Langerian mindfulness, quality of life and psychological symptoms in a sample of Italian students

Francesco Pagnini,Katherine E. Bercovitz,Deborah Phillips

doi:10.1186/s12955-018-0856-4

Francesco Pagnini, Katherine E. Bercovitz + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12955-018-0856-4

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Abstract

BackgroundNoticing new things, accepting the continuously changing nature of circumstances, and flexibly shifting perspectives in concert with changing contexts constitute the essential features of Langerian mindfulness. This contrasts with a “mindless” approach in which one remains fixed in a singular mindset and is closed off to new possibilities. Despite potentially important clinical applications for this construct, few studies have explored them. The instrument developed to measure Langerian mindfulness is the Langer Mindfulness Scale (LMS), although this tool has been limited primarily to English-speaking populations. The study aimed to test LMS validity in the Italian language and to analyze the relationships between Langerian mindfulness and well-being.MethodsWe translated the LMS into Italian, analyzed its factor structure, and investigated the correlation between mindfulness and quality of life and psychological well-being in a sample of 248 Italian students (88.7% females, mean age 20.05). A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the tri-dimensional structure of the English LMS in the Italian version.ResultsThe primary analysis found a significant negative correlation between mindfulness and psychological symptoms including obsessive-compulsive tendencies, depression, anxiety, and paranoid ideation. There was also a positive correlation between mindfulness and reports of quality of life.ConclusionsThe Italian LMS appears reliable and it shows relevant correlations with well-being.

Highlights

Noticing new things, accepting the continuously changing nature of circumstances, and flexibly shifting perspectives in concert with changing contexts constitute the essential features of Langerian mindfulness
In contrast to the conceptualization of mindfulness associated with meditative practices that emphasizes a nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment [2], Langerian mindfulness is characterized by a continuous creation of new categories, openness to new information and possibilities, awareness of more than one perspective, and flexibility in perspective-taking [3]
The Langerian conceptualization of mindfulness is assessed through the Langer Mindfulness Scale (LMS)

Summary

Introduction

Noticing new things, accepting the continuously changing nature of circumstances, and flexibly shifting perspectives in concert with changing contexts constitute the essential features of Langerian mindfulness. This contrasts with a “mindless” approach in which one remains fixed in a singular mindset and is closed off to new possibilities. The LMS was originally developed with 21-items to assess four factors: novelty seeking, novelty producing, engagement, and flexibility [4] These domains “describe a person’s relative openness to experience, willingness to challenge strict categories, and continual reassessment of the environment and their reactions to it” [4]. A 14item version was later introduced with just three main

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Conclusion