Distress tolerance as a mechanism of mindfulness for depression and anxiety: Cross-sectional and diary evidence
Yanjuan Li, Ruilin Ju, Stefan G. Hofmann, Wingsze Chiu, Ye Guan, Y. Leng, Xinghua Liu
International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology July 5, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2023.100392 (opens in new tab) via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDistress tolerance appears to be a mechanism linking mindfulness to lower depression and anxiety. In a cross-sectional sample of 905 adults, distress tolerance mediated the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety at the between-person level. In a daily diary study of 110 participants over 14 days, multilevel analyses showed that daily distress tolerance mediated the effects of daily mindfulness on daily depression and anxiety in both concurrent and time-lagged models, at both within- and between-person levels. The authors suggest that mindfulness training may help individuals with high or fluctuating depression and anxiety by increasing distress tolerance.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study; daily diary study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,015 |
| Population | Adults (Study 1: n=905; Study 2: n=110) |
| Duration | 14 consecutive days for the daily diary study |
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology |
| Key finding | Distress tolerance mediated the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety at both between-person and within-person levels. |
Abstract
Background Both trait and state mindfulness are associated with less depression and anxiety, but the mechanisms remain unknown. Distress tolerance, an important transdiagnostic factor of emotional disorders, may mediate the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety. Method Study 1 examined the mediation model at the between-person level in a large cross-sectional sample (n = 905). In Study 2, a daily diary study (n = 110) was conducted to examine within-person changes. Participants were invited to complete daily diaries measuring daily mindfulness, distress tolerance, depression and anxiety for 14 consecutive days. Results In Study 1, results of simple mediation analyses indicated that distress tolerance mediated the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety at the between-person level. In Study 2, results of multilevel mediation analyses indicated that, in both the concurrent model and time-lagged model, daily distress tolerance mediated the effects of daily mindfulness on daily depression/anxiety at both the within- and between-person level. Conclusions Distress tolerance is a mechanism underlying the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety. Individuals with high or fluctuating depression and anxiety may benefit from short-term or long-term mindfulness training to increase distress tolerance.