Does Mindfulness Reduce Attentional Negativity Bias and Depressive Symptoms?
Cameron M. Ford
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental eye-tracking study (two studies) |
|---|---|
| Intervention | State mindfulness induction |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Across two eye-tracking studies, evidence that mindfulness relates to less attentional negativity bias was limited and inconsistent, and attentional negativity bias did not mediate the association between mindfulness and depression. Trait mindfulness was linked to less negativity bias in both studies, but through different gaze patterns, while a state mindfulness induction showed trends toward longer viewing of threat and dysphoric images, suggesting trait and state mindfulness may have differential effects on visual attention. |
Abstract
Mindfulness has been associated with several psychological benefits such as reduced symptoms of depression (Brown, Ryan, & Creswell, 2007). However, the mechanism(s) by which mindfulness reduces depressive symptoms is unclear. The present research investigated one potential mechanism: attentional negativity bias. In two studies utilizing eye-tracking methodology, gaze patterns served as indicators of visual attention in order to examine the relations among attention, depressive symptoms, and mindfulness. In Study 1, there was some limited evidence that trait mindfulness was related to less attentional negativity bias. Specifically, trait mindfulness was related to more fixation duration and more fixations on positive images. However, there was no evidence that attentional negativity bias mediated the association between mindfulness and depression. In Study 2, state mindfulness was induced in order to test whether a causal relation exists between mindfulness and attentional bias. There were trends such that participants who underwent a state mindfulness induction viewed threat and dysphoric images longer than the control group. There was also some replication of Study 1 findings. Trait mindfulness was associated with less attentional negativity bias; however, trait mindfulness was related to less fixation duration and fewer fixations on negative images. Again, attentional negativity bias did not mediate the mindfulness-depression association. Overall, the studies provide limited and inconsistent evidence that mindfulness is related to less attentional negativity bias and suggest that trait mindfulness and state mindfulness may have differential effects on gaze patterns.
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
Cites 18
- 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: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
and 13 more in the library