Courses
1. Treatment Adaptation: Understanding Mechanisms and Moderators
Dr. Beshai’s research explores how psychological interventions can be adapted to different populations by investigating key mechanisms and moderators of therapeutic change. His work examines how factors like self-compassion, dispositional mindfulness, and cultural beliefs influence treatment efficacy. A major focus is ensuring that mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions are tailored to diverse groups, such as Indigenous students and individuals at risk for depression and anxiety.
Key Publications:
Beshai, S., Desjarlais, S. M., & Green, B. (2023). Perspectives of Indigenous university students
in Canada on mindfulness-based interventions and their adaptation to reduce depression
and anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness, 14, 538–553. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02087-71
Gordon, J. L., Halleran, M., Beshai, S., et al. (2021). Endocrine and psychosocial moderators of mindfulness-based stress reduction for the prevention of perimenopausal depressive symptoms: A randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 130, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105277
Chahar Mahali, S., Beshai, S., & Wolfe, W. L. (2020). The associations of dispositional mindfulness, self-compassion, and reappraisal with symptoms of depression and anxiety among a sample of Indigenous students in Canada. Journal of American College Health, 69(8), 872–880. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1711764
2. Promotion of Evidence-Based Mental Health Interventions
Dr. Beshai investigates how psychological treatments are perceived and how messaging can improve their credibility and acceptance. His research explores the impact of psychoeducation, framing, and cultural considerations on attitudes toward mental health interventions. By refining how evidence-based treatments are communicated, he aims to increase engagement and reduce stigma surrounding mental health care.
Key Publications:
Salimuddin, S., Beshai, S., Iskric, A., & Watson, L. (2023). Framing effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for depression on perceptions of believability, acceptability, and credibility. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(14), 6330. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20146330
Del Rosario, N., & Beshai, S. (2022). Do you mind? Examining the impact of psychoeducation specificity on perceptions of mindfulness-based programs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9621. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159621
Beshai, S., Watson, L., Meadows, T. J. S., & Soucy, J. N. (2019). Perceptions of cognitive-behavioral therapy and antidepressant medication for depression after brief psychoeducation: Examining shifts in attitudes. Behavior Therapy, 50(5), 851–863. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2019.01.001
3. Enhancing Accessibility to Psychological Interventions
Dr. Beshai is committed to making mental health interventions more accessible through scalable, self-guided programs. His research evaluates the efficacy of online mindfulness and self-compassion interventions, particularly for individuals who face barriers to traditional therapy. By leveraging digital platforms and innovative delivery methods, his work helps bridge the gap in mental health care access.
Key Publications:
Beshai, S., Bueno, C., & Salimuddin, S. (2024). Effects of a self-guided online mindfulness and self-compassion program (Mind-OP) in reducing negative automatic thoughts about self: Randomized active controlled trial. Mindfulness 15, 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-023-02261-x
Beshai, S., Bueno, C., Yu, M., Feeney, J. R., & Pitariu, A. (2020). Examining the efficacy
of an online program to cultivate mindfulness and self-compassion skills (Mind-OP):
Randomized controlled trial on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Behaviour Research and Therapy,
134, 103724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2020.103724
