Trait mindfulness reduces the generalization of conditioned fear: a preliminary pilot study.
BMC Psychology January 30, 2026 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-04057-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | University students |
| Measures | Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, subjective expectancy ratings, retrospective fear and valence assessments |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Individuals with high trait mindfulness showed attenuated fear generalization compared with low trait mindfulness individuals, reflected in lower subjective expectancy ratings (intensity) and a narrower range of fear-eliciting stimuli (extent), suggesting enhanced discrimination between threat and safety cues. No significant group differences were found for fear extinction. The authors propose trait mindfulness may be a protective factor in anxiety disorders. |
Abstract
Trait mindfulness refers to an individual’s inherent capacity to maintain sustained awareness and focus on present experiences. This characteristic is naturally present in the population, even without intentional mindfulness training, and is significantly negatively correlated with negative emotions, anxiety, and depression. Fear is an adaptive response to threat, but excessive generalization of fear is a key underlying factor in anxiety disorders. Fear generalization occurs when an individual, having learned to fear a specific threat, extends this fear response to stimuli that share similarities with the original threat but are not directly related to the original danger cue and are not inherently dangerous. Investigating the influence of trait mindfulness on fear generalization and its subsequent extinction is crucial, as mindfulness promotes enhanced perceptual discrimination and non-judgmental awareness. These qualities may enable individuals to more accurately distinguish safe stimuli from conditioned threats, thereby reducing the over-generalization of fear. This preliminary pilot study provides insight into the potential of trait mindfulness as a protective factor in the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders. Thirty university students were recruited and categorized into high and low trait mindfulness groups based on their scores on the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale. Subjective expectancy ratings and retrospective fear and valence assessments were used as indicators to examine the effect of trait mindfulness on fear generalization. The results suggested a significant difference between the two groups: individuals with high trait mindfulness tended to exhibited attenuated fear generalization, reflected in lower subjective expectancy ratings (intensity) and a narrower range of stimuli eliciting fear (extent), indicating enhanced discrimination between threat and safety cues (inhibition). However, no significant differences were found between the groups in terms of fear extinction. Overall, these findings provide preliminary evidence that trait mindfulness may be associated with reduced fear generalization. Given that fear over-generalization is a central mechanism in the development of anxiety disorders, these results suggest that mindfulness-related traits may represent a potentially relevant target for assessment and intervention in both clinical and educational settings (e.g., universities).
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- 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