Being Mindfully Present in the Moment: Influences on Psychological Functioning
January 1, 2012 Denise M. Kirby
Trait mindfulness—an inherent human capacity to attend to present-moment experiences with curiosity and non-judgment—varies between individuals and is linked to psychological health. A series of three studies examined how trait mindfulness is measured and how it relates to well-being. The first study found that a two-factor model (Nonjudging Awareness and Describing) better fit the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire than the original five factors, with Nonjudging Awareness most strongly predicting positive outcomes (happiness, life satisfaction, adaptive coping) and protecting against negative ones (depression, anxiety, maladaptive coping).