Is learning mindfulness associated with improved affect after mindfulness-based cognitive therapy?
Maya J. Schroevers, Rob Brandsma
British Journal of Psychology February 2010 DOI: 10.1348/000712609x424195 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 64 |
| Population | Community adults with mild to moderate psychological problems |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Duration | 8-week course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Participation in an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy course was associated with significant decreases in negative affect and increases in positive affect, as well as increases in four of five mindfulness aspects. Changes in mindfulness were significantly associated with improved affect, with distinct patterns for positive and negative affect. |
Abstract
The increased popularity of mindfulness-based interventions and the growing body of empirical evidence confirming the positive effects of these interventions on well-being warrant more research to determine if the effects are indeed related to learning mindfulness. The present study extends previous studies, by examining whether and how changes in five core aspects of mindfulness are related to changes in the report of negative and positive affect during an 8-week course of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. The study was performed in 64 individuals from the community with mild to moderate psychological problems. Data were collected by self-report questionnaires before and directly after the training. Results showed significant decreases in negative affect and increases in positive affect. We also found significant increases in four of the five aspects of mindfulness. Importantly, changes in mindfulness were significantly associated with improved affect, with a distinct pattern found for positive and negative affect. Hereby, our findings extend previous research by showing that learning distinct aspects of mindfulness is differently related to an improved positive affect and a decreased negative affect. Future randomized controlled trials with a larger sample and longer follow-up period are needed to replicate these findings.
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
Cited by 34
- Mindfulness training increases momentary positive emotions and reward experience in adults vulnerable to depression: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology July 18, 2011
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- How mindfulness training promotes positive emotions: Dismantling acceptance skills training in two randomized controlled trials. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology December 1, 2018
- Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy for Nonremitted Patients with Bipolar Disorder CNS Neuroscience & Therapeutics April 2, 2011
- Validity evidence of the brazilian version of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) Psicologia Teoria e Pesquisa September 1, 2014
and 29 more in the library
Cites 16
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
and 11 more in the library