Self-Focused Attention and Mechanisms of Change in Mindfulness-Based Treatment
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 2009 DOI: 10.1080/16506070902980703 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Rumination Psychotherapist Clinical psychology Cognition |
| Citations | 185 |
| Key findings | Increased mindfulness mediates improvement in psychological functioning by reducing rumination and emotional avoidance and improving behavioral self-regulation. |
Abstract
The empirical literature provides increasing support for the efficacy of mindfulness training in the treatment of numerous problems and disorders. However, fewer studies have examined the mechanisms through which these beneficial outcomes are obtained. This article summarizes recent research examining three primary questions related to the mechanisms underlying mindfulness-based treatments: do people who practice mindfulness learn to be more mindful of the experiences of daily life? Is an increased general tendency to be mindful related to reduced symptoms and increased well-being? If so, then what psychological processes account for the beneficial effects of increased mindfulness? Recent studies suggest that the practice of mindfulness develops the ability to observe and describe present-moment experiences nonjudgmentally and nonreactively and to participate with awareness in ongoing activity. Increased mindfulness, in turn, appears to mediate improvement in psychological functioning, probably by cultivating an adaptive form of self-focused attention that reduces rumination and emotional avoidance and improves behavioral self-regulation.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 34
- Characterization and prediction of acute and sustained response to psychedelic psilocybin in a mindfulness group retreat. Scientific Reports October 24, 2019
- A 12‐week integrative exercise program improves self‐reported mindfulness and interoceptive awareness in war veterans with posttraumatic stress symptoms Journal of Clinical Psychology October 27, 2017
- The Serenity of the Meditating Mind: A Cross-Cultural Psychometric Study on a Two-Factor Higher Order Structure of Mindfulness, Its Effects, and Mechanisms Related to Mental Health among Experienced Meditators PLoS One October 16, 2014
- Effect of Mindfulness Breathing Meditation on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: A Randomized Controlled Trial among University Students Healthcare December 22, 2022
- Testing the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention to reduce emotional distress in outpatients with diabetes (DiaMind): design of a randomized controlled trial BMC Public Health February 24, 2011
and 29 more in the library
Cites 7
- 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
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse Psychotherapy Research March 1, 2003
- Psychological Functioning in a Sample of Long-Term Practitioners of Mindfulness Meditation Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy August 1, 2009
- Relationships between mindfulness practice and levels of mindfulness, medical and psychological symptoms and well-being in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Journal of Behavioral Medicine February 2008
and 2 more in the library