course of their 6th grade school year.
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