Individuals with panic disorder (PD) and high anxiety sensitivity (AS) may experience increased anxiety when practicing mindfulness. Analyzing data from 1,521 Japanese participants, the study revealed that heightened AS significantly influenced how individuals observed internal sensations, with higher AS linked to greater internal observation but lower external observation. PD also predicted mindfulness observation but was less impactful than AS. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring mindfulness interventions to address specific anxiety sensitivities, enhancing their effectiveness for those struggling with anxiety-related issues.
Trait mindfulness is linked to lower negative affective symptoms, with the facets Nonjudge and Act with Awareness showing the strongest negative correlations. A meta-analysis of 148 studies (44,075 participants) found a weighted mean correlation of r = −0.53 between overall trait mindfulness and affective symptoms. Nonjudge (r = −0.48) and Act with Awareness (r = −0.47) had the largest associations, followed by Nonreact (r = −0.33) and Describe (r = −0.29). Observe was not significantly correlated. Correlations did not differ significantly across anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptoms, though generalized anxiety showed a weaker link with Describe. Cultural differences emerged: Describe correlated more strongly with affective symptoms in Eastern samples, while Nonjudge did so in Western samples.