Associations between self-reported mindfulness,driving anger and aggressive driving

Anger and aggression on the roads is associated with how drivers evaluate the driving situation and the behaviour of other drivers. Consequently, both can be exacerbated when these evaluations are made superficially and/or when drivers have pre-existing negative schemas regarding certain types of road situations or users. Mindfulness is likely to have negative associations with anger and aggression because it promotes opposing appraisals. That is, it encourages emotion-regulation and involves acceptance of, but not reaction to, the current situation. To examine these associations, a total of 309 drivers responded to an online questionnaire assessing mindfulness, driving anger and aggressive driving. The results showed that mindfulness shared negative relationships with driving anger and self-reported aggressive driving. However, when these relationships were examined simultaneously using Structural Equation Modelling, mindfulness was found to relate only to anger and this, in turn, predicted aggressive driving. Further analysis showed that driving anger mediates the relationship between mindfulness and aggressive driving. These results suggest that mindfulness training may provide a promising intervention for drivers prone to driving anger and subsequent aggression.     

Do deficits in mindfulness underlie borderline personality features and core difficulties?

The current study investigated whether deficits in mindfulness (the awareness, attention, and acceptance of the present moment) can account for variability in borderline personality (BPD) features and characteristic difficulties in emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and impulsivity. Structural equation modeling and hierarchical regressions were utilized to examine the associations of trait mindfulness with BPD features, interpersonal problem-solving, impulsive and passive emotion-regulation strategies, and neuroticism in a sample of young adults (N = 342). As hypothesized, mindfulness was related inversely to BPD features and core areas of difficulty, and these associations continued even when controlling for neuroticism. Additionally, mindfulness deficits continued to predict borderline features even when interpersonal effectiveness, passive and impulsive emotion-regulation, and neuroticism were controlled. It is concluded that deficits in mindfulness may be integral to BPD features. Difficulties with attention, awareness, and acceptance of internal and external experience appear to explain borderline pathology even when controlling for problems with negative affectivity, behavioral dyscontrol, and emotional and interpersonal dysfunction--which have been described as definitional of this disorder. Thus, attention to mindfulness deficits may enhance clinical formulation of BPD symptomatology, as well as provide a vital component of effective BPD treatment.     

Individual differences in attachment and dispositional mindfulness: The mediating role of emotion regulation

Recent interest in the relationship between individual differences in attachment and dispositional mindfulness has led to empirical investigations into this association. Although several studies have demonstrated an association between attachment and mindfulness, little is known as to why these two seemingly distinct constructs are related. In a sample of 572 individuals we explored whether the relationship between attachment and mindfulness was mediated by emotion regulation difficulties. Difficulties in emotion regulation fully mediated the association between attachment anxiety and mindfulness, and between attachment avoidance and mindfulness. Thus, the mechanism by which attachment and mindfulness are related is through emotion regulation difficulties. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.     

Mindfulness as a way to cope with COVID‐19‐related stress and anxiety

COVID‐19 brought significant challenges to college students in Spring 2020. Mindfulness‐based interventions might help students cope with COVID‐19‐related stressors in at least three ways: by cultivating attention that is self‐directed rather than reactive to a rapidly changing situation; by teaching the acceptance and regulation of negative thoughts and feelings; and by encouraging individuals to view adverse events non‐judgementally and as opportunities for growth. The purpose of our study was to determine whether Koru Mindfulness (KM), a four‐week, mindfulness‐based group therapy designed for emerging adults, could help students cope with COVID‐19‐related stress and anxiety. Students were assigned to either KM or waitlist at the beginning of the 2020 Spring semester. Assessment of students’ functioning occurred at baseline before the onset of COVID‐19, mid‐semester at the height of the COVID‐19 crisis on campus, and the end of the semester after students had returned home and transitioned to remote learning. After treatment, KM participants reported greater mindfulness and self‐compassion and less stress, anxiety and sleep problems than controls. KM participants also showed superior functioning on performance‐based measures of attention. Most gains were maintained over time. Increased mindfulness mediated the relationship between KM and reductions in stress and anxiety. KM can help students cope with academic and COVID‐19‐related stressors by improving mindfulness.     

The relationship between greater mindfulness and less subjective experience of chronic pain: Mediating functions of pain management self‐efficacy and emotional intelligence

Previous research shows a connection between greater mindfulness and less subjective experience of pain. The present study examined whether pain management self‐efficacy and emotional intelligence mediate this relationship in individuals experiencing chronic pain. Two hundred participants experiencing chronic pain completed measures of mindfulness, experience of pain, pain management self‐efficacy, and emotional intelligence. Greater mindfulness was associated with less subjective experience of pain, greater pain management self‐efficacy, and more emotional intelligence. More pain management self‐efficacy and higher emotional intelligence were associated with less subjective experience of pain. Emotional intelligence and pain management self‐efficacy significantly mediated the relationship between mindfulness and pain. The connection between greater mindfulness and less subjective experience of pain may be due to mindfulness providing a foundation for emotional functioning and behavioural regulation that result in reductions in the experience of pain.     

Can Acceptance,Mindfulness, and Self-Compassion Be Learned by Smartphone Apps? A Systematic and Meta-Analytic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

The potential health benefits of acceptance, mindfulness, and self-compassion are well-documented. However, interventions that teach these principles typically rely on face-to-face delivery, which can limit their dissemination. Delivering these interventions through smartphone apps could help overcome this. This meta-analysis examined whether principles of acceptance, mindfulness, and self-compassion can be learned through smartphone apps. Twenty-seven randomized controlled trials were included. Smartphone apps that included acceptance and/or mindfulness components resulted in significantly higher levels of acceptance/mindfulness than comparison conditions (k = 33; g = 0.29; 95% CI = 0.17, 0.41). These effects were moderated by the type of comparison and whether reminders to engage were offered. Smartphone apps also resulted in significantly lower levels of psychological distress than comparisons (k = 22; g = −0.32; 95% CI = −0.48, −0.16). Meta-regression revealed a negative relationship between the effect sizes for mindfulness/acceptance and the effect sizes for distress. Smartphone apps produced significantly greater increases in self-compassion than comparisons (k = 9; g = 0.31; 95% CI = 0.07, 0.56), although the quality of RCTs in this analysis was poor. Findings suggest that principles of acceptance, mindfulness, and self-compassion may be learned through cheap, easily accessible, and low-intensity interventions delivered via smartphone apps. However, the quality of available evidence is poor, as low risk of bias was noted in few trials (18%) and the observed effects were likely explained by a digital placebo.     

特质正念与控制点调节日常生活中知觉压力对消极情绪的影响

考察日常生活中知觉压力对消极情绪的动态影响,检验特质正念的调节作用,并进一步探索正念的调节作用是否在不同控制点的个体中存在差异。共有95名在校大学生完成正念注意觉知量表（MAAS）,罗特控制点量表（LOCS）,并通过动态评估的方式,完成每天2次,持续14天的在日常生活情境中针对知觉压力和消极情绪的密集型追踪测量。多层线性模型结果表明：（1）在个体内水平,个体某一时刻的知觉压力可以显著预测个体下一时刻的消极情绪;（2）个体的正念水平越高,日常生活中知觉压力对消极情绪的预测力越低;（3）个体越倾向于内控,日常生活中知觉压力对消极情绪的预测力越低;（4）个体越倾向于外控,正念对日常生活中知觉压力影响消极情绪的调节作用越强。本研究验证了正念对日常生活中压力反应的保护作用,并提示外控者在面临压力时更有可能从正念中获益。     

正念在缓解社会排斥中的作用

从三个角度(被排斥者, 排斥者和旁观者)三个时间点(排斥发生前中后)出发, 正念是否、何时以及如何在社会排斥情境中发挥作用这一系列问题被详细论述, 并概述为一个正念和排斥相关的模型。该模型表明, 排斥发生前, 正念能够缓解被排斥者的拒绝敏感性; 减少排斥者的排斥行为; 排斥发生后, 正念能够缓解被排斥者的痛苦, 有助于旁观者的助人行为; 排斥发生时, 正念可能促进良好沟通, 减少排斥恶化的可能性。未来研究可以针对正念在社会排斥中效益发生的机制以及边界条件方面进行深入的探讨。     

Morally based self-esteem, drinking motives, and alcohol use among college students.

This research examined the relationship of morally based self-esteem with drinking motives and alcohol consumption among college students. Basing self-esteem on morals was expected to be negatively associated with drinking behavior. We further expected this relationship to be mediated by drinking motives. Participants (N = 201; 45% male, 55% female) completed self-report measures of contingencies of self-worth, drinking motives, and drinking behavior. Previous research was supported in that college students whose self-esteem was more strongly contingent upon following personal morals consumed less alcohol. The current research extended these findings by showing that this relationship was mediated by drinking motives. Results suggest that it may be useful to better incorporate personal values into interventions for college students. The implementation of personal values in combination with brief treatments is discussed.     

Teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children in Head Start classrooms

The quality of teachers' relationships with children is a key predictor of children's later social emotional competence and academic achievement. Interventions to increase mindfulness among teachers have focused primarily on the impacts on teachers' subjective well-being, but not on the quality of their relationships with children. Furthermore, none of these interventions have involved preschool teachers. To consider the potential of mindfulness-based interventions to improve the quality of teachers' relationships with preschool-aged children, we examined data from an online survey of 1001 classroom teachers in 37 Pennsylvania Head Start Programs. Using path analysis we investigated the association between teachers' dispositional mindfulness and the quality of their relationships with children (conflict and closeness). We further examined whether this association was mediated by teacher depressive symptoms and moderated by perceived workplace stress. Higher levels of dispositional mindfulness among teachers were associated with higher quality relationships with children (less conflict and greater closeness). The association between greater dispositional mindfulness and less conflict was partially mediated by lower depressive symptoms, and the conditional direct effect of mindfulness on conflict was stronger when perceived workplace stress was lower. These findings suggest that preschool teachers who have higher levels of dispositional mindfulness may experience higher quality relationships with children in their classrooms. Interventions to increase levels of dispositional mindfulness among early childhood educators may improve their well-being along with the quality of their relationships with children, potentially impacting children's educational outcomes. The potential impacts of such interventions may be even stronger if structural and systemic changes are also made to reduce workplace stress.     

Hedonic and instrumental motives in anger regulation

What motivates individuals to regulate their emotions? One answer, which has been highlighted in emotion-regulation research, is that individuals are motivated by short-term hedonic goals (e.g., the motivation to feel pleasure). Another answer, however, is that individuals are motivated by instrumental goals (e.g., the motivation to perform certain behaviors). We suggest that both answers have merit. To demonstrate the role instrumental goals may play in emotion regulation, we pitted short-term hedonic motives and instrumental motives against each other, by testing whether individuals were motivated to experience a potentially useful, albeit unpleasant, emotion. We found that (a) individuals preferred activities that would increase their level of anger (but not their level of excitement) when they were anticipating confrontational, but not nonconfrontational, tasks and that (b) anger improved performance in a confrontational, but not a nonconfrontational, task. These findings support a functional view of emotion regulation, and demonstrate that in certain contexts, individuals may choose to experience emotions that are instrumental, despite short-term hedonic costs.     

Effects of a yoga-based intervention for young adults on quality of life and perceived stress: The potential mediating roles of mindfulness and self-compassion

The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of a yoga-based program on quality of life, perceived stress, mindfulness, and self-compassion in young adults. These variables were measured in 33 self-selected participants of a four-month residential yoga intervention before and after the program. Forty-three demographically matched controls completed the same questionnaires at two time points with a four-month interval inbetween. Participation in the program predicted increases in quality of life and decreases in perceived stress, mediated by mindfulness and self-compassion. Multiple mediator models revealed that the effect of group on quality of life was simultaneously mediated by mindfulness and self-compassion, while the effect of group on perceived stress was only mediated by self-compassion. These positive effects on perceived stress and quality of life suggest that yoga-based interventions may be of value in cultivating subjective well-being in young adults. Furthermore, yoga-based and mindfulness-based interventions may share underlying mechanisms.     

Relational Aspects of Mindfulness: Implications for the Practice of Marriage and Family Therapy

Research has demonstrated the benefits of mindfulness interventions with individuals, including connections to increased life satisfaction, and positive affect. Mindfulness has effectively treated anxiety, borderline personality disorder, depression, chronic pain, and addiction. Recent studies show the positive effects of mindfulness on relationship satisfaction, empathy development, and skillful communication. We explore the potential benefits for integrating mindfulness, defined as nonjudgmental awareness, into the practice of marriage and family therapy. We argue that mindfulness may be useful with couples and families to improve communication, emotional regulation, empathy, and relationship well-being. Finally, we discuss practical ways of applying mindfulness in family therapy.     

The impact of self-control and texting-related accidents on the relationship between mindfulness and mobile texting while driving behavior

Distracted driving behavior often occurs when drivers mindlessly send or receive text messages with their mobile devices. It is imperative to understand the relationship between mindfulness and texting while driving behavior because distracted driving behavior has led to a reported increase in texting related accidents and mortalities. Based on this report, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between mindfulness, self-control, frequency of texting-related accidents, near-miss accidents, and texting while driving behavior. Using a total of 609 adults with an average age of 34.11 (SD = 12.21), results showed that observe, aware, and describe were related to texting while driving. Additionally, we found evidence that self-control partially mediated the relationship between mindfulness and texting while driving. Results also showed that near-miss texting while driving accidents moderated the relationship between mindfulness and texting behavior while driving. The observed inverse relationship between mindfulness and texting while driving can increase researchers’ understanding of self-control’s role in vehicular accidents triggered by texting. Implications and limitations are offered, along with suggestions for future research.     

How can mindfulness be promoted? Workload and recovery experiences as antecedents of daily fluctuations in mindfulness

While previous work on mindfulness has focused predominantly on the benefits of mindfulness and of mindfulness interventions, the present article addresses the question of how natural experiences of mindfulness can be promoted in the context of work. Accordingly, this article sheds light on day‐to‐day fluctuations in workload and recovery experiences (psychological detachment and sleep quality) as antecedents of state mindfulness. Furthermore, this study extends extant research that has documented beneficial effects of mindfulness on subsequent recovery experiences by arguing that the relationship between mindfulness and recovery experiences is reciprocal rather than unidirectional. Using an experience‐sampling design across five workdays and involving three daily measurement occasions, we found that sleep quality and workload were related to subsequent levels of mindfulness. While not displaying a significant direct relationship with mindfulness, psychological detachment was indirectly related to mindfulness via sleep quality. Fatigue was identified as an important mechanism explaining these relationships. Furthermore, findings confirmed that the relationship between mindfulness and recovery experiences is reciprocal rather than unidirectional. Taken together, this study contributes to an enriched understanding of the role of mindfulness in organizations by shedding light on factors that precede the experience of mindfulness and by pointing to the existence of gain spirals associated with recovery experiences and mindfulness.

Practitioner points

• Organizations seeking to promote mindfulness among their workforce should try to keep workload to a manageable degree.
• Organizations may also pay attention to care for employees' day‐to‐day recovery as it has been shown to facilitate mindfulness.

     

The potential mediating role of anxiety sensitivity in the impact of mindfulness training on anxiety and depression severity and impairment: A randomized controlled trial

The benefits of mindfulness-based interventions to alleviate anxiety and depression have been supported by many studies. Given the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on anxiety and depression, the underlying mechanisms need to be explored. Using a randomized waitlist-controlled design, this study investigated whether anxiety sensitivity was a potential mechanism for the impact of mindfulness training on anxiety and depression. Participants with high psychological distress were randomly assigned to an eight-week mindfulness intervention (N = 35) or a wait-list control group (N = 34). Before and after the intervention or corresponding waitlist period, participants completed measures of anxiety and depression severity and impairment and anxiety sensitivity. Separate mixed ANOVA demonstrated significant group (intervention vs. control group) × time (pre- vs. post-test) interactions for anxiety sensitivity and overall anxiety severity and impairment and marginally significant interaction for overall depression severity and impairment. Moreover, simple mediation models showed that reductions of anxiety sensitivity from pre- to post-test mediated the impact of mindfulness training on changes in anxiety and depression severity and impairment. The findings suggest that anxiety sensitivity is a potential mechanism underlying the effect of mindfulness training on anxiety and depression, which provides a new perspective for the study of processes of change of mindfulness-based interventions.     

Keep calm,pay attention,and carry on: Anxiety and consciousness mediate the effect of,mindfulness on driving performance in young drivers

Road traffic crashes are currently one of the main causes of deaths in the world and many efforts have been made to develop effective interventions to reduce them. Mindfulness has risen as a method for improving mental and physical well-being and has been hypothesized as potentially beneficial for driving performance. This has led to some commercial ventures based on such hypothesis, despite that the empirical evidence backing up them is still limited. Besides, at the moment there is not yet a clear account of the specific mechanism underlying this proposals. So, it seems plausible that the relationship between mindfulness and driving performance is indirect, and that personality traits such as conscientiousness and neuroticism may play a mediation role between mindfulness and driving performance. A sample of 98 drivers between the ages of 19 and 29 completed questionnaires assessing mindfulness, anxiety trait and anxiety state, and the big five personality traits. Driving performance was assessed in a driving simulator. A mediation model was fitted with conscientiousness and neuroticism set as mediators of the effects of the relationship between the subject’s mindfulness levels and the driving performance.     

Does Being Mindful of Your Character Strengths Enhance Psychological Wellbeing? A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis

Mindfulness and character strengths significantly contribute to psychological wellbeing in various contexts. Empirical studies further imply that mindfulness-based interventions can cultivate a wide range of strengths, which in turn facilitate the wellbeing of individuals. However, no study has examined this hypothesis. The current study underpins this argument with empirical pieces of evidence from cross-sectional (Study 1) and longitudinal (Study 2) data by investigating the relationship between character strengths, mindfulness, and psychological wellbeing among community (n = 375) and undergraduate populations (n = 229). Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Brief Strengths Scale, and Flourishing Scale were administrated. As hypothesized, the results of the cross-sectional investigation confirm that mindfulness and character strengths are conceptually related constructs with significant contributions to psychological wellbeing. Temperance Strength and Interpersonal Strength further mediate the relationship between Observing facet of mindfulness and Flourishing. Furthermore, investigating the relationship among mindfulness, strengths, and psychological wellbeing using Longitudinal Mediation Modeling reveals a clear picture. After the baseline of the outcomes is controlled, the 6-month longitudinal study indicates that the past level of Observing facet of mindfulness can predict the present level of Temperance Strength, which in turn predicts future Flourishing. These results highlight the importance of Observing facet in mindfulness and Temperance Strength, which provide another possible explanation on how and why mindfulness can affect psychological wellbeing among general populations. Future Strength-based Mindfulness Intervention Programs can be developed based on these findings.     

What outcomes have mindfulness and meditation interventions for managers and leaders achieved? A systematic review

No systematic review had previously been conducted examining the benefits mindfulness or meditation interventions for leaders and managers. However, the literature suggested that such interventions would have a positive impact on leaders’ own well-being, their leadership capability, their “post-conventional” leadership capacity, and their direct reports. The purpose of this study was therefore to systematically review research on mindfulness or meditation interventions for managers and leaders. Our review identified 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicate some encouraging signs that mindfulness and meditation interventions may improve aspects of leaders’/managers’ well-being and resilience, and leadership capability, possibly including their “post-conventional” leadership, but research results are very variable in quality and strength, and there was no evidence on benefits for participants’ direct reports. The studies reviewed explored a diversity of interventions, but provided little insight into which mindfulness and meditation interventions for managers and leaders are most effective, in what context they are best applied, or for whom they are most suitable. While the sub-set of studies that measured mindfulness found that the interventions used did increase participants’ mindfulness, there was no exploration of whether improved mindfulness was the mechanism by which other positive outcomes were achieved.     

Emotion regulation through listening to music in everyday situations

Music is a stimulus capable of triggering an array of basic and complex emotions. We investigated whether and how individuals employ music to induce specific emotional states in everyday situations for the purpose of emotion regulation. Furthermore, we wanted to examine whether specific emotion-regulation styles influence music selection in specific situations. Participants indicated how likely it would be that they would want to listen to various pieces of music (which are known to elicit specific emotions) in various emotional situations. Data analyses by means of non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed a clear preference for pieces of music that were emotionally congruent with an emotional situation. In addition, we found that specific emotion-regulation styles might influence the selection of pieces of music characterised by specific emotions. Our findings demonstrate emotion-congruent music selection and highlight the important role of specific emotion-regulation styles in the selection of music in everyday situations.