Bracing Later and Coping Better: Benefits of Mindfulness During a Stressful Waiting Period.
Kate Sweeny, Jennifer L. Howell
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin October 2017 DOI: 10.1177/0146167217713490 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | Law graduates awaiting bar exam results |
| Intervention | Mindfulness meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Bar exam Bracing Coping Expectations Law school Waiting |
| Key findings | Participants who were naturally more mindful or who practiced mindfulness managed their expectations more effectively by bracing for the worst later in the waiting period and perceived themselves as coping better. Those low in dispositional optimism and high in intolerance of uncertainty benefited most from mindfulness meditation relative to control. |
Abstract
People frequently await uncertain news, yet research reveals that the strategies people naturally use to cope with uncertainty are largely ineffective. We tested the role of mindfulness for improving the experience of a stressful waiting period. Law graduates awaiting their bar exam results either reported their trait mindfulness (Study 1; N = 150) or were instructed to practice mindfulness meditation (Study 2; N = 90). As hypothesized, participants who were naturally more mindful or who practiced mindfulness managed their expectations more effectively by bracing for the worst later in the waiting period and perceived themselves as coping better. Additionally, participants who were low in dispositional optimism and high in intolerance of uncertainty benefited most from mindfulness (relative to control) meditation. These findings point to a simple and effective way to wait better, particularly for those most vulnerable to distress.
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 4
- Using Meditation to Reduce Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Nursing Students. Journal of Nursing Education August 1, 2023
- The associations and effects of mindfulness on anger and aggression: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review June 1, 2025
- The Mediating Effect of Religious Attitude on the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Covid-19 Fear Afet ve Risk Dergisi September 29, 2023
- Predictive Factors of Response to Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (Mbct) for Patients with Depressive Symptoms: The Machine Learning’s Point of View OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine December 28, 2022
Cites 12
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience August 13, 2007
- Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review July 26, 2011
- Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2007
and 7 more in the library