Mindfulness interventions improve momentary and trait measures of attentional control: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial.
Brian Chin, Emily K. Lindsay, Carol M. Greco, Kirk Warren Brown, Joshua M. Smyth, Aidan G.C. Wright, J. David Creswell
Journal of Experimental Psychology General September 24, 2020 DOI: 10.1037/xge0000969 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Attentional control Psychological intervention Randomized controlled trial Mind-wandering Intervention counseling Clinical psychology Cognitive psychology Developmental psychology Cognition |
| Citations | 49 |
| Key findings | Both monitor-and-accept and monitor-only mindfulness training improved momentary and trait attentional control relative to no treatment, but not sustained-attention task performance. |
Abstract
Mindfulness interventions have been shown to improve several subcomponents of attention; however, the psychological mechanisms driving these improvements are unknown. Mindfulness interventions train individuals to monitor present moment experiences while adopting an attitude of acceptance toward these experiences. We conducted a theoretically driven randomized controlled trial to test the putative mechanisms of mindfulness training that drive improvements in attentional control. Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) monitor and accept (MA) training, a standard 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention that included cultivation of both monitoring and acceptance skills; (b) monitor only (MO) training, a well-matched modified 8-week MBSR-adapted intervention that focused on monitoring skills only; or (c) no treatment (NT) control. Momentary attentional control was measured via ecological momentary assessment for 3 days at baseline and postintervention. Trait attentional control was assessed at baseline and postintervention using traditional self-report. Participants also completed a dichotic listening task to assess sustained attention at baseline and postintervention. We found that MA and MO participants improved in momentary and trait attentional control (but not attention task performance) relative to NT participants. Analyses of indirect effects were consistent with the possibility that increased momentary attentional control partially accounts for MA/MO intervention-related increases in trait attentional control. This randomized controlled trial provides one of the first experimental tests of the mechanisms of mindfulness interventions that drive improvements in attention outcomes. These findings support the notion that present-focused monitoring skills training drives mindfulness intervention-related improvements in momentary attentional control, which in turn fosters greater trait attentional control. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- Mindfulness training reduces slippery slope effects in moral decision-making and moral judgment Scientific Reports February 20, 2023
- Be more mindful: Targeting addictive responses by integrating mindfulness with cognitive bias modification or cue exposure interventions Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews September 25, 2023
- The Role of Attentional Control in Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Longitudinal Mediation Analyses. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 2024
- Implementation and Feasibility of a Group Mindfulness Intervention for Undergraduate Engineering Students 2023
- Effects of Dispositional Mindfulness and Mindfulness-Based Interventions on the Psychosocial Consequences of Burn Injuries: A Systematic Review. European Burn Journal May 15, 2025
and 9 more in the library
Cites 19
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 11, 2012
- Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence Journal of Neuroscience October 21, 2009
and 14 more in the library