Associations between mindfulness and implicit cognition and self-reported affect.
Andrew J. Waters, Lorraine R Reitzel, Paul M Cinciripini, Yisheng Li, Marianne T. Marcus, Jennifer Irvin Vidrine, David W. Wetter
Substance Abuse 2009 DOI: 10.1080/08897070903252080 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 158 |
| Population | Smokers attempting to quit |
| Measures | modified Stroop tasks, Implicit Association Tests (IATs), self-report assessments |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Among 158 smokers, higher mindfulness was associated with lower negative affect, perceived stress, and depressive symptom severity, and with greater positive affect. Mindfulness was not associated with disengaging attention from smoking or affective stimuli. On the depression Implicit Association Test, more mindful participants showed a more negative IAT effect, which the authors suggest may indicate a detached perspective to depression-related stimuli. |
Abstract
Theory suggests that mindful individuals exhibit enhanced attentional processing (e.g., attentional control) and that they maintain a detached perspective to problematic stimuli. For smokers, smoking and affective stimuli are problematic stimuli when they try to quit. In this cross-sectional study, smokers (n = 158) completed 3 modified Stroop tasks (to assess attentional control), 3 Implicit Association Tests (IATs; to assess detached perspective), and a battery of self-report assessments. Degree of mindfulness was negatively associated (P < .05) with self-reported negative affect, perceived stress, and depressive symptom severity, and positively associated (P < .05) with positive affect. Degree of mindfulness was not associated with the ability to disengage attention from smoking or affective stimuli. On the depression IAT, more mindful participants exhibited a more negative IAT effect, suggesting that they may have developed a detached perspective to depression-related stimuli. Theoretical and clinical implications of the data are discussed.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Conscious and Non-Conscious Components of the Mind Applied Sciences April 1, 2017
- Meditation-Induced Self-Boundary Flexibility and Prosociality: A MEG and Behavioral Measures Study. Brain Sciences November 26, 2024
- Multi-modal mindfulness training and well-being for healthcare students. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 2024
- Exploring the potential relationship between mindfulness and ratings of perceived exertion. 2013
- Exploring The Impact Of Focused Attention Meditation On Emotional Distraction: An Experimental Approach July 11, 2023
and 8 more in the library
Cites 11
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
and 6 more in the library