graefe ps1

Evaluation of three training variants for the Art of Living

C. Graefe & B. Schmitz,

University of Technology, Darmstadt, Germany

Does choosing your Art of Living

Strategies make a difference?

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Overview

Initiation

Art of Living Concept

Training Concept

Results

Discussion

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Initiation

German high school students suffer under

Pressure to perform

Headaches and back pain

Finding their way for the future

(DAK & Leuphana Universität, 2011; Milde-Busch et al., 2010; Robert Koch-Institut

& Bundeszentrale für gesundheitliche Aufklärung, 2008)

Enhancing Art of Living works directly and indirectly against these

problems

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Art of Living Concept

Based on philosophical considerations of Schmid (2004)

How should we live?

Is concentrating on inner attitude in contrast to moral fiber

Definition

Reflective, engaged, self-determined way of live

Self-care

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Art of Living Concept

17 sub concepts (Schmitz & Schmidt, 2014)

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autonomous way of life meaning self-efficacy

balance openness self-knowledge

bodily self care optimization self-actualization

compatibility of different life domains

pleasure serenity

coping positive attitude towardslife

social contacts

choice of environment reflection

Training Concept

Main questions

Can Art of Living be enhanced by a short training?

Does the way of delivering the training have an effect?

Pre-post comparison

Linear trends from the analysis of a 14 day period diary?

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Training Concept

Four hour training

Follows the concept of Perels, van de Loo and Schmitz (2007)

Introduction

Art of Living Questionnaire

Opening Exercise

Building Block

Middle Activity

Art of Living Diary

Knowledge and Skill

Application Activity

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Art of Living Questionnaire

Pre-Posttest

High reliability (Cronbach‘s α .87)

135 questions cover 17 subconcepts

Item categories 1-6 from ‚strongly disagree‘ to ‚strongly agree‘

Average of 30 minutes fill in time

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Opening Exercise

Can you draw a frog?

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Frog

Draw a 2

Draw this squiggle around it

Look now your motive

is sitting on a waterlilly leaf

Building Block/Middle Activity

Building Block

17 sub categories are introduced

Middle Activity

Own, already used strategies are identified and related to the subscales

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Art of Living Diary

High reliability (Cronbach’s α .89)

Serves not only as an instrument but also as a reflection strategy

22 questions

One item per subconcept

Four questions about the well-being

Open question about the reason for the next day strategy use

Six-level answering scale

Average of six minutes fill in time

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Knowledge and Skill

Training groups

Group 0: control group

Group 1: free choice of five strategies in all Art of Living Areas

Group 2: five predetermined strategies by the research group

Group 3: free choice of five strategies for areas with low manifestation

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Application Activity

Possible problems that could evolve while getting to know different

strategies are identified

Solutions for these problems are elaborated

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Results

Sample

164 students from grade nine to eleven

58,5 % girls

Mean age 15,83

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Results

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Results

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Results

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Results

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Results

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Results

The data shows that having the choice makes a difference!

A guided choice or at least some well selected strategies by the trainers

lead to more well-being and higher Art of Living Results

Having too much choice doesn’t change a thing or makes you feel worse

Students tended to choose strategies on subscales they already had high

values

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Discussion

Prospects

Revision of the questionnaire

Longer training duration: Second session

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Thank you for your Attention!

Any Questions?

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Appendix

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Art of Living Questionnaire

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Art of Living Diary

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