Beyond the Unitary: Direct, Moderated, and Mediated Associations of Mindfulness Facets with Mental Health Literacy and Treatment-Seeking Attitudes.
Matea Gerbeza, Kelsy Dąbek, Katelyn Lockinger, Isabelle M Wilkens, Mia Loarca-Rodriguez, Katimah Grogan, Shadi Beshai
Healthcare May 20, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare13101201 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 299 |
| Population | Community sample of adults recruited online via TurkPrime |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Dispositional mindfulness Mental health literacy Mindfulness facets Treatment-seeking attitudes Precise skills Seeking help Help-seeking Self-efficacy: self-efficacy |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Describe and Non-Reactivity predicted mental health literacy, Act with Awareness predicted treatment-seeking attitudes, and Non-Reactivity amplified the link between mental health literacy and treatment-seeking attitudes. |
Abstract
Psychological disorders are prevalent and distressing. Early treatment initiation can prevent adverse outcomes and reduce healthcare system impacts. Improving mental health literacy (MHL)-one's knowledge regarding psychological disorders-and treatment-seeking attitudes (TSAs) is key in early treatment initiation. Examining the facets of dispositional mindfulness-the capacity to pay attention to present-moment experiences with acceptance-may offer more granular insights into understanding MHL and TSAs. This study examined (a) associations between mindfulness facets and MHL and TSAs, (b) facets' prediction of MHL and TSAs beyond demographics, (c) moderation of the MHL-TSA relationship by mindfulness facets, and (d) mediation of mindfulness-TSA relationships via general self-efficacy (GSE). A community sample of 299 adults was recruited online (TurkPrime) and completed demographic questions and self-report measures: Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-15, Mental Health Literacy Scale, Mental Help-Seeking Attitudes Scale, and General Self-Efficacy Scale. Describe, Non-Judgment, and Act with Awareness were modestly associated with MHL; all five facets correlated with TSAs. Hierarchical regressions controlling for demographics showed that Describe and Non-Reactivity predicted MHL, while Act with Awareness uniquely predicted TSAs. Non-Reactivity moderated the MHL-TSA relationship, with higher Non-Reactivity amplifying the relationship. GSE fully mediated relationships between Observe and Non-Judgment with TSAs, suggesting self-efficacy is a key mechanism of these facets. Interventions cultivating Non-Reactivity, Describe, and Act with Awareness may improve the translation of mental health knowledge into treatment-seeking behaviors. Future research should explore how mindfulness facets independently and interactively foster early intervention and treatment engagement.
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 1
Cites 10
- 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
- A sequential mediation model of perceived social support, mindfulness, perceived hope, and mental health literacy: An empirical study on Taiwanese university students. Acta Psychologica September 18, 2023
- Dispositional Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Buffer the Effects of COVID-19 Stress on Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Mindfulness December 1, 2022
and 5 more in the library