An Examination of Mindfulness and Substance Use Among College Students
Anne C. Fernandez
2009 DOI: 10.23860/thesis-fernandez-anne-2009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 316 |
| Population | Current or former college students |
| Measures | Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Confirmatory factor analyses supported the five-factor structure of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, but a hierarchical factor analysis did not support a single overarching mindfulness factor. Two facets were negatively related to alcohol use (p < .05), and three facets were marginally negatively related to alcohol-related consequences (p < .10); analyses of other drug use were abandoned because of low base rates. |
Abstract
A growing body of research indicates that mindfulness-based therapies may be useful for treating substance abuse. However, the incorporation of mindfulness into substance abuse treatment is limited by a lack of basic research in this area. For example, instruments designed to measure mindfulness vary widely in content and validity and the fundamental relationships among mindfulness, alcohol use, and drug use are not well-understood. Accordingly, this study sought to validate an emerging measure of mindfulness, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and examine its relationship with substance use among a sample of 316 current or former college students. The purported factor structure of the FFMQ was examined using a series of confirmatory factor analyses, and structural equation modeling was used to measure the relationship between mindfulness and substance use. Consistent with past research, results supported the five-factor structure of the FFMQ. However, a hierarchical factor analysis did not support the existence of a single overarching mindfulness factor. Two of the FFMQ factors were negatively related to alcohol use (p < .05), and three factors held a marginally significant negative relationship with alcohol-related consequences (p < .10). Attempts to examine the relationship between mindfulness and other drug use were abandoned because of low base rates. These results support the five factor structure of the FFMQ, but additional psychometric testing is needed to determine whether all factors of the FFMQ represent mindfulness as a single overarching construct. The results reported here can be used inform the burgeoning development of mindfulness-based addiction treatments.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cites 15
- 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
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- The toronto mindfulness scale: Development and validation Journal of Clinical Psychology 2006
and 10 more in the library