Higher Levels Of Dispositional Mindfulness Research Articles

Self-Compassion, Dispositional Mindfulness, and Parenting Stress: The Mediating role of Mindful Parenting

The purpose of this study is to examine whether mindful parenting mediates the relationship between self-compassion, dispositional mindfulness, and parenting stress. A total of 208 parents participated, with 156 being female and 52 being male. Participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Parenting Stress Scale, and the Mindfulness in Parenting Questionnaire (MIPQ). The findings revealed that mindfulness in parenting plays a mediating role between self-compassion, dispositional mindfulness, and parenting stress. These results indicate that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness and self-compassion may facilitate the practice of mindful parenting, potentially leading to a corresponding reduction in parenting-related stress. These findings underscore the importance of actively addressing and alleviating parenting stress as a crucial factor in fostering the development of self-compassion, mindfulness, and the application of mindful parenting.

Mindfulness traits as potential inhibitor of irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty amongst elite female basketball players

Dispositional mindfulness promotes adaptive responses to pressure situations and reduce anxiety and emotional distress, which are common manifestations in sport. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of mindfulness characteristics in the display of irrational performance beliefs and intolerance of uncertainty amongst a sample of elite female basketball players (N = 67, Mage = 25.73 years, SD = 4.4). An online Qualtrics survey containing demographic items, the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, Irrational Performance Beliefs Inventory, and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale was used to collect the study data, which were analysed using SPSS. The results from both Pearson correlation coefficient and simple linear regression analyses indicated that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness are significantly related to elite female basketball players having fewer irrational beliefs about their performance and being more tolerant of uncertain situations in their sport. One-way analysis of variance further indicated a significant difference between low, average, and high mindfulness groups, with Tukey's post-hoc analyses confirming that participants with high mindfulness displayed significantly fewer rigid, extreme, self-defeating performance beliefs in sport, and were less prone to impulsive reactions to uncertain circumstances compared to participants with low mindfulness. Sport psychology practitioners are encouraged to consider the integration of mindfulness assessment and training protocols with traditional cognitive behaviour modification approaches to counter female basketball players’ display of distorted beliefs in sport and adverse reactions to ambiguous experiences.

Understanding the Environmental Attitude-Behaviour Gap: The Moderating Role of Dispositional Mindfulness

Great scientific effort has been devoted to understanding what drives pro-environmental behaviour, yet the question of the environmental attitude–behaviour gap remains unanswered. Studies have indicated that self-regulation and executive functions may reduce such a gap by increasing individuals’ ability to maintain attention on present actions and to resist goal-conflicting temptations. Given the inherent association of self-regulation and executive functions with dispositional mindfulness, we carried out a cross-sectional study to test the hypothesis of the role of dispositional mindfulness in explaining the phenomenon. Our results showed that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, measured via the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), are related to a higher tendency to perform pro-environmental behaviour, and that the observing facet of the construct would predict higher pro-environmental behaviour scores. Interestingly, we also found the acting with awareness and nonjudging factors to be moderators of the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours, suggesting that enhanced awareness of the present moment may favour higher congruence between attitudes and behaviours, and that higher acceptance may favour more adaptive coping strategies to the climate challenge. Our findings provide a novel contribution to the understanding of the relationship between mindfulness and pro-environmental behaviour and support the perspective that self-regulation skills would contribute to reducing the environmental attitude–behaviour gap.

The association between dispositional mindfulness and empathy among undergraduate nursing students: A multicenter cross-sectional study

The aim of this study was to explore the role of gender, age, and academic year in shaping dispositional mindfulness (DM) and the association between DM facets and empathy dimensions in a sample of undergraduate nursing students. In a multicenter cross-sectional study design, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and socio-demographic questions were administrated to a convenience sample of Italian nursing students. 622 nursing students (82.2% female) participated in the study (response rate = 86.15%). Females had higher levels of Acting with Awareness (p < .001, d = .54) and lower levels of Non-reacting (p < .001, d = .52) facets of DM than males. Older students displayed higher scores on the Observing (r = .112, p = .005) and on the Non-reacting (r = .187, p < .001) FFMQ subscales than younger ones. No statistically significant differences in DM levels between the three academic years were found (ps > .202). After controlling for socio-demographic factors, DM facets were generally positively related to Perspective Taking (βs from .131 to .208, ps < .007) and Empathic Concern (βs from −.156 to .189, ps < .001), whereas negatively related to Personal Distress (βs from −.141 to −.261, ps < .001). Nursing students with higher levels of DM were more able to consider others’ cognitive perspective and to feel compassion, and were less emotionally distressed when facing tense interpersonal situations. Tailored mindfulness interventions might be useful to foster functional empathy within nursing undergraduate programs.

Whakapiki Wairua: Co-designing and implementing a Māori mindfulness mental health intervention in a wharekura

This paper explores the process of co-designing a mātauranga-Māori-informed mindfulness intervention with rangatahi in a wharekura and examines the effects on wellbeing. Mahitahi co-design methodology underpinned the design, implementation and evaluation of the intervention, and quantitative psychological tests measured improvements in wellbeing and dispositional mindfulness. Findings showed positive indications for a decrease in levels of psychological distress, improvements in Māori quality of life domains and higher levels of dispositional mindfulness. The effective mātauranga-Māori-informed wellbeing components of the intervention were he āhuru mōwai, mahi a ngā tīpuna, ngā kaitiaki, te taiao, whanaungatanga and hohou te rongo. Future application of the intervention in mainstream schools and communities is needed to assess the efficacy of the intervention for rangatahi in other environments, the sustainability of mindfulness practice for rangatahi and the long-term effects on wellbeing.

Mindfulness attenuates the impact of worry on late-life cognitive function

Objectives: Worry has been shown to have a negative impact on many aspects of neurocognitive performance. Interestingly, research indicates mindfulness both improves aspects of cognitive ability and reduces worry symptoms. Yet, the impact of mindfulness on the relationship between worry and cognition has yet to be explored. Based on research discussed herein, we hypothesize that those with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness will have better cognitive performance than those with lower levels of dispositional mindfulness, regardless of worry level. The present study investigated the potential moderating influence of mindfulness on the relationship between worry and cognitive performance. Methods: The sample included 113 older veterans who were screened at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in Palo Alto, CA. Cognitive domains of interest included learning and memory, processing speed, attention, working memory, and executive function. Mindfulness was assessed with the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and worry symptoms were assessed using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). Hypotheses were tested with multiple regression analyses using the Hayes (2003) PROCESS macro. Results: Contrary to what was hypothesized, only mindful awareness significantly moderated the relationship between worry and processing speed. Conclusion: This finding has important implications for introducing mindfulness techniques into older adults’ routines to decrease worry and mitigate its negative effects on processing speed.

Dispositional mindfulness and self-referential neural activity during the resting state

ABSTRACT Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to impact a broad range of outcomes including enhanced attention, memory, and self-regulation. Previously, mindfulness training has been negatively correlated with brain activity across the default mode network nodes following mindfulness-based practice. Currently, little research has been done to understand the neural basis of differences in mindfulness levels in untrained individuals. In this study, we explored the relationship between the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and fractional ALFF (fALFF) during the resting state and the level of dispositional mindfulness, which was measured by using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). The results showed that the total scores on the FFMQ were negatively correlated with the spontaneous activation of left premotor cortex. This indicates that individuals with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness might require less effort to control their irrelevant motor responses.

Associations from Parental Mindfulness and Emotion Regulation to Child Emotion Regulation Through Parenting: the Moderating Role of Coparenting in Chinese families

The roles of parental mindfulness and coparenting relationships in Eastern cultures have been relatively understudied. This study aimed to investigate the associations of parental mindfulness, emotion regulation, parenting quality, and coparenting quality with children’s emotion regulation and negativity in Chinese families. Data for a subsample of 2156 parents were drawn from a study with 2237 Chinese parents of school-age children aged 6 to 12 years. Parents completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale, the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale, the Brief Coparenting Relationship Scale, and the Emotion Regulation Checklist. Fewer parental emotional regulation difficulties and higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were linked to better parenting quality, which was, in turn, associated with better emotion regulation and lower negativity among children. The association between parenting quality and child negativity was stronger when coparenting quality was higher. This study highlights the roles of parental mindfulness and emotion regulation skills in children’s emotional development in Chinese culture through their associations with parenting practices.

Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Attentional Intervention on Threat-Related Perceptual Decision-Making.

Threat-related cues and contexts facilitate perceptual decision-making, yet it is unclear whether this threat-driven tuning of perceptual decision-making is modifiable by top-down attentional control. Since state and dispositional mindfulness are linked to improved attentional control, we examined whether these factors assist the use of prior knowledge to detect threatening stimuli. Participants were randomly assigned to a brief mindfulness-based intervention (N=32) or a physics lecture audio recording (N=31) and then asked to perform a task in which they used threatening and neutral cues to discriminate between threatening and neutral faces. Results showed that threatening cues led to faster and more sensitive perceptual decision-making, specifically for threatening faces. Furthermore, higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were associated with improved ability to use cues to discriminate between threatening and neutral stimuli in the group that underwent a brief mindfulness induction but not in the control group. Our findings highlight how top-down attention-related dispositions and strategies can influence our ability to detect threats in our environment.

Enhancement from being present: Dispositional mindfulness moderates the longitudinal relationship between perceived social support and posttraumatic growth in Chinese firefighters

BackgroundAmong impact factors of firefighters’ posttraumatic growth (PTG) investigated in previous research, perceived social support has been considered as a major protective one and has gained persuasive evidence for its positive association with PTG. However, little is known about the factors influencing the relationship between firefighters’ perceived social support and PTG. This study explored whether dispositional mindfulness moderates the longitudinal relationship between perceived social support and PTG. MethodsA total of 340 Chinese firefighters who have worked for at least one year reported their levels of perceived social support from within/outside their families (The Perceived Social Support Scale; PSSS) and dispositional mindfulness (Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale; MAAS) at baseline, and they reported their posttraumatic growth (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory; PTGI) at both baseline and 3-month follow-up. ResultsThe current study found that for individuals with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, their perceived social supports within family was positively associated with PTG, while for individuals with lower levels of dispositional mindfulness, there is no significant relationship between them. However, dispositional mindfulness did not moderate the relationship between social support from outside and PTG. LimitationGeneralizations of our findings to sufferers of other traumatic experiences or different age groups need to be done with caution. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that individuals with high levels of dispositional mindfulness are more likely to benefit from the attention and awareness on the present experiences with greater compassion and hence are more able to acquire positive resources, which leads to greater development of PTG.

Workplace Surface Acting and Employee Insomnia: A Moderated Mediation Model of Psychological Detachment and Dispositional Mindfulness

This study adopted a process-oriented approach to explore the mediating and moderating mechanisms surrounding the association between surface acting at work and sleep quality. Drawing on the stressor-detachment and transactional stress models, the current study proposed a moderated mediation model to examine whether surface acting would be associated indirectly with employee insomnia via lack of psychological detachment, and whether this indirect linkage is moderated by dispositional mindfulness. The study was conducted among 516 full-time employed hospital nurses in China over a one-year period. Results revealed that suppressed negative emotions, but not faked positive emotions, had a significant influence on employee insomnia over time, and lack of psychological detachment mediated the effect of suppressing negative emotions on insomnia. Tests of moderated mediation indicated that the mediated path was weaker for employees with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness. These findings advance our understanding of how and when surface acting negatively influences employee sleep, as well as point to implications for individual and organizational interventions.

Being beneficial to self and caregiver: the role of dispositional mindfulness among breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer (BC) patients report complex negative emotions, including symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). What's more, being diagnosed with cancer also has a negative impact on the patient's family such as additional financial burden and care needs, leading to higher levels of caregiver burden. This study aimed to explore whether dispositional mindfulness could alleviate multiple negative emotions of BC patients and to investigate the mediating effect of caregiver burden on the relationship between the patients' dispositional mindfulness and negative emotions. A sample of 230 Chinese BC patients receiving chemotherapy and their caregivers voluntarily participated in the study by completing a set of questionnaires including the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, the Caregiver Self-assessment Questionnaires, the General Anxiety Symptoms Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire, and the PTSD Symptom Scale. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationship between dispositional mindfulness, negative emotions, and caregiver burden. Dispositional mindfulness was significantly and negatively correlated with negative emotions, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD among the BC patients. Structural equation modeling showed that caregiver burden mediated the relation between patients' dispositional mindfulness and negative emotions. BC patients with higher levels of dispositional mindfulness showed less negative emotions. The results of the mediation analysis suggested that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness of breast cancer patients could decrease the caregivers' perceived burden and, in turn, relieve patients' negative emotions. Dispositional mindfulness was beneficial to breast cancer patients as well as their caregivers, indicating that mindfulness-based interventions targeting distress in patient-caregiver dyads would be more effective than what interventions for patients alone.

Escapism: suppression of self or its expansion?

Until recently, escapism was generally seen as a negative phenomenon, due to its common conceptualization as an escape from reality; however, with the new model a more positive approach, distinguishing between self-suppression and self-expansion, began. In our study, we looked into the mechanisms underlying both components of escapism, where a sample of 147 students individually chose their escapist activity. Building on the two-dimensional conceptualization of escapism, we assumed that self-suppression would be associated with higher levels of self-alienation, while escapism as self-expansion would be related to higher levels of dispositional mindfulness and indirectly to a tendency to achieve flow. Results confirmed that self-suppression escapism and self-alienation share a positive correlation, with later also being a significant predictor of self-suppression escapism. However, contrary to our prediction, self-expansion escapism is not associated with dispositional mindfulness, nor does it represent a significant moderator in the relationship between self-expansion and flow. This study has extended the current understanding of escapist activities' complex nature in relation to psychological factors. Moreover, we contributed to the currently still sparse knowledge of escapism, and shed light on its positive side, which certainly exists, since escapism can lead not only to suppression of self but also to its enrichment and expansion.

The association between dispositional mindfulness and glycemic control in type 1 diabetes during early adulthood: Differences by age and adverse childhood experiences.

The study objective was to determine whether higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were associated with lower HbA1c levels among young adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and whether this association differed by age or exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). An online cross-sectional survey, called T1 Flourish, was completed in 2017 by 423 of 743 (56.9%) young adults (19-31 years) with T1D receiving outpatient care at a diabetes specialty clinic in New York City. HbA1c levels were abstracted from medical records. Respondents were categorized by age, high and low dispositional mindfulness (median split on Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised), and exposure to any of 10 ACEs. Respondents had a mean (SD) HbA1c of 64 (18) mmol/mol [8.0 (1.7)%]; 59.3% were female and 69.4% were non-Hispanic white. The covariate-adjusted association between dispositional mindfulness and HbA1c differed by age group and ACEs. Among 27- to 31-year-olds, those with high mindfulness had HbA1c levels that were 8 mmol/mol [0.7%] lower (95% confidence interval, 2-13 mmol/mol [0.2-1.2%]) than those with low mindfulness, and this association tended to be stronger in those with ≥1 ACEs. Weaker, non-significant associations in the same direction occurred in 23- to 26-year-olds. Among 19- to 22-year-olds, those with high mindfulness and no ACEs tended to have higher HbA1c levels. In young adults with T1D, higher mindfulness was significantly associated with lower HbA1c only among 27- to 31-year-olds. In early adulthood, the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on glycemic control may vary by age and childhood trauma history.

Relationship Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Living Condition and the Well-Being of First-Year University Students in Japan.

The present study was conducted to examine how dispositional mindfulness and living conditions are related to well-being among first-year university students in Japan. Participants were 262 Japanese first-year students (156 females and 106 males; Mage = 18.77 years, SDage = 0.85). Dispositional mindfulness was measured using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and living condition was operationalized as living at home or living alone after having left their home. Hierarchical multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze whether the factors of living condition and dispositional mindfulness had predictive effects on well-being. The results showed that dispositional mindfulness positively correlated with well-being in first-year university students; however, living condition had no significant correlation. On the other hand, the interaction between living condition and dispositional mindfulness significantly correlated with well-being. Simple slope analysis revealed that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness had a protective effect in the relationship between living condition and well-being. These results suggest that an intervention to promote dispositional mindfulness could be effective in protecting the well-being of first-year university students, especially for those who have left their home and are living alone. Further research will be necessary to examine, longitudinally, how mental health changes depending on the level of dispositional mindfulness of first-year university students.

Dispositional Mindfulness, Perceived Stress, and Mental Well-Being in the Cancer Survivorship

The present study aims to investigate how dispositional mindfulness affects the mental well-being of cancer patients through the way they perceive stress. A total of 182 moderate and advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients volunteered to complete the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Results showed that perceived stress significantly mediated the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and all dimensions of the mental well-being as captured by the GHQ (i.e. anxiety/depression, social dysfunction, and loss of confidence), and perceived stress was positively correlated with all the dimensions of mental well-being. Results of the Structural Equation Model showed that the model fit the data very well (χ2/df = 1.72，RMSEA = 0.063 (95% CI = 0.014 ~ 0.103), CFI = 0.984, TLI = 0.970, SRMR=0.041). Further analyses showed that dispositional mindfulness predicted all the dimensions of psychological well-being. Specifically, higher levels of dispositional mindfulness predicted reduced subjective perceptions of stress, which in turn predicted lower levels of anxiety/depression, social impairment, and loss of confidence. This study indicated a possible mechanism of intervention focused on improving mindfulness capability. Future work is encouraged to investigate the long-term influence of dispositional mindfulness on perceived stress and psychological well-being in cancer patients with other types of cancer.

The association of fatigue with dispositional mindfulness: relationships by levels of depressive symptoms, sleep quality, childhood adversity, and chronic medical conditions

Although mindfulness-based interventions may be effective in addressing the common symptom of fatigue, no population-based studies have examined the relationship between mindfulness and fatigue. We determined whether higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were associated with lower levels of fatigue. Cross-sectional data were obtained through the Pennsylvania Head Start Staff Wellness Survey, a 2012 web-based survey in which 2199 of 3375 (65%) eligible staff participated. The analytic sample was restricted to the 2083 female respondents with complete data on dispositional mindfulness (Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised) and fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale). We determined the mean covariate-adjusted fatigue scores in each quartile of dispositional mindfulness. This relationship was examined in the overall sample and within subgroups defined by levels of four variables: depressive symptoms, poor sleep quality, childhood adversity, and chronic medical conditions. The sample was 86% non-Hispanic White, and 61% had a bachelor's or more advanced degree. The mean (SD) Fatigue Severity Scale score was 3.3 (1.3). The adjusted mean fatigue score decreased significantly and in a graded manner across higher quartiles of mindfulness, with the adjusted fatigue score 1.4 points lower (95% confidence interval: −1.5, −1.2) among those in the highest quartile of dispositional mindfulness compared to the lowest. This significant graded relationship was present within each subgroup examined, and there was not a statistically significant interaction between dispositional mindfulness and any subgroup variable. Future trials of mindfulness-based interventions should consider assessing the outcome of fatigue in both clinical and non-clinical populations.

Dispositional mindfulness, perceived social support, and academic motivation: Exploring differences between Dutch and American students

Multiple countries have examined dispositional mindfulness, perceived social support, and psychological well-being within their own populations. However, no cross-cultural comparisons of these constructs have been pursued. The present study aimed to address this gap by analyzing these variables across two countries. University students from the Netherlands and the midwestern United States completed a survey, which assessed their perceived social support, their mindfulness awareness, and their basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, relatedness, and competence). Results indicated that Dutch students endorsed higher levels of dispositional mindfulness and basic psychological needs than midwestern American students. A connection between mindfulness levels and perceived parental support appeared in both cultures. Limitations of this study and future research areas are discussed.

The neural mechanisms of mindfulness-based pain relief: a functional magnetic resonance imaging-based review and primer.

The advent of neuroimaging methodologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), has significantly advanced our understanding of the neurophysiological processes supporting a wide spectrum of mind–body approaches to treat pain. A promising self-regulatory practice, mindfulness meditation, reliably alleviates experimentally induced and clinical pain. Yet, the neural mechanisms supporting mindfulness-based pain relief remain poorly characterized. The present review delineates evidence from a spectrum of fMRI studies showing that the neural mechanisms supporting mindfulness-induced pain attenuation differ across varying levels of meditative experience. After brief mindfulness-based mental training (ie, less than 10 hours of practice), mindfulness-based pain relief is associated with higher order (orbitofrontal cortex and rostral anterior cingulate cortex) regulation of low-level nociceptive neural targets (thalamus and primary somatosensory cortex), suggesting an engagement of unique, reappraisal mechanisms. By contrast, mindfulness-based pain relief after extensive training (greater than 1000 hours of practice) is associated with deactivation of prefrontal and greater activation of somatosensory cortical regions, demonstrating an ability to reduce appraisals of arising sensory events. We also describe recent findings showing that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, in meditation-naïve individuals, are associated with lower pain and greater deactivation of the posterior cingulate cortex, a neural mechanism implicated in self-referential processes. A brief fMRI primer is presented describing appropriate steps and considerations to conduct studies combining mindfulness, pain, and fMRI. We postulate that the identification of the active analgesic neural substrates involved in mindfulness can be used to inform the development and optimization of behavioral therapies to specifically target pain, an important consideration for the ongoing opioid and chronic pain epidemic.

Coping, Mindfulness, Stress, and Burnout among Forensic Health Care Professionals

ABSTRACTAlthough working within forensic services can often prove emotionally challenging and stressful, there has been a surprising lack of research into potential interventions aimed at addressing stress and burnout experienced by forensic health care professionals (FHCPs). This study investigated the role of coping and dispositional mindfulness on stress and burnout among FHCPs employed within secure hospitals. One hundred and fifty-one FHCPs were recruited from five different low and medium secure hospitals (secure psychiatric units) in Wales. A postal research pack was used to collect background information and measures of coping, dispositional mindfulness, stress, and burnout. The study found that FHCPs reported elevated levels of stress and moderate levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization but retained a positive sense of personal accomplishment. Higher mindfulness skills were found to be significantly associated with lower levels of maladaptive coping, stress, and burnout. Higher levels of maladaptive coping significantly predicted elevated levels of stress and emotional exhaustion and lower levels of personal accomplishment. In relation to mindfulness, higher levels of acting with awareness significantly predicted lower levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. The results appeared to support the commonly held assertion that forensic services can be stressful and emotionally challenging working environments, which can cause FHCPs to experience elevated levels of burnout and stress. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness were significantly associated with lower maladaptive coping, stress, and burnout levels, therefore mindfulness based interventions could prove to be viable strategies to help support FHCPs. The results also suggested that higher levels of acting with awareness may help prevent FHCPs from experiencing emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.