Mindfulness, psychological flexibility and their relationship with psychopathology in persons with schizophrenia-spectrum-disorders and healthy controls - A multicenter cross-sectional study.
Kerem Böge, David J Hallford, Matthias Pillny
Psychiatry Research December 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115591 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Cross-sectional Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 86 |
| Population | Persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and healthy controls |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychopathology Schizophrenia spectrum disorders |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness and psychological flexibility are lower in SSD and are associated with reduced depressive and negative symptoms and increased anticipatory pleasure and behavioral activation. |
Abstract
The precise nature of the relationship between mindfulness, psychological flexibility (PF) and psychopathology in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) remains largely unclear and warrants further investigation. We recruited 43 persons with SSD and 43 controls. Our findings revealed that SSD showed lower mindfulness and PF than controls. Mindfulness was associated with higher PS, anticipatory pleasure, behavioral activation, and lower depressive and negative symptoms. PS was associated with lower depressive and negative symptoms and higher anticipatory pleasure and behavioral activation. The outcomes imply that targeting mindfulness and PF may prove beneficial in alleviating the amotivational psychopathology exhibited in SSD.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- The relationship between mindfulness, psychological flexibility, and symptom severity in persons with schizophrenia-spectrum-disorders: a cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports June 4, 2025
- Validation of the cognitive fusion questionnaire in regular meditators and persons with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Frontiers in Psychology 2026
- The key role of cognitive fusion linking mindfulness and personality: a cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports September 23, 2025
Cites 4
- Dispositional Mindfulness and Psychotic Symptoms in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: The Mediating Roles of Rumination and Negative Emotion Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2022
- Trait Mindfulness in Psychotic Disorders: Dimensions Predicting Symptoms, Cognition, and Functional Outcome. Behavior Therapy 2024
- The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in Individuals With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Frontiers in Psychology September 3, 2021
- Mindfulness-based group therapy for in-patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders - Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a rater-blinded randomized controlled trial. Schizophrenia Research January 9, 2021