Individual Differences in the Change of Attentional Functions With Brief One-Time Focused Attention and Open Monitoring Meditations
Masaru Tanaka, Ryoichi Nakashima, Kentaro Hiromitsu, Hiroshi Imamizu
Frontiers in Psychology October 29, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.716138 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Participants randomly assigned to focused attention meditation, open monitoring meditation, or no-meditation groups |
| Interventions | Focused attention meditation (FAM) Open monitoring meditation (OMM) |
| Duration | Single 30-min meditation session |
| Measures | Attentional Network Test, Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Compared with no meditation, a single 30-minute session of focused attention or open monitoring meditation produced no overall improvement in alerting, orienting, or conflict monitoring. However, alerting changes were associated with mindfulness traits: negatively with nonreactivity in the focused attention group and positively with describing in the open monitoring group, suggesting effects may depend on individual traits. |
Abstract
Mindfulness meditation is increasingly used for clinical treatment and to improve well-being. One of the most fundamental benefits of mindfulness meditation is now considered as enhanced attentional control. Mindfulness meditation is a complex technique but most of its variants consist of a combination of two types of basic meditation practice: focused attention meditation (FAM) and open monitoring meditation (OMM). Although many studies have examined the effect of relatively long-term meditation on attention, some recent studies have focused on the effect of a brief one-time meditation on cognitive processing, including attentional functions. Furthermore, it is necessary to discuss the relationship between the effect of mindfulness meditation on attentional functions and personality traits (especially traits related to mindfulness). This study investigated whether attentional control is improved by a single 30-min FAM or OMM and whether the degree of improvement in attentional functions - alerting, orienting, and conflict monitoring - induced by the meditation varies according to the participant's trait scores related to mindfulness measured by the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups, i.e., FAM, OMM, and no-meditation (noM) groups, and given an Attentional Network Test before and after each 30-min meditation session. Compared with the noM group, there was no overall improvement in attentional functions with either type of meditation. However, there were associations between the change of the alerting function's score and the personality traits: in the FAM group, alerting scores were negatively associated with the nonreactivity facet of the FFMQ, and in the OMM group, alerting scores were positively associated with describing facet scores of the FFMQ. The results indicate that the effects of meditation methods on attentional functions could depend on the individual's traits related to mindfulness and that mindfulness meditation could sometimes appear to have no impact on attentional functions.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- A systematic review and activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of fMRI studies on arousing or wake-promoting effects in Buddhist meditation Frontiers in Psychology October 27, 2023
- The individual and sequential effect of focused attention and open monitoring meditation on mindfulness skills. PLoS One 2025
- For whom does a brief mindfulness induction work? An exploration of the moderating role of individual differences in the effect of mindfulness induction on executive functioning and mind-wandering BMC Psychology September 3, 2026
Cites 27
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Investigating the phenomenological matrix of mindfulness-related practices from a neurocognitive perspective. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Neural mechanisms of attentional control in mindfulness meditation Frontiers in Neuroscience 2013
- Mindfulness Training for Elementary School Students Journal of Applied School Psychology July 6, 2005
and 22 more in the library