Comparing the effects of flow proneness and mindfulness on daily subjective wellbeing through daily control beliefs: A diary study during COVID-19

Abstract

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has threatened wellbeing, elevating levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Recognizing the role of attention in determining wellbeing, the present daily-diary study of U.S. adults focuses on flow proneness and trait mindfulness, two distinct ways of structuring attention that are mutually exclusive in immediate experience but complement each other overall. Greater perceived control over one’s life may emerge from frequent mindful and flow experiences and help explain their contribution to subjective wellbeing. Findings from multilevel structural equation modeling show that flow proneness, but not mindfulness, was associated with greater daily positive affect and daily life satisfaction, directly and indirectly through daily control beliefs. Mindfulness exhibited a direct association with lower daily negative affect whereas flow proneness was only indirectly associated with it. The results highlight how flow proneness and mindfulness complement each other in promoting control beliefs while protecting against threats to subjective wellbeing in daily life.