Abstract

Background: The link between trait mindfulness and several dimensions of aggression (verbal, anger and hostility) has been documented, while the link between physical aggression and trait mindfulness remains less clear. Method: We used two datasets: one United States sample from 300 freshmen males from Clemson University, South Carolina and a Chinese sample of 1516 freshmen students from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. Multiple regressions were conducted to examine the association between mindfulness (measured by Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS)) and each of the four subscales of aggression. Results: Among the Clemson sample (N = 286), the mindfulness scale had a significant negative association with each of the four subscales of aggression: Hostility: β = −0.62, p < 0.001; Verbal: β = −0.37, p < 0.001; Physical: β = −0.29, p < 0.001; Anger: β = −0.44, p < 0.001. Among the Shanghai male subsample, the mindfulness scale had a significant negative association with each of the four subscales of aggression: Hostility: β = −0.57, p < 0.001; Verbal: β = −0.37, p < 0.001; Physical: β = −0.35, p < 0.001; Anger: β = −0.58, p < 0.001. Among the Shanghai female subsample (N = 512), the mindfulness scale had a significant negative association with each of the four subscales of aggression: Hostility: β = −0.62, p < 0.001; Verbal: β = −0.41, p < 0.001; Physical: β = −0.52, p < 0.001; and Anger: β = −0.64, p < 0.001. Discussion: Our study documents the negative association between mindfulness and physical aggression in two non-clinical samples. Future studies could explore whether mindfulness training lowers physical aggression among younger adults.

Highlights

  • Mindfulness can be considered as an inherent capacity of the human organism [1,2] that can be strengthened by both meditation and non-meditative exercise

  • The link between the lower level of mindfulness and different aspects of aggression has been documented in previous studies, our study is among the first to document the negative association between mindfulness and physical aggression in two larger samples that were not drawn from clinically diagnosed populations

  • It is notable that the associational pattern between mindfulness and four different sub-scales of aggression is consistent across the two genders and across the two very different countries, which suggests that the link between mindfulness and various aspects of aggression is a robust one at least among college students

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Summary

Introduction

Mindfulness can be considered as an inherent capacity of the human organism [1,2] that can be strengthened by both meditation and non-meditative exercise. Results: Among the Clemson sample (N = 286), the mindfulness scale had a significant negative association with each of the four subscales of aggression: Hostility: β = ́0.62, p < 0.001; Verbal: β = ́0.37, p < 0.001; Physical: β = ́0.29, p < 0.001; Anger: β = ́0.44, p < 0.001. Among the Shanghai male subsample, the mindfulness scale had a significant negative association with each of the four subscales of aggression: Hostility:. Among the Shanghai female subsample (N = 512), the mindfulness scale had a significant negative association with each of the four subscales of aggression: Hostility: β = ́0.62, p < 0.001; Verbal: β = ́0.41, p < 0.001; Physical: β = ́0.52, p < 0.001; and Anger: β = ́0.64, p < 0.001. Future studies could explore whether mindfulness training lowers physical aggression among younger adults

Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion

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