Anders Meland

Head Engineer Department of Sport and Social Sciences

Email: andersme@nih.no
Phone: +47 23 26 24 43
Mobile phone: +47 95 22 70 21

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Background and experience

Anders Meland has a PhD in sports psychology from NIH (2016), in addition to higher military officer training at the Norwegian Naval Academy. Meland is responsible for concept development in the sports psychology lab at NIH (20%) and employed as a sport psychology consultant at Olympiatoppen (20%) and senior advisor at Norges Bank Investment Management (60%). He has many years of experience with the use of attentional training across high performance environments, and worked 10 years as a human factors specialist at the Norwegian Institute of Aviation Medicine

Teaching

Perception, Cognition, Psychophysiology, Simulation, Mental training strategies

Research

Attention, cognition, executive functioning, fatigue, stress-reduction, mental training in high performance environments

Projects

Simulation Training Project in Alpine Skiing

Svendsen, Karianne; Nes, Lise Solberg; Leithe, Sigrid; Meland, Anders; Gjelsvik, Ylva Maria & Børøsund, Elin [Show all 17 contributors for this article] (2025). Testing two digital stress-management interventions in a randomized controlled trial of breast cancer patients. Scientific Reports. 15, p. 1–16. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-22889-0. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Abstract The digital stress-management intervention StressProffen has been shown to be associated with improved well-being and quality of life for cancer survivors. In the Coping After Breast Cancer (CABC) trial, effects of 6 months’ access to modified versions of StressProffen, delivered through a digital download-only model, were examined. Women with breast cancer were invited to participate in the trial 6–9 months following diagnosis. Eligible participants were randomized to either: (1) digital cognitive behavioral therapy stress-management intervention (CBI), n = 140, (2) digital mindfulness-based stress-management intervention (MBI), n = 143, or (3) usual-care (control group), n = 147. Primary outcome was change in perceived stress level (PSS-10), while secondary outcomes included changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL), anxiety and depression, fatigue, mindfulness, sleep and coping. Perceived stress level at baseline was low for all groups. No statistically significant mean differences (MD) were detected between either of the intervention groups and the control group from baseline to 6-month follow-up for perceived stress level (MBI: MD -0.28 [95%CI: -1.75, 1.19], CBI: MD -0.42 [95%CI: -1.89, 1.06]), nor for the majority of the secondary outcomes. After 6 months of access, the CBI and MBI stress-management interventions did not yield significantly improved outcomes for women with breast cancer compared with usual-care controls. Further explorations of which interventions and delivery models may optimize use and effect, best timing for delivery, and individual preferences are needed. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04480203.
Svendsen, Karianne; Leithe, Sigrid; Trewin-Nybråten, Cassia Bree; Balto, Aina; Nes, Lise Solberg & Meland, Anders [Show all 12 contributors for this article] (2024). How Did Breast Cancer Patients Fare during Different Phases of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Norway Compared to Age-Matched Controls? Cancers. 16(3). doi: 10.3390/cancers16030602. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Little is known about how health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in breast cancer cases differed from that of controls during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used data from an ongoing, nationwide HRQoL survey of 4279 newly diagnosed breast cancer cases and 2911 controls to investigate how breast cancer patients fared during different phases of the pandemic compared to controls. Responders during 2020–2022 were categorized into three COVID-19-related phases: the social restrictions phase, the high infection rate phase, and the post-pandemic phase. Across phases, breast cancer cases had significantly worse scores in most HRQoL domains compared to controls. Apart from slightly more insomnia in the high infection rate phase for both cases and controls, and better social functioning for young cases in the post-COVID-19 phase, the case-control differences in HRQoL remained consistent across phases. When the phases were assessed as one period, young women and those living with children
Bøhn, Synne-Kristin Hoffart; Svendsen, Karianne; Balto, Aina; Gjelsvik, Ylva Maria; Myklebust, Tor Åge & Børøsund, Elin [Show all 13 contributors for this article] (2024). Health-related quality of life among women diagnosed with in situ or invasive breast cancer and age-matched controls: a population-based study. Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes. 8(1). doi: 10.1186/s41687-024-00781-1. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Purpose: A breast cancer (BC) diagnosis may negatively affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, there are few comparisons of HRQoL at several time points for women with BC, and particular when subdivided into invasive and in situ tumors. The purpose of this study was to investigate various aspects of HRQoL in women recently diagnosed with invasive BC or ductal carcinoma in situ (in situ) compared to age-matched BC free controls in a population-wide sample recruited through the Cancer Registry of Norway. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized HRQoL data collected in 2020–2022 from a digital survey including 4117 cases (3867 women with invasive BC and 430 with in situ) and 2911 controls. HRQoL was assessed ≥ 21 days after diagnosis, using EORTC QLQ-C30. This includes scores assessing global quality of life (gHRQoL) and HRQoL functions and symptoms. Multivariable regression analyses were used to compare HRQoL between cases and controls and to identify factors associated with gHRQoL and fatigue. Additionally, HRQoL 14 months after diagnosis was analyzed in 1989 of the included cases and in 1212 of the controls. Score differences of ≥ 10 points were considered clinically relevant and thus presented in the results. Results: Invasive BC cases had lower gHRQoL, role- and social functioning in addition to more fatigue than controls. In situ cases had lower role—and social functioning than controls. Invasive BC cases scored worse than in situ on all domains, but the differences were not considered clinically relevant. Physical activity was associated with better gHRQoL and less fatigue in invasive BC, in situ and controls. Both invasive BC and in situ cases improved their role- and social functioning scores from diagnosis to 14 months follow-up, however no improvement was seen for fatigue. Conclusion: Women with invasive BC and in situ reported lower role- and social functioning scores than controls right after diagnosis with improvements 14 months after diagnosis. Physical activity was associated with better gHRQoL and less fatigue and should, whenever possible, play a key role in the care for BC patients.
Børøsund, Elin; Meland, Anders; Eriksen, Hege Randi; Rygg, Christine Marie; Ursin, Giske & Nes, Lise Solberg (2023). Digital Cognitive Behavioral- and Mindfulness-Based Stress-Management Interventions for Survivors of Breast Cancer: Development Study. JMIR Formative Research. 7(1), p. 1–12. doi: 10.2196/48719. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: Psychosocial stress-management interventions can reduce stress and distress and improve the quality of life for survivors of cancer. As these in-person interventions are not always offered or accessible, evidence-informed digital stress-management interventions may have the potential to improve outreach of psychosocial support for survivors of cancer. Few such digital interventions exist so far, few if any have been developed specifically for survivors of breast cancer, and few if any have attempted to explore more than 1 distinct type of intervention framework. Objective: This study aimed to develop 2 digital psychosocial stress-management interventions for survivors of breast cancer; 1 cognitive behavioral therapy-based intervention (CBI), and 1 mindfulness-based intervention (MBI). Methods: The development of the CBI and MBI interventions originated from the existing StressProffen program, a digital stress-management intervention program for survivors of cancer, based on a primarily cognitive behavioral therapeutic concept. Development processes entailed a multidisciplinary design approach and were iteratively conducted in close collaboration between key stakeholders, including experts within psychosocial oncology, cancer epidemiology, stress-management, and eHealth as well as survivors of breast cancer and health care providers. Core psychosocial oncology stress-management and cancer epidemiology experts first conducted a series of workshops to identify cognitive behavioral and mindfulness specific StressProffen content, overlapping psychoeducational content, and areas where development and incorporation of new material were needed. Following the program content adaptation and development phase, phases related to user testing of new content and technical, privacy, security, and ethical aspects and adjustments ensued. Intervention content for the distinct CBI and MBI interventions was refined in iterative user-centered design processes and adjusted to electronic format through stakeholder-centered iterations. Results: For the CBI version, the mindfulness-based content of the original StressProffen was removed, and for the MBI version, cognitive behavioral content was removed. Varying degrees of new content were created for both versions, using a similar layout as for the original StressProffen program. New content and new exercises in particular were tested by survivors of breast cancer
Akter, Rokshana; Larose, Tricia L; Sandvik, Jannicke; Fonne, Vivianne; Meland, Anders & Wagstaff, Anthony Sverre (2021). Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Associated Factors in Military Search and Rescue Personnel. Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance. ISSN 2375-6314. 92(12), p. 975–979. doi: 10.3357/AMHP.5946.2021. Full text in Research Archive
Meland, Anders; Hoebeke, Elena; Pensgaard, Anne Marte; Fonne, Vivianne; Wagstaff, Anthony Sverre & Jensen, Christian Gaden (2021). A Sense of Fellowship: Mindfulness Improves Experienced Interpersonal Benefits and Prosociality in A Military Aviation Unit. The International Journal of Aerospace Psychology. ISSN 2472-1840. 31(2), p. 162–179. doi: 10.1080/24721840.2020.1865818. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Objective: Explore how personnel in a military aviation unit experienced personal as well as interpersonal aspects concerning their participation in a group-based four-month MBT programme. Background: mindfulness-based training (MBT) have been used as a personal stress management tool in stressful working environments, including military aviation. There is little knowledge about the interpersonal mechanisms involved when engaging in MBT. Method: Adhering to Grounded Theory (GT), we conducted post-intervention interviews with 42 programme participants. We selected 30 interviews with evidence of interpersonal effects for in-depth analyses to build a theoretical model of the pathways through which interpersonal effects might develop. Results: The majority of the interviewees (30/42 = 71%) experienced significant interpersonal effects from MBT. The in-depth analyses revealed an increase in the common theme “Sense of Fellowship” (SOF). SOF comprised three primary change processes: “Attention to others,” “Self-observation” and “Reflection.” In addition, five behavioral changes emerged: “Direct communication,” “Increased patience,” “Decreased anger expression,” “Calmness,” and “Acceptance.” Finally, four contextual factors appeared to have particular importance for the development of SOF: “Plenary sessions,” “Sharing experiences,” “Doing something new together,” and “Sitting in silence.” Conclusion: These findings indicate that MBT has prosocial effects in a military aviation setting, and the constructed model contributes theoretically by suggesting how these psychosocial effects may arise and develop.
Pradhan, Gaurav N.; Ottestad, William Arne; Meland, Anders; Kåsin, Jan Ivar; Høiseth, Lars Øivind & Cevette, Michael J. [Show all 7 contributors for this article] (2021). Oculometric Feature Changes During Acute Hypoxia in a Simulated High-Altitude Airdrop Scenario. Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance. ISSN 2375-6314. 92(12), p. 928–936. doi: 10.3357/AMHP.5930.2021. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
BACKGROUND: Severe acute hypoxia results in a rapid deterioration of cognitive functioning and thus poses a risk for human operations in high altitude environments. This study aimed at investigating the effects of oxygen system failure during a high-altitude high-opening (HAHO) parachute jump scenario from 30,000 ft (9144 m) on human physiology and cognitive performance using a noncontact eye-tracking task. METHODS: Nine healthy male volunteers (ages 27–48) were recruited from the Norwegian Special Operations Commandos. Eye-tracking data were collected to derive information on cognitive performance in the context of rapid dynamic changes in pressure altitude while performing a modified King-Devick test. The baseline data was collected at 8000 ft (2438 m) while breathing 100% oxygen during decompression. For every test, the corresponding arterial blood gas analysis was performed. RESULTS: The study subjects endured severe hypoxia, which resulted in significant prolongations of fixation time (range: 284.1–245.6 ms) until 23,397 ft (131 m) and fixation size (range: 34.6–32.4 mm) until 25,389 ft (7739 m) as compared to the baseline (217.6 ± 17.8 ms and 27.2 ± 4.5 mm, respectively). The increase in the saccadic movement and decrease in the saccadic velocity was observed until 28,998 ft and 27,360 ft (8839 and 8339 m), respectively. DISCUSSION: This is the first study to investigate cognitive performance from measured oculometric variables during severe hypobaric hypoxia in a simulated high-altitude airdrop mission scenario. The measurement of altered oculometric variables under hypoxic conditions represents a potential avenue to study altered cognitive performance using noncontact sensors that can derive information and serve to provide the individual with a warning from impending incapacitation.

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Meland, Anders (2026). Fryktløs: Hvordan prestere optimalt – med indre ro og ytre kraft. Frisk forlag. ISBN 9788284372587. 176 p. Full text in Research Archive

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Meland, Anders (2025). Konsentrasjon når det gjelder: Mindfulness for operativ prestasjon. In Olsen, Olav Kjellevold (Eds.), Når det gjelder som mest : Operativ ledelse og team i kritiske situasjoner. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215070612. p. 424–447. Full text in Research Archive
Olsen, Olav Kjellevold; Harris, Anette & Meland, Anders (2025). Stress og stressmestring i operativ ledelse. In Olsen, Olav Kjellevold (Eds.), Når det gjelder som mest : Operativ ledelse og team i kritiske situasjoner. Universitetsforlaget. ISSN 9788215070612. p. 178–206. Full text in Research Archive
Svendsen, Karianne; Leithe, Sigrid; Myklebust, Tor Åge; Eriksen, Hege Randi; Meland, Anders & Nes, Lise Solberg [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2024). Associations between lifestyle factors and health-related quality of life in breast cancer patients and controls. Norsk tidsskrift for ernæring (NTFE). ISSN 1503-5034. 22(5), p. 89–89. doi: 10.18261/ntfe.22.5.127. Full text in Research Archive
Svendsen, Karianne; Nes, Lise Solberg; Meland, Anders; Larsson, Ine Marie; Gjelsvik, Ylva M. & Børøsund, Elin [Show all 17 contributors for this article] (2023). Coping After Breast Cancer: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Stress Management eHealth Interventions. JMIR Research Protocols. 12. doi: 10.2196/47195. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Background: One-third or more of breast cancer survivors report stress and other psychological and physical complaints that can negatively impact their quality of life. Psychosocial stress management interventions, shown to mitigate the negative impact of these complaints, can now be delivered as accessible and convenient (for the patient and provider) eHealth interventions. In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), Coping After Breast Cancer (CABC), 2 modified versions of the stress management eHealth intervention program StressProffen were created: one with predominantly cognitive behavioral stress management content (StressProffen-cognitive behavioral therapy intervention [StressProffen-CBI]) and another with predominantly mindfulness-based stress management content (StressProffen-mindfulness-based intervention [StressProffen-MBI]). Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects in breast cancer survivors of using StressProffen-CBI and StressProffen-MBI compared with a control group (treatment as usual). Methods: Women diagnosed with breast cancer (stage I-III, unequivocally human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive or estrogen receptor-negative tumors) or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) aged 21-69 years who completed the Cancer Registry of Norway–initiated health survey on quality of life are invited to the CABC trial about 7 months after diagnosis. Women who give consent to participate are randomized (1:1:1) to either the StressProffen-CBI, StressProffen-MBI, or control group. Both StressProffen interventions consist of 10 modules of stress management content delivered through text, sound, video, and images. The primary outcome is between-group changes in perceived stress at 6 months, assessed with Cohen 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. The secondary outcomes comprise changes in quality of life, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep, neuropathy, coping, mindfulness, and work-related outcomes approximately 1, 2, and 3 years after diagnosis. Long-term effects of the interventions on work participation, comorbidities, relapse or new cancers, and mortality will be assessed using data from national health registries. Results: Recruitment is scheduled from January 2021 to May 2023. The goal is to recruit 430 participants (100 in each group). As of April 14 2023, 428 participants have been enrolled. Conclusions: The CABC trial is possibly the largest ongoing psychosocial eHealth RCT in patients with breast cancer. If 1 or both interventions prove to be effective in reducing stress and improving psychosocial and physical complains, the StressProffen eHealth interventions could be beneficial, inexpensive, and easily implementable tools for breast cancer survivors when coping with late effects after cancer and cancer treatments.
Børøsund, Elin; Meland, Anders; Eriksen, Hege Randi; Rygg, Christine Marie; Ursin, Giske & Nes, Lise Solberg (2023). CBT- and Mindfulness-based Support for Breast Cancer Survivors: Development of two Digital Stress-management Interventions. Full text in Research Archive
Akter, Rokshana; Larose, Tricia Lynn Lois; Sandvik, Jannicke; Fonne, Vivianne; Meland, Anders & Wagstaff, Anthony Sverre (2022). Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Associated Factors in Military Search and Rescue Personnel. Full text in Research Archive
Engdahl-Høgåsen, Linn & Meland, Anders (2021). Mindfullness - økt innsikt for bedre utsikt. [Radio]. Podkast, Psykt interessant. Full text in Research Archive
Meland, Anders (2016). Mindfulness in High Performance Environments. Norges idrettshøgskole. ISSN 9788250205338. Full text in Research Archive Show summary
Paper II: Ishimatsu, K., Meland, A., Hansen, T. A., Kasin, J. I., Wagstaff, A. S. (2016). Action slips during whole-body vibration. Applied Ergonomics 2016, 55, 241-247.

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Published Oct. 17, 2023 1:08 PM - Last modified Dec. 13, 2023 2:34 PM