Does Personality Moderate the Effects of Mindfulness Training for Medical and Psychology Students?
Michael De Vibe, Ida Solhaug, Reidar Tyssen, Oddgeir Friborg, Jan H Rosenvinge, Tore Sørlie, Even Halland, Arild Bjørndal
Mindfulness 2015 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-013-0258-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial (moderation analyses) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 288 |
| Population | Medical and psychology students, majority female |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Personality Students Rct Moderation |
| Key findings | Higher baseline neuroticism was associated with greater MBSR effects on mental distress and subjective well-being, and higher conscientiousness with greater effects on study stress. MBSR protected against worsening mental distress, study stress, and subjective well-being relative to controls. Baseline mindfulness and extroversion did not moderate intervention effects. |
Abstract
The majority of mindfulness research to date has reported only on the group-level effects of interventions. Therefore, there is a need to better understand who is most likely to benefit from mindfulness interventions. This study reports on moderation analyses from a two-centre randomised controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) among 288 medical and psychology students. The study investigated whether baseline personality factors (neuroticism, conscientiousness and extroversion) and baseline mindfulness moderated effects on mental distress, study stress and subjective well-being measured after the intervention. An increased effect of the intervention on mental distress and subjective well-being was found in students with higher scores on neuroticism. Students with higher scores on conscientiousness showed an increased effect of mindfulness training on study stress. The training protected students against an increase in mental distress and study stress and a decrease in subjective well-being that was seen in the control group. Baseline mindfulness and extroversion did not moderate the effects of the intervention on the outcomes. The majority of the 288 medical and psychology students in the study sample were female. Female participants scored significantly higher on neuroticism and conscientiousness, and they may therefore be an important target group for mindfulness interventions among students.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 59
- Intervenciones psicológicas basadas en mindfulness y sus beneficios: estado actual de la cuestión Clínica y Salud October 10, 2016
- Loving-Kindness Meditation Promotes Mental Health in University Students Mindfulness May 2, 2020
- Predicting Individual Preferences in Mindfulness Techniques Using Personality Traits Frontiers in Psychology June 18, 2020
- Mindfulness meditation experiences of novice practitioners in an online intervention: Trajectories, predictors, and challenges. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being February 1, 2022
- Effectiveness, Acceptability, and Mechanisms of Change of the Internet-Based Intervention StudiCare Mindfulness for College Students: a Randomized Controlled Trial Mindfulness August 10, 2022
and 54 more in the library
Cites 8
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and 3 more in the library