Development of a Coding Scheme for Interpersonal Mindfulness in Couple Dyads: Ratings of Observed Mindful Partnering.
Journal of Marital and Family Therapy July 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1111/jmft.70145 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Measures | Ratings of Observed Mindful Partnering (ROMP) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The authors propose an improved conceptualization of "mindful partnering" and an observational coding scheme, the ROMP, for measuring interpersonal mindfulness in romantic relationships. The ROMP showed strong interrater reliability at the level of suggested analysis, and initial tests indicated convergent validity, which the authors say supports the idea that interpersonal mindfulness is observable. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT: Mindfulness has well‐documented benefits for mental, physical, and relational health. However, research about the role of mindfulness in health has scarcely explored interpersonal mindfulness , a distinct type of mindfulness expressed externally and relationally in interpersonal interactions. Mindfulness is known to be beneficial in romantic relationships but has been underexplored to date. A new interpersonal mindfulness construct known as “mindful partnering” (MP) presents a comprehensive application of interpersonal mindfulness to romantic relationships. This study advances research on MP by providing an improved conceptualization of the construct and an observational coding scheme, the Ratings of Observed Mindful Partnering (ROMP) system. Results showed that the ROMP has strong interrater reliability at the level of suggested analysis, supporting the idea that interpersonal mindfulness is observable, and initial tests of validity indicated convergent validity of this measurement tool for the MP construct. We suggest that this tool is potentially useful for clinicians and future research.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| 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 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 14
- 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
- A Model of Mindful Parenting: Implications for Parent–Child Relationships and Prevention Research Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review May 2, 2009
- How Does Mindfulness Training Affect Health? A Mindfulness Stress Buffering Account Current Directions in Psychological Science December 1, 2014
- Mindfulness-Based Couple Interventions: A Systematic Literature Review. Family Process June 11, 2021
and 9 more in the library