The Relationship Among Mentalization, Mindfulness, Working Memory, and Schizotypal Personality Traits in the General Population
Frontiers in Psychology May 2, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.682889 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 300 |
| Population | Community-dwelling adults (mean age 38.0 years, SD 10.5; 49.3% women) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | Mentalization predicted all four schizotypal trait dimensions (unusual experiences, cognitive disorganization, introverted anhedonia, impulsive nonconformity) after controlling for mindfulness and working memory. Low mindfulness and mentalization were associated with high schizotypy, while poor working memory was only weakly linked to cognitive disorganization and introverted anhedonia. The authors suggest weak mentalization is a core feature of schizotypy independent of mindfulness and working memory. |
Abstract
Individuals with high schizotypal traits are less able to observe, describe, and monitor inner feelings, thoughts, and experiences, commonly referred to as mindfulness and mentalization. High schizotypy is also associated with impaired working memory (WM). However, the relationship among mindfulness, mentalization, WM, and schizotypal traits is unknown. Three hundred individuals from the community (mean age: 38.0 years, SD = 10.5; 49.3% women) completed questionnaires examining schizotypal traits, mindfulness, and mentalization and performed working memory tasks. Results revealed that mentalization was a general predictor of schizotypal traits, including unusual experiences, cognitive disorganization, introverted anhedonia, and impulsive nonconformity, when the effect of mindfulness and working memory was controlled. We also found a positive correlation between mindfulness and mentalization. Low mindfulness and mentalization performances were associated with high schizotypy. However, poor working memory was only weakly linked to cognitive disorganization and introverted anhedonia. These findings suggest that weak mentalization is a core feature of schizotypy independent of mindfulness and working memory.
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 4
- A meta-analysis of the association between mindfulness and motivation Frontiers in Public Health August 8, 2023
- Mindfulness and psychotic-like experiences in nonclinical populations: a systematic review and two meta-analyses. Psychological Medicine February 4, 2026
- A Lived Experience of Mindfulness-Based Mentalizing Training Program for Parents (MBMP). A Phenomenological Study. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry February 23, 2026
- Consciousness influences in ToM and Metacognition functioning - An artificial intelligence perspective Research, Society and Development March 1, 2023
Cites 9
- 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: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- The Relationship Between Mindfulness, Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in Individuals With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Frontiers in Psychology September 3, 2021
- Metacognition, social cognition, and mentalizing in psychosis: are these distinct constructs when it comes to subjective experience or are we just splitting hairs? BMC Psychiatry July 2, 2021
and 4 more in the library