Abstract
Objectives
The commentary offers a critical examination of the suggestion that religious or spiritual identity moderates the impact of mindfulness-based practices.
Method
The critical examination of Hunt et al. (Mindfulness, 12(11), 2743–2753, 2021) by surveying problems in research methodology and interpretation of the results.
Results
Several methodological limitations were identified and related to the sample size, application of statistical procedures and interpretation of the results.
Conclusions
The results challenge the suggestion that spirituality moderates the impact of mindfulness-based practices, in particular of mindfulness of breathing compared to diaphragmatic breathing, evident in a lack of significant moderating effect of spirituality on heart rate variability, and of the proposal of relating this to a supposed misunderstanding of Buddhism as a religious tradition.
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Medvedev, O.N., Anālayo, B. Heart Rate Variability, Mindfulness of Breathing, and Religious Identity. Mindfulness 13, 54–56 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01792-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01792-5