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Dispositional mindfulness moderates the relation between neuroticism and depressive symptoms

Thorsten Barnhofer, Danielle S. Duggan, James William Griffith

Personality and Individual Differences September 16, 2011 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2011.07.032 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational cohort Peer reviewed
Sample size 144
Population English community sample of adults who had completed a neuroticism questionnaire six years previously
Duration Assessments approximately one year apart, with neuroticism measured six years previously
Topics Meditation
Citations 150
Key findings Dispositional mindfulness moderated the relationship between neuroticism and current depressive symptoms: neuroticism was significantly related to depression at low to medium mindfulness but not at relatively high mindfulness. The effect was carried mostly by the ability to describe inner experience. The authors suggest mindfulness, especially describing inner experience, may help reduce the likelihood of depressive symptoms.

Abstract

Negative emotional reactivity as measured by neuroticism has been shown to be an important risk factor for the development of depressive symptoms. This study investigated whether the ability to be mindful can protect against the negative effects of this temperamental vulnerability. An English community sample of N = 144 individuals who had completed a neuroticism questionnaire six years previously were assessed for current depressive symptoms and dispositional levels of mindfulness at points of assessment approximately one year apart. Dispositional mindfulness moderated the relation between neuroticism and current depressive symptoms: Neuroticism was significantly related to depression in those with low to medium levels of dispositional mindfulness but not in those with relatively high levels of mindfulness. Further analyzes focusing on particular mindfulness skills indicated that this effect was carried mostly by the ability to describe inner experience. The results suggest that dispositional mindfulness and particularly the ability to describe inner experience are helpful in dealing with negative emotional reactivity in a way that reduces the likelihood of depressive symptoms to develop.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students 2006 Observational cohort
Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia 1992 Observational cohort n = 22
Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls 2005 Observational cohort n = 20
Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls 2011 Observational cohort
Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls 2004 Observational cohort

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Meditation Depression