The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Affective Symptoms: A Meta-analysis of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ)
Joseph K. Carpenter, Kristina Conroy, Angelina F Gómez, Laura C. Curren, S. Hofmann
Clinical Psychology Review November 11, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2019.101785 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractTrait mindfulness is linked to lower negative affective symptoms, with the facets Nonjudge and Act with Awareness showing the strongest negative correlations. A meta-analysis of 148 studies (44,075 participants) found a weighted mean correlation of r = −0.53 between overall trait mindfulness and affective symptoms. Nonjudge (r = −0.48) and Act with Awareness (r = −0.47) had the largest associations, followed by Nonreact (r = −0.33) and Describe (r = −0.29). Observe was not significantly correlated. Correlations did not differ significantly across anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptoms, though generalized anxiety showed a weaker link with Describe. Cultural differences emerged: Describe correlated more strongly with affective symptoms in Eastern samples, while Nonjudge did so in Western samples.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 44,075 |
| Population | Participants from 148 eligible studies |
| Keywords | Psychology Medicine |
| Key finding | Overall trait mindfulness shows a moderate negative correlation with affective symptoms (r = −0.53), with Nonjudge and Act with Awareness facets having the strongest associations. |
Abstract
Trait mindfulness appears to be related to lower levels of negative affective symptoms, but it remains uncertain which facets of mindfulness are most important in this relationship. Accordingly, the present meta-analysis examined studies reporting correlations between affective symptoms and trait mindfulness as assessed by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. A comprehensive search yielded 148 eligible studies, comprising 157 distinct samples and 44,075 participants. The weighted mean correlation for affective symptoms and overall trait mindfulness was r = −0.53. Among mindfulness facets, Nonjudge (r = −0.48) and Act with Awareness (r = −0.47) demonstrated the largest correlations, followed by Nonreact (r = −0.33) and Describe (r = −0.29). Observe was not significantly correlated with affective symptoms. No significant differences in the strength of correlations were found between anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, though symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder exhibited a weaker negative relationship with the Describe facet compared to PTSD symptoms. Describe also showed a stronger relationship with affective symptoms in Eastern samples compared to Western samples, whereas Western samples had a stronger relationship with Nonjudge. These results provide insight into the nature of the association between trait mindfulness and negative affect.