Contemplative Practices Behavior Is Positively Associated with Well-Being in Three Global Multi-Regional Stanford WELL for Life Cohorts

Tia Rich (), Benjamin W. Chrisinger, Rajani Kaimal, Sandra J. Winter, Haley Hedlin, Yan Min, Xueyin Zhao, Shankuan Zhu, San-Lin You, Chien-An Sun, Jaw-Town Lin, Ann W. Hsing and Catherine Heaney
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Tia Rich: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
Benjamin W. Chrisinger: Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2ER, UK
Rajani Kaimal: Penumbra, Inc., Alameda, CA 94502, USA
Sandra J. Winter: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
Haley Hedlin: Quantitative Sciences Unit, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
Yan Min: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
Xueyin Zhao: Chronic Disease Research Institute, The Children’s Hospital, and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Shankuan Zhu: Chronic Disease Research Institute, The Children’s Hospital, and National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, School of Public Health, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
San-Lin You: School of Medicine, Data Science Center, College of Medicine Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan
Chien-An Sun: School of Medicine, Data Science Center, College of Medicine Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan
Jaw-Town Lin: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung City 82445, Taiwan
Ann W. Hsing: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94035, USA
Catherine Heaney: Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94035, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-19

Abstract: Positive associations between well-being and a single contemplative practice (e.g., mindfulness meditation) are well documented, yet prior work may have underestimated the strength of the association by omitting consideration of multiple and/or alternative contemplative practices. Moreover, little is known about how contemplative practice behavior (CPB) impacts different dimensions of well-being. This study investigates the relationship of CPB, consisting of four discrete practices (embodied somatic-observing, non-reactive mindfulness, self-compassion, and compassion for others), with multiple dimensions of well-being. As with other canonical lifestyle behaviors, multiple contemplative practices can be integrated into one’s daily routine. Thus, it is critical to holistically consider these behaviors, extending them beyond a simple uni-dimensional measure (e.g., daily mindfulness meditation practice). We developed an integrative measure of four types of contemplative practice and found it to be significantly associated with a multi-dimensional measure of well-being. Importantly, our findings were from three large global multi-regional cohorts and compared against better-understood lifestyle behaviors (physical activity). Data were drawn from California/San Francisco Bay Area, ( n = 6442), Hangzhou City ( n = 10,268), and New Taipei City ( n = 3033). In all three cohorts, we found statistically significant ( p < 0.05) positive associations between CPB and well-being, both overall and with all of the constituent domains of well-being, comparable to or stronger than the relationship with physical activity across most well-being outcomes. These findings provide robust and cross-cultural evidence for a positive association between CPB and well-being, illuminate dimensions of well-being that could be most influenced by CPB, and suggest CPB may be useful to include as part of fundamental lifestyle recommendations for health and well-being.

Keywords: contemplative practices; health promotion; mindfulness; meditation; well-being; WELL for life (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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