Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators
Ruth A. Baer, Emily L. B. Lykins, Jessica R. Peters
The Journal of Positive Psychology April 11, 2012 DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2012.674548 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 152 |
| Population | Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Self-compassion Clinical psychology Mindfulness meditation Well-being Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 391 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness and self-compassion together fully account for the relationship between meditation experience and psychological wellbeing. |
Abstract
Mindfulness training has well-documented effects on psychological health. Recent findings suggest that increases in both mindfulness and self-compassion may mediate these outcomes; however, their separate and combined effects are rarely examined in the same participants. This study investigated cross-sectional relationships between self-reported mindfulness, self-compassion, meditation experience, and psychological wellbeing in 77 experienced meditators and 75 demographically matched nonmeditators. Most mindfulness and self-compassion scores were significantly correlated with meditation experience and psychological wellbeing. Mindfulness and self-compassion accounted for significant independent variance in wellbeing. A significant relationship between meditation experience and wellbeing was completely accounted for by a combination of mindfulness and self-compassion scores. Findings suggest that both mindfulness and self-compassion skills may play important roles in the improved wellbeing associated with mindfulness training; however, longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational | |
| Impact of meditation training on the default mode network during a restful state 13 experienced meditators (over 1000 h of training) and 11 beginner meditators (no... | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 24 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 71
- Effects of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Self-Compassion and Psychological Health Among Young Adults With a History of Childhood Maltreatment Frontiers in Psychology October 23, 2019
- Dose-response Relationship of Reported Lifetime Meditation Practice with Mental Health and Wellbeing: a Cross-sectional Study. Mindfulness 2022
- The Role of Mindfulness and Self Compassion toward Depression among Pregnant Women International Journal of Public Health Science September 2, 2018
- The Effects of an Online Yoga Nidra Meditation on Subjective Well-Being and Diurnal Salivary Cortisol: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Stress and Health June 1, 2025
- Dispositional mindfulness and mental health among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 lockdown: The mediating role of self-compassion and the moderating role of gender Frontiers in Psychology January 11, 2023
and 66 more in the library
Cites 15
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005
and 10 more in the library