Mindfulness has attracted considerable interest as a way to reduce cognitive vulnerability to stress and emotional distress, but it has not been defined operationally. Recent consensus meetings produced a two-component model of mindfulness, specifying each component in terms of specific behaviors, experiential manifestations, and psychological processes. The paper addresses temporal stability and situational specificity, speculates on the conceptual and operational distinctiveness of mindfulness, and discusses implications for instrument development and measurement.
A new self-report questionnaire, the Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS), measures the state of mindfulness. In two studies, the scale showed good internal consistency and two factors: Curiosity and Decentering. TMS scores increased with more mindfulness meditation experience. In a second study, participants in an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program showed increased TMS scores after treatment, and Decentering scores predicted improvements in clinical outcomes. The TMS is a promising measure with good psychometric properties and predictive validity for treatment outcome.
Healthy adults who completed an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course reported greater improvements in emotional well-being and mindfulness compared to a wait-list control group, but showed no improvements in attentional control. Improvements in mindfulness after MBSR were correlated with better detection of objects in visual scenes, suggesting a link between mindfulness and non-directed attention.
White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are common in older adults and linked to cognitive decline, stroke, and dementia. Vascular risk factors (VRFs) such as high blood pressure contribute to WMH, but their effect on gray matter function is unclear. In 29 participants with suspected WMH, those with more VRFs showed lower cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in the default-mode network (DMN), measured using a dual-regression analysis of BOLD imaging during hypercapnia. CVR in the DMN also correlated with resting-state coactivation. No differences were found in sensory-motor or medial-visual networks. The findings suggest that multiple VRFs may impair blood flow regulation in key brain networks.