Mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach
Abstract Background Occupational stress has huge financial as well as human costs. Application of crowdsourcing might be a way to strengthen the investigation of occupational mental health. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess Danish employees’ stress and cognition by relying on a crowdsour...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00810-y |
| _version_ | 1811338888068726784 |
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| author | Johanne Lundager Axelsen Jacob Stig Jarnot Meline Walter Staiano Ulrich Kirk |
| author_facet | Johanne Lundager Axelsen Jacob Stig Jarnot Meline Walter Staiano Ulrich Kirk |
| author_sort | Johanne Lundager Axelsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Occupational stress has huge financial as well as human costs. Application of crowdsourcing might be a way to strengthen the investigation of occupational mental health. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess Danish employees’ stress and cognition by relying on a crowdsourcing approach, as well as investigating the effect of a 30-day mindfulness and music intervention. Methods We translated well-validated neuropsychological laboratory- and task-based paradigms into an app-based platform using cognitive games measuring sustained attention and working memory and measuring stress via. Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale. A total of 623 healthy volunteers from Danish companies participated in the study and were randomized into three groups, which consisted of a 30-day intervention of either mindfulness or music, or a non-intervention control group. Results Participants in the mindfulness group showed a significant improvement in the coefficient of sustained attention, working memory capacity and perceived stress (p < .001). The music group showed a 38% decrease of self-perceived stress. The control group showed no difference from pre to post in the survey or cognitive outcome measures. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between usage of the mindfulness and music app and elevated score on both the cognitive games and the perceived stress scale. Conclusion The study supports the nascent field of crowdsourcing by being able to replicate data collected in previous well-controlled laboratory studies from a range of experimental cognitive tasks, making it an effective alternative. It also supports mindfulness as an effective intervention in improving mental health in the workplace. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:17:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aecf00d8891b429aa206f224e1423354 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-7283 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T18:17:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-aecf00d8891b429aa206f224e14233542022-12-22T02:35:38ZengBMCBMC Psychology2050-72832022-04-0110111610.1186/s40359-022-00810-yMindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approachJohanne Lundager Axelsen0Jacob Stig Jarnot Meline1Walter Staiano2Ulrich Kirk3Department of Psychology, University of Southern DenmarkDepartment of Psychology, University of Southern DenmarkDepartment of Physical Education and Sport, University of ValenciaDepartment of Psychology, University of Southern DenmarkAbstract Background Occupational stress has huge financial as well as human costs. Application of crowdsourcing might be a way to strengthen the investigation of occupational mental health. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess Danish employees’ stress and cognition by relying on a crowdsourcing approach, as well as investigating the effect of a 30-day mindfulness and music intervention. Methods We translated well-validated neuropsychological laboratory- and task-based paradigms into an app-based platform using cognitive games measuring sustained attention and working memory and measuring stress via. Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale. A total of 623 healthy volunteers from Danish companies participated in the study and were randomized into three groups, which consisted of a 30-day intervention of either mindfulness or music, or a non-intervention control group. Results Participants in the mindfulness group showed a significant improvement in the coefficient of sustained attention, working memory capacity and perceived stress (p < .001). The music group showed a 38% decrease of self-perceived stress. The control group showed no difference from pre to post in the survey or cognitive outcome measures. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between usage of the mindfulness and music app and elevated score on both the cognitive games and the perceived stress scale. Conclusion The study supports the nascent field of crowdsourcing by being able to replicate data collected in previous well-controlled laboratory studies from a range of experimental cognitive tasks, making it an effective alternative. It also supports mindfulness as an effective intervention in improving mental health in the workplace.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00810-yMindfulnessMusicApp-based cognitive gamesCrowdsourcingStressSustained attention |
| spellingShingle | Johanne Lundager Axelsen Jacob Stig Jarnot Meline Walter Staiano Ulrich Kirk Mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach BMC Psychology Mindfulness Music App-based cognitive games Crowdsourcing Stress Sustained attention |
| title | Mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach |
| title_full | Mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach |
| title_fullStr | Mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach |
| title_short | Mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace: assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach |
| title_sort | mindfulness and music interventions in the workplace assessment of sustained attention and working memory using a crowdsourcing approach |
| topic | Mindfulness Music App-based cognitive games Crowdsourcing Stress Sustained attention |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00810-y |
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