Propensity for experiencing flow: The roles of cognitive flexibility and mindfulness.

Abstract

This study examined cognitive skills related to flow disposition. College students from a mid-sized U.S. university (64 women and 41 men, M age = 20 years, age range = 18–28 years) were recruited from undergraduate classes to complete a survey that contained the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (Feldman, Hayes, Kumar, Greeson, & Laurenceau, 2007), the Cognitive Flexibility Scale (Martin & Ruben, 1995), and the Dispositional Flow Scale-2 General (Jackson & Eklund, 2002). A hierarchical regression analysis indicated that when demographic variables and history of mindfulness meditation were held constant cognitive flexibility and mindfulness were good predictors of flow disposition, R 2 = .42, adjusted R 2 = .39, F(5, 99) = 14.30, p < .001. Conclusions and implications are discussed.