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Using two modes of intervention delivery, the present study compared the effects of a cognitive defusion strategy with a thought distraction strategy on the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts. One mode of intervention delivery consisted of a clinical rationale and training (i.e., Partial condition). The other mode contained a condition-specific experiential exercise with the negative self-referential thought in addition to the clinical rationale and training (i.e., Full condition). Nonclinical undergraduates were randomly assigned to one of five protocols: Partial-Defusion, Full-Defusion, Partial-Distraction, Full-Distraction, and a distraction-based experimental control task. The Full-Defusion condition reduced the emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts significantly more than other comparison conditions. The positive results of the Full-Defusion condition were also found among participants with elevated depressive symptoms.
ObjectivesThe researchers investigated the relation between mindfulness and social anxiety symptoms, and examined whether this relation is mediated by cognitive appraisals commonly associated with social anxiety.
Participants
Ninety‐eight individuals diagnosed with social phobia.
Design
Using a cross‐sectional design, ordinary least squares regression and bootstrapping mediation analyses were used to test the study hypotheses.
Results
Mindfulness was negatively related to symptoms of social anxiety. This relation was partially mediated by cognitive appraisals about the likelihood and cost of a negative social outcome.
Conclusion
Further research using a longitudinal design and other measures of mindfulness is needed to replicate these findings and further explicate the mechanism by which mindfulness might be associated with negative cognitive appraisals.
The present study examined whether pretreatment mindfulness exerts an indirect effect on outcomes following cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Cognitive processes of probability and cost bias (i.e., overestimations of the likelihood that negative social events will occur, and that these events will have negative consequences when they do occur) were explored as potential mediators of the relation between mindfulness and social anxiety symptom change. People with higher levels of mindfulness may be better able to benefit from treatments that reduce biases because mindfulness may aid in regulation of attention. Sixty-seven individuals with a primary diagnosis of social phobia identifying public speaking as their greatest fear received eight sessions of one of two types of exposure-based CBT delivered according to treatment manuals. Participants completed self-report measures of mindfulness, probability bias, cost bias, and social anxiety symptoms. Mediation hypotheses were assessed by a bootstrapped regression using treatment outcome data. Pretreatment mindfulness was not related to change in social anxiety symptoms from pre- to posttreatment. However, mindfulness had an indirect effect on treatment outcome via its association with probability bias, but not cost bias, at midtreatment. These findings were consistent across three metrics of social anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness may play a role in response to CBT among individuals with social phobia through its relation with probability bias--even when the treatment does not target mindfulness.
Psychological inflexibility and mindfulness represent two constructs that have garnered a great deal of interest in recent years as central components in the conceptualization of many new cognitive and behavioral therapies. Nonetheless, though theoretically related, relatively little is known regarding associations between these two constructs and consensus models of trait personality such as the Big Five. The current study therefore aimed to more fully elucidate associations among these three domains within a relatively large, diverse undergraduate sample (N = 429). Mindfulness was negatively associated with Neuroticism and positively associated with Conscientiousness while psychological inflexibility was positively associated with Neuroticism and negatively associated with Conscientiousness. Further, while Conscientiousness evidenced the strongest contribution to mindfulness, Neuroticism evidenced the strongest contribution to psychological inflexibility. Better elucidating how psychological inflexibility and mindfulness differentially relate to Big Five personality traits expands the nomological network surrounding these constructs and begins to reveal common processes underlying psychopathology and health behaviors.
The current study examined the relation of a commonly used measure of mindfulness (MindfulAttention Awareness Scale [MAAS]) and psychological flexibility (Acceptance and Action
Questionnaire [AAQ]) to mental health-related variables within an African American college sample. The study also examined these constructs as potential mediators of the link between selfconcealment and mental health variables. The AAQ did not show adequate internal consistency, and
thus was not used in subsequent analyses. Mindfulness was found to be a significant predictor of
mental health-related variables and mediated the relation between self-concealment and emotional
distress in stressful interpersonal situations (full mediation) and general psychological ill health (partial mediation). These results are suggestive that mindfulness may be useful to understand mental
health within African Americans college students, although additional research is clearly needed
Psychological flexibility and mindfulness are two related, but distinct, regulation processes that have been shown to be at the core of psychological wellbeing. The current study investigated whether these two processes independently moderated the association between disordered eating cognitions and psychological distress as well as the relation between disordered eating cognitions and disordered eating behaviors. Non-clinical, ethnically diverse college undergraduates completed a web-based survey. Of 278 participants (nfemale=208; nmale=70) aged 18-24 years old, disordered eating cognitions, mindfulness, and psychological flexibility were related to psychological distress after controlling for gender, ethnicity, and body mass index. Disordered eating cognitions and mindfulness accounted for unique variance in disordered eating behaviors. Finally, mindfulness was found to moderate the association between disordered eating cognitions and disordered eating behaviors.
This cross-sectional study examined the association between parent-child conflict and illicit drug use in a sample of female college students (N = 928). The mediating roles of self-control and mindfulness, as well as an interaction between self-control and mindfulness, were examined in a moderated mediation model for the purposes of expanding etiological theory and introducing targets for the prevention and treatment of drug abuse. Whereas deficits in self-control were found to facilitate the positive relation observed between parent-child conflict and the likelihood of experiencing drug-related problems, an interaction between mindfulness and self-control helped explain the association between parent-child conflict and intensity of drug-related problems. Parent-child conflict was related to low mindfulness when self-control was low, and low mindfulness in turn was related to a higher intensity of drug-related problems. This association did not exist for women with high self-control. Findings are consistent with developmental research on the etiology of drug use and the protective properties of mindfulness and self-control. Mindfulness as a potential target of intervention for drug users with low self-control to prevent drug-related problems is explored.
OBJECTIVES:This study examined the relation between mindfulness and fear of negative evaluation over the course of nonmindfulness based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD). We expected that higher levels of mindfulness would be associated with a more positive response to treatment.
METHOD:
This study is a secondary report from a randomized controlled trial in which participants (N = 65) diagnosed with SAD were randomly assigned to receive 8 weeks of 1 of 2 manualized treatments (exposure group therapy, n = 33; or virtual reality exposure therapy, n = 32) either immediately or following an 8 week waiting period.
RESULTS:
Fear of negative evaluation decreased following treatment and was negatively related to mindfulness throughout treatment and follow-up. Mindfulness did not moderate treatment outcome.
CONCLUSIONS:
These findings indicate that while mindfulness is related to fear, it is not a moderator of symptom reduction in nonmindfulness-based treatment. Implications for treatment and future research are discussed.
Self-concealment and mindfulness can be viewed as two fairly stable emotion/behavior regulation tendencies, which are often linked to a range of internalizing problems. The current study examined whether low levels of mindfulness and higher levels of self-concealment predict higher levels of depression, anxiety, and somatization for both men and women. An ethnically diverse sample of college undergraduate females (n = 738) and males (n = 249) completed a web-based survey that included the self-report measures of interest. Path analysis models were evaluated separately for male participants and female participants. The findings from these models revealed that low levels of mindfulness predict higher levels of depression, anxiety, and somatization above the effects of self-concealment, age, and ethnicity for both men and women. Low levels of self-concealment predicted higher levels of depression and anxiety above the effects of mindfulness, age, and ethnicity for both men and women, and low levels of self-concealment predicted higher levels of somatization for women. Contrary to predictions, self-concealment did not predict somatization in men above the effects of mindfulness, age, and ethnicity. These findings suggest that mindfulness and self-concealment are distinct predictors useful for understanding the correlates of internalizing problems.
Research on Asian Americans and their psychological adjustment is limited. Consisting of two cross-sectional studies, the present investigation examined the relationships among self-concealment, mindfulness, emotional distress in stressful interpersonal situations, and general psychological ill-health in Asian American college students, and in comparison with European American counterparts. In the Asian Americans, self-concealment was found to be positively related to general psychological ill-health and negatively related to mindfulness. In both ethnic groups, mindfulness was found to be negatively related to general psychological ill-health. Findings suggest that, as seen with European American counterparts, both self-concealment and mindfulness may be important concepts in understanding the psychological adjustments of Asian American college students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
OBJECTIVE: A growing body of evidence suggests that rigid and inflexible regulation and coping are at the core of psychopathology, including disordered eating (DE) problems. Employing two cross-sectional studies, the present paper investigated whether body image flexibility (BIF), a specific type of psychological flexibility, mediates the relations between DE cognitions and overall DE pathology.METHOD: Ethnically diverse non-clinical college undergraduates (Study 1 N=208; Study 2 N=178) completed an anonymous online survey.
RESULTS: BIF was found to partially mediate the relationship between DE cognitions and overall DE pathology after controlling for gender and body mass index (BMI).
DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that the link between DE cognitions and overall DE pathology is established in part through an inflexible and avoidant coping style specific to negative body image. Clinical implications include targeting BIF as a mechanism of change and treating DE pathology with acceptance- and mindfulness-based behavioral interventions.
The present study investigated whether mindfulness and different forms of maladaptive eating-related cognitions (i.e., fear of gaining weight, belief that social approval is contingent on weight/appearance, and self-worth from feeling in control of eating) separately and independently accounted for unique variance in psychological distress among adult females with elevated eating pathology. Ethnically diverse nonclinical college females (N = 738) completed a web-based survey; data from 91 of these participants who endorsed elevated eating pathology were selected for analyses. Mindfulness and fear of gaining weight, but not self-worth or perceived importance of appearance for gaining social approval, accounted for unique variance in psychological distress after controlling for age, ethnicity and body mass index (BMI). The present study suggests that not all forms of disordered eating cognitions are uniquely associated with psychological distress among females with elevated eating pathology and that mindfulness is a useful concept for understanding psychological distress in this group.
The current study investigated whether mindfulness and psychological flexibility uniquely and separately accounted for variability in psychological distress (somatization, depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress). An ethnically diverse, non-clinical sample of college undergraduates (N = 494, 76% female) completed a web-based survey that included the self-report measures of interest. Consistent with prior research, psychological flexibility and mindfulness were positively associated with each other, and tested separately, both variables were negatively associated with somatization, depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress. Results also revealed that psychological flexibility and mindfulness accounted for unique variance in all four measures of distress. These findings suggest that mindfulness and psychological flexibility are interrelated but not redundant constructs, and that both constructs are important for understanding the onset and maintenance of somatization, depression, anxiety, and general distress.
The current study investigated whether mindfulness and psychological flexibility uniquely and separately accounted for variability in psychological distress (somatization, depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress). An ethnically diverse, nonclinical sample of college undergraduates (N = 494, 76% female) completed a Web-based survey that included the self-report measures of interest. Consistent with prior research, psychological flexibility and mindfulness were positively associated with each other, and tested separately, both variables were negatively associated with somatization, depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress. Results also revealed that psychological flexibility and mindfulness accounted for unique variance in all 4 measures of distress. These findings suggest that mindfulness and psychological flexibility are interrelated but not redundant constructs and that both constructs are important for understanding the onset and maintenance of somatization, depression, anxiety, and general distress.
The current study investigated whether mindfulness and psychological flexibility uniquely and separately accounted for variability in psychological distress (somatization, depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress). An ethnically diverse, non-clinical sample of college undergraduates (N = 494, 76% female) completed a web-based survey that included the self-report measures of interest. Consistent with prior research, psychological flexibility and mindfulness were positively associated with each other, and tested separately, both variables were negatively associated with somatization, depression, anxiety, and general psychological distress. Results also revealed that psychological flexibility and mindfulness accounted for unique variance in all four measures of distress. These findings suggest that mindfulness and psychological flexibility are interrelated but not redundant constructs, and that both constructs are important for understanding the onset and maintenance of somatization, depression, anxiety, and general distress.
The present study examined whether psychological inflexibility and mindfulness, 2 major emotion/behavior regulation processes, were uniquely and separately related to somatization, depression, and anxiety in a sample of Asian Americans in the United States. One hundred sixteen participants from various Asian nationality backgrounds completed a Web-based survey that included the measures of interest. Results revealed that both regulation processes were uniquely and separately related to somatization, depression, and anxiety after controlling for age and gender. Greater psychological inflexibility was associated with greater somatic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms, and greater mindfulness was associated with lower somatic, depressive, and anxiety problems. Our findings suggest that the extent to which one is unwilling to contact distressful internal and external experiences as well as the extent to which one is aware of the present-moment experience are useful concepts to understand somatization, depression, and anxiety experienced by Asian American young adults.
The present study examined whether psychological inflexibility and mindfulness, 2 major emotion/behavior regulation processes, were uniquely and separately related to somatization, depression, and anxiety in a sample of Asian Americans in the United States. One hundred sixteen participants from various Asian nationality backgrounds completed a Web-based survey that included the measures of interest. Results revealed that both regulation processes were uniquely and separately related to somatization, depression, and anxiety after controlling for age and gender. Greater psychological inflexibility was associated with greater somatic, depressive, and anxiety symptoms, and greater mindfulness was associated with lower somatic, depressive, and anxiety problems. Our findings suggest that the extent to which one is unwilling to contact distressful internal and external experiences as well as the extent to which one is aware of the present-moment experience are useful concepts to understand somatization, depression, and anxiety experienced by Asian American young adults.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic rheumatic disease associated with pain, stiffness, and psychosocial difficulties. The purpose of this case study was to investigate the impact of a yoga intervention on pain and morning stiffness in an adolescent female with JIA. A secondary aim was to assess the impact of this intervention on self-efficacy, mindfulness, health-related quality of life, and disease activity. A 17-y-old female with JIA participated in 3 yoga groups and home yoga practice with a digital video disc. She engaged in daily self-monitoring of pain and stiffness and completed questionnaires assessing psychosocial functioning and disease activity at pre- and postintervention, and psychosocial functioning at 3-mo follow-up. Primary outcomes were evaluated using quasi-experimental single-case design structure (ie, ABAB), with emphasis on the report of means. Results suggested that yoga reduced pain intensity, stiffness intensity, and duration of morning stiffness. Outcomes for disease activity also suggested improvements. Modest changes were revealed on psychosocial outcome measures, however not consistently in the direction of hypotheses. Anecdotal reports from the participant indicated acceptability of the intervention and improvements in pain and stiffness attributed to engaging in the yoga intervention. More research is warranted to further explore the impact of yoga for youth with JIA as an adjunctive component of multidisciplinary treatment targeting pain, stiffness, disease activity, and psychosocial factors.