A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding Conceptions of Mindfulness Meditation

Background: Mindfulness meditation (MM) is an increasing area of interest for health professionals and the general public alike. Beneficial outcomes are associated with this practice; however, definitions of mindfulness and meditation are varied, and anecdotal accounts suggest that people hold conceptions about the constructs. Furthermore, mindfulness has been incorporated into therapeutic modalities without much consideration for context, including the client’s previous experiences with and understanding of MM. To date, only one research article [1] has been published on the layman conceptions of MM. Research has yet to establish if conceptions exist; and, if they do, how prevalent these conceptions are in varied samples. To examine the discrepancies between popular views of MM and research, 479 college students were surveyed.

Methods: Attitudes and beliefs toward MM were assessed via a series of open-ended questions and vignettes, with self-report questionnaires assessing religion and spirituality, trait mindfulness, barriers to practicing meditation, avoidance and acceptance, values, and demographic variables. A mixed-methods (deductive qualitative analytic and quantitative) approach based on several common conceptions from practitioners and personal experiences with conceptions (e.g., emphases on religious and cultural factors; using meditation as a means of control) was used to study the social phenomenon of participants’ conceptions of MM.

Results: Several key themes emerged from the data. As examples, approximately 96% of the sample said MM was about relaxation and over half described it as a strictly religious practice.

Conclusions: Several conceptions about mindfulness exist and this may have implications for mindfulness-based treatments. Study limitations and future directions are discussed.