Mechanisms of Mindfulness in Communication Training
Daniel C. Huston, Eric L Garland, Norman A. S. Farb
Journal of Applied Communication Research October 28, 2011 DOI: 10.1080/00909882.2011.608696 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental comparison (intervention vs. control group) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 44 |
| Population | Students enrolled in an introductory communication course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 40 |
| Key findings | Both course groups improved in positive reappraisal tendencies after communication training, but the groups appeared to differ in how they positively reappraised situations. Only the mindfulness group showed improved mindfulness scores, and these improvements accounted for that group's increases in positive reappraisal, which the authors interpret as evidence that mindfulness training is one mechanism for reducing negative reactivity in communication. |
Abstract
Mindfulness, an ancient spiritual practice, is becoming an increasingly popular component of communication courses, training individuals to reserve judgment in their dealings with others. However, the effects of mindfulness in communication courses are not well researched. We compared students taking an introductory communication course that included a mindfulness component (N=20) against a control group of students taking an equivalent course without mindfulness content (N=24). Both groups improved in their positive reappraisal tendencies following communication training; however, the groups appeared to differ in how they positively reappraised situations. Only the mindfulness group demonstrated improved mindfulness scores following training, accounting for that group's increases in positive reappraisal, and providing evidence for mindfulness training as one mechanism for reducing negative reactivity in communication.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Testing the mindfulness-to-meaning theory: Evidence for mindful positive emotion regulation from a reanalysis of longitudinal data. PLoS One December 6, 2017
- Conceptualizing and Measuring Mindfulness in School Settings: A Mixed Methods Study and Development of Mindfulness in School Scale Journal of Intelligence September 1, 2026
- Embracing Mindfulness During Interpersonal Conflict Mindfulness March 23, 2026
- Mitigating Students’ Anxiety: The Role of Resilience and Mindfulness Among Chinese EFL Learners Frontiers in Psychology July 5, 2022
- State Mindfulness During Meditation Predicts Enhanced Cognitive Reappraisal. Mindfulness April 1, 2015
and 1 more in the library
Cites 7
- 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
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Upward spirals of positive emotions counter downward spirals of negativity: insights from the broaden-and-build theory and affective neuroscience on the treatment of emotion dysfunctions and deficits in psychopathology. Clinical Psychology Review November 1, 2010
- Waking up to ourselves: The use of mindfulness meditation and emotional intelligence in the teaching of communications New Directions for Community Colleges September 1, 2010
and 2 more in the library