- increase in perceptual sensitivity and improved vigilance in a sustained visual attention task
- increased activation in the attention network (prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate among other regions)
- less impulsiveness, tolerance to stressors, and heightened self-esteem
- increased response inhibition predicting adaptive socio-emotional functioning 
- reduced ruminative thinking and anxiety 
- increased empathy and self-compassion 
- reduced stress symptoms, helps in the process of positive reappraisal to deal with stress

Cognitive and Psychological Effects of Meditation Retreats

- in retreat, practitioners improved in performance activity in attention and response tasks
- greater performance improvements observed during the first half of the retreat than during the second half
- retreats may prove useful for understanding the effects of concentrated practice on biological markers of stress and health 

Haverford College in Pennsylvania

Retreat practice is an understudied class of meditation intervention in psychological research

Retreat Practice in Psychological Research

King, Brandon & Conklin, Quinn & Zanesco, Anthony & Saron, Clifford. (2019). Residential Meditation Retreats: Their Role in Contemplative Practice and Significance for Psychological Research. Current Opinion in Psychology. 28. 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.12.021. 

Residential Meditation Retreats: Their Role in Contemplative Practice and Significance for Psychological Research 

- the intensity of daily practice regimes
- the duration of a typical training program
- the experience backgrounds of the participants who engage in them

Effective Variables of Retreat Practice in Psychological Research

- bridges the research gaps between non-intensive interventions in novices and cross-sectional studies of expert practitioners 
- could be key area to study for identifying boundary conditions/dosage requirements
- can help tailor specific mindfulness interventions to individuals

Significance of Retreat Practice in Psychological Research

Results of Retreat Practice in Psychological Research

- how changes in attention and cognitive abilities on retreats may foster corresponding changes in compassion and well-being

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