Some patients with chronic pain repeatedly exacerbate it by continuously persisting in performing certain activities. This activity pattern is called “overactivity.” We reviewed the history of overactivity, its definition, its assessment methods, the association between overactivity and pain-related outcomes, and the interventions for overactivity. Furthermore, we discussed the limitations of the theoretical models of overactivity and focused on the personalities that are common in overactivity. In addition, we introduced the concept of perfectionism, which is associated with overactivity, to provide directions for future clinical practice and research. Intervention for perfectionism may be effective for patients with chronic pain who are habitually overactive.

In this paper, we review the four processes in the psychological flexibility model of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as mindfulness in the context of ACT. We will discuss in the following order: (1) human psychopathology from the perspective of ACT, (2) human health from the perspective of ACT, and (3) mindfulness from the perspective of ACT. The “purpose” and “method” of using mindfulness training or technique in ACT involves originality and will be discussed by introducing concrete examples of practice.

In this paper, the position that mindfulness has in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and its effects are discussed in relation to the historical background of the birth of DBT, the main theory, and treatment strategies, on which the personal history of M. M. Linehan, the founder of DBT, has a bearing. Mindfulness, called “core mindfulness skills” in DBT, is the core of all DBT skills. In the second edition of the skills manual published in 2015, new explanations and instructions on core mindfulness skills were added. Explanations from a spiritual perspective were also enhanced. This change suggests that mindfulness in DBT is in the process of dialectical evolution. Finally, the future prospects of mindfulness in DBT are discussed in terms of the expansion of its application, including in trauma care.

This paper presents a discussion on the similarities and differences between metacognition therapy (MCT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) from the perspectives of metacognition and attention control information processing. The findings suggest that the aforementioned treatments promote the functions of metacognitive awareness and attention direction. However, the approaches for promoting these functions differ, which indicates that they are related to the uniqueness of the treatment method. For example, MCT emphasizes metacognitive knowledge, whereas MBCT highlights metacognitive experience, which reflect their respective trainings. Moreover, differences can be observed in the subject to which attention is directed. In particular, MCT focuses on in vitro stimuli, whereas MBCT focuses on in vivo stimuli. Based on these differences, this paper summarizes the commonality of theoretical models and therapies in MCT and MBCT and discusses the related issues and the prospects of these forms of mindfulness therapy.

Mindfulness is an attitude of mind that seeks to accept inner experiences as is. It also has much in common with Morita Therapy. However, it has also lost a great deal because of the de-Buddhistization of mindfulness. The third wave of behavioral therapy incorporates the emotional regulation of mindfulness into the framework of behavioral therapy. Emotional and behavioral control are the core of these techniques. The basic framework of Morita Therapy is to separate our experiences into “what we can’t do” and “what we can do,” to give up on and accept “what we can’t do,” and to work on “what we can do.” What we cannot do is to control our emotional experiences, the world we are involved in, and ourselves as we see fit (i.e., “should” thinking), whereas what we can do is the activities of our daily lives. The goal of Morita Therapy is to create a state of mind in which fears are simply perceived as fears and desires as desires, and in which an individual can freely engage in the world of life.

Focusing and Mindfulness come from different backgrounds, although the two are often regarded as “similar.” This study examines the commonalities and differences of these two approaches. The theoretical roots of Focusing and the practices of Focusing-oriented Therapy and Focusing are examined. A review of the literature revealed several surveys conducted in Japan that investigated the two approaches. Moreover, a theoretical analysis of the practice of Focusing was discussed in relation to Mindfulness. The conclusion of this analysis was in partial agreement with survey studies indicating that Clearing a Space shared commonalities with Mindfulness. The finding of the current study was inconclusive on the question of whether the experiencing process differs from Mindfulness, as suggested by the survey studies’ findings. Furthermore, a review of the literature in the United States revealed several methods of Focusing practice that incorporate Mindfulness. The practices of three Focusing practitioners who attempted such an integration are introduced. In reviewing the psychological works on Focusing and Mindfulness, this paper previews some promising examples of how the two approaches can be integrated.

Clinical practice of mindfulness and its Buddhist background are discussed in terms of constructivism in psychotherapy. The main points of discussion are as follows: (1) third-wave cognitive behavioral therapies contain a mixture of epistemologically contradictory ideas (e.g., rationalism, empiricism, subjectivism, and objectivism), whereas the Buddhist vijnapti-matrata idea is very similar to and has much in common with constructivist thinking; (2) some researchers believe that the being-mode and the narrative-mode are contradictory, but the experiencing process of becoming aware of the stream of consciousness as it is set at its foundation and the creation of coherent meaning is positioned as a further step; and (3) the distinctive difference between the two is the concept of dialectical development in which constructive therapy is based on attachment theory and extends it to the symbolic level to view human growth as a dynamic centering process. Constructivism is a meta-theory; therefore, it incorporates making or not making value judgments as only one choice in how to live. A constructive meta-theorist contends that whether to be or not be judgmental is also subject to dialectics and that mindfulness is just one option for living.

Since the development of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), which integrates cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction, its effectiveness in preventing the recurrence of depression has been demonstrated. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) such as MBCT and mindfulness-based stress reduction have rapidly spread in the field of psychiatry and mental health. To date, MBIs have been proven as effective for treating depression, anxiety, addiction, cancer, chronic pain, etc. Interventions to improve mental health are also spreading in the field of school education and business. Based on these backgrounds, we first reviewed the development of MBCT and its basic structure as an example of MBI. We then overviewed the effects of MBIs on each condition (e.g., depression, anxiety, psycho-oncology), followed by the current status and issues relevant to MBIs in Japan. Finally, we discussed the challenges regarding MBIs in Japan such as verifying the effects of nonstandardized MBIs and clarifying the mechanisms of effects and the measures for dissemination.

The purpose of this study was to foresee the future development of mindfulness by reviewing its multifaceted nature and the phases in which it has evolved in Japan since the beginning of the 21^st century. This study set up three phases and revealed how each phase apprehends the conceptual entity of mindfulness. The description of each phase was (1) mindfulness as a clinical intervention method, represented by Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR); (2) mindfulness as an ideological concept captured in a sociopolitical context; and (3) mindfulness as the sati, which represents the original meaning of mindfulness indicated in the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This review extracted the invaluable contribution of mindfulness as a clinical methodology, although significant attention should be given to its value-neutral individualized feature so that mindfulness may obscure the ongoing sociopolitically structured injustice issues in our society. For future implications, the study showed the importance of scrutinizing the meaning of sati and integrating it into mindfulness so as to establish a meaningful approach that informs the value of social justice.

Existing literature has confirmed the effectiveness of mindfulness in treating various mental and physical problems. However, research has highlighted methodological issues in these studies. We discussed the following topics to advance mindfulness research: (1) empirical approaches for establishing the efficacy of mindfulness, (2) formal theoretical approaches to examine the mechanisms underlying mindfulness, and (3) digital mindfulness. For this reason, examining mindfulness-related research is necessary by using (1) a more rigorous and reproducible research design to outline its benefits and harm and (2) a stage model to determine the use of mindfulness in public. Moreover, formulating a formal theoretical framework that highlights the mechanisms underlying mindfulness is essential to generate simulations and empirical predictions. Employing computational psychiatric approaches, based on the free energy principle, and psychological network approaches is accordingly useful to build this theory. Finally, investigating the effectiveness and safety of digital mindfulness is imperative.