The relationship between anxiety and mindfulness: The role of mindfulness facets, implicit anxiety, and the problem of measuring anxiety by self-report
Mihael Cernetic
Psihologija 2016 DOI: 10.2298/psi1602169c (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | General population |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | A robust, moderate to high negative association exists between mindfulness and anxiety, with acceptance-related facets contributing strongly and awareness-related facets having a less clear role. |
Abstract
Although mindfulness interventions are increasingly used for coping with excessive anxiety, the relationship between mindfulness and anxiety is not yet clear. The study focused on this relationship. On a sample drawn from the general population, three mindfulness questionnaires were utilized. Anxiety was assessed by means of two self-report instruments as well as by two implicit anxiety measures. The latter were included because of the possibility that mindfulness might correlate with measurement error in measuring anxiety by self-report, which would cause biased results. A robust, moderate to high negative association was established between mindfulness and anxiety. Mindfulness facets related to acceptance contributed strongly to this relationship, while the role of awareness-related facets of mindfulness appeared to be less clear, seemingly contradictory and possibly two-fold. The study also suggested that level of mindfulness might indeed represent a confounding variable in self-report assessment of anxiety and probably of other constructs as well.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| Patterning of Cognitive and Somatic Processes in the Self-Regulation of Anxiety: Effects of Meditation versus Exercise Regular practitioners of physical exercise or meditation | 1978 | Retrospective study | n = 77 |
| Dynamic coupling of whole-brain neuronal and neurotransmitter systems Healthy humans | 2020 | Observational study | |
| Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study Randomly selected United States adults | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 135,095 |
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- 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
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Mapping mindfulness facets onto dimensions of anxiety and depression. Behavior Therapy February 26, 2013
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for patients with anxiety disorders: evaluation in a randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy January 27, 2011
and 4 more in the library