Distinct Longitudinal Within-Person Links of Mindfulness with Anxiety and Depression
Yuping Liu, Bingtao Zhou, Fengxu Qiang, Qianguo Xiao, Qinhong Xie
Research Square June 15, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9101291/v1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Longitudinal |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,138 |
| Population | Adults completing self-report assessments (community sample) |
| Duration | Five waves at two-week intervals (approximately 8 weeks total) |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | Mindfulness was negatively associated with anxiety and depression at the between-person and concurrent within-person levels. Longitudinally, mindfulness and anxiety showed significant bidirectional cross-lagged effects, whereas no significant cross-lagged effects appeared between mindfulness and depression, suggesting mindfulness is more involved in short-term regulation of anxiety than of depression. |
Abstract
Abstract Background Mindfulness is reliably associated with lower anxiety and depression, yet the longitudinal within-person dynamics and potential differences between these two forms of emotional distress remain largely unknown.
Methods: A total of 1,138 participants completed five waves of self-report assessments at two-week intervals. Mindfulness, anxiety, and depression were measured at each wave. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to separate stable between-person differences from within-person fluctuations and to examine longitudinal cross-lagged effects.
Results: Mindfulness showed significant negative associations with both anxiety and depression at the between-person level and at the concurrent within-person level. Longitudinal within-person analyses revealed differential patterns: mindfulness and anxiety showed significant bidirectional cross-lagged effects across time, whereas no significant cross-lagged effects were observed between mindfulness and depression.
Conclusions: Although mindfulness is broadly linked to lower anxiety and depression, its temporal within-person dynamics differ across the two. Mindfulness appears to be more strongly involved in reciprocal short-term regulation of anxiety, while depressive symptoms may be less responsive to short-term fluctuations in mindfulness. These findings support a mechanism-differentiated view of mindfulness-related emotional regulation and suggest the need for tailored intervention strategies.
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 |