A distinction between two instruments measuring dispositional mindfulness and the correlations between those measurements and the neuroanatomical structure
Kaixiang Zhuang, Minghua Bi, Yu Li, Yunman Xia, Xuehua Guo, Qunlin Chen, Xue Mei Du, Kangcheng Wang, Dongtao Wei, Huazhan Yin, Jiang Hua Qiu
Scientific Reports July 18, 2017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06599-w (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational neuroimaging study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Large non-clinical sample |
| Measures | Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 45 |
| Key findings | MAAS scores were associated with increased grey matter volume in the right precuneus, and this association with depression symptomatology was mediated by MAAS scores. FFMQ facets (Describing, Nonjudging, Nonreactivity) were selectively associated with cortical structure in prefrontal and inferior parietal regions, with Describing mediating the link between dorsolateral PFC volume and cognitive reappraisal. The authors suggest the MAAS mainly reflects self-awareness, whereas FFMQ facets relate to emotion regulation, attention control, and self-awareness. |
Abstract
The most widely used measurements of mindfulness are the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). However, controversies exist regarding the application of these scales. Additionally, the neural mechanisms of dispositional mindfulness havebecome a topic of interest. In the current study, we used surface-based methodology to identify the brain regions underlying individual differences in dispositional mindfulness in a large non-clinical sampleand compared the two instruments for measuring the dispositional mindfulness. The results indicated that theMAAS scores were significantly associated with increased greymatter volumes in the right precuneus and the significant association between the precuneus and depression symptomatology was mediated by MAAS scores. Regarding the FFMQ, the Describing, Nonjudging, and Nonreactivity facets were selectively associated with the cortical volume, thickness and surface area of multiple prefrontal regions as well as the inferior parietal lobule. Importantly, Describing mediated the association between the dorsolateral PFC volume and the cognitive reappraisal strategies of emotion regulation. These resultssuggested that the MAASwere mainly associated with self-awareness, while the FFMQ facets were selectively involved in emotion regulation, attention control and self-awareness. Therefore, this study characterized the differences in inter-individual variability between the two typical measurements of dispositional mindfulnessand the correlations between those measurements and imaging analyses.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Mindfulness in the focus of the neurosciences - The contribution of neuroimaging to the understanding of mindfulness. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience October 17, 2022
- Connectome-Based Predictive Modeling of Trait Mindfulness. Human Brain Mapping 2025
- Dynamic Functional Connectivity Correlates of Trait Mindfulness in Early Adolescence. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science November 1, 2024
- Patients with Chronic Pain: Are Mindfulness Traits Protective Against Distress, Anxiety and Depression? Clinical neuropsychiatry October 1, 2023
- Attention and meditative development: A review and synthesis of long-term meditators and outlook for the study of advanced meditation. Neuroimage November 19, 2025
and 8 more in the library
Cites 30
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
and 25 more in the library