Beyond Mindfulness Assessed by Questionnaires: The Mindful-Breathing Exercise as an Additional Approach in PTSD and Depression

Abstract Objectives Despite various methodological concerns, previous studies mainly use questionnaires to assess mindfulness. Following a multi-measurement approach, the present study aimed to evaluate the added value of an experience-sampling measure in the context of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

Method: Data were collected in a PTSD group, depression group, and control group (each n = 33). The Mindful-Breathing Exercise (MBE) was used as an experience-sampling method and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) as a mindfulness questionnaire. Clinical variables included PTSD and depressive symptoms.

Results: Scores from the MBE and the FFMQ were positively correlated in the control group (r = 0.48) and the depression group (r = 0.28), while a non-significant correlation emerged for the PTSD group. On the level of FFMQ facets, results were heterogeneous among the three groups. The MBE predicted hyperarousal (β = − 0.41) and intrusions (β = − 0.32) in the PTSD group, whereas the FFMQ predicted depressive symptoms in the depression group (β = − 0.41) and the control group (β = − 0.65). Compared to the control group, the PTSD group (d = 1.88) and the depression group (d = 1.67) demonstrated lower FFMQ scores. In terms of the MBE, there was a trend towards higher scores in the control group than either clinical group.

Conclusions: Findings hint at conceptual overlaps and distinctive features of both measurement approaches. With respect to the clinical context, results suggest an added value of the MBE to questionnaire-based assessments of mindfulness with respect to its predictive value for hyperarousal and intrusions. Preregistration This study is not pre-registered.