Does mindfulness practice promote psychological functioning or is it the other way around? A daily diary study.

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions are commonly used to reduce psychological symptoms and enhance positive qualities of human functioning. However, the influence of mindfulness practice dosage remains poorly understood, limiting dissemination and implementation efforts. The current study examined the association between practice dosage and several constructs related to psychological functioning (positive and negative affect, state mindfulness) over the course of a standardized mindfulness-based intervention (Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement). Twenty-five participants completed daily diary assessments for 12 weeks. Two-part gamma regression models examined the dichotomous (did practice occur?) and continuous (how much practice?) components of practice minutes. Practice time and outcomes showed same-day relationships in the expected directions. Lagged models, however, showed no evidence that current day practice time predicts subsequent day outcomes. In contrast, higher current day negative affect predicted less subsequent day practice time, and higher current day mindfulness predicted more subsequent day practice time. In a post hoc analysis, practice time moderated the link between day-to-day affect, strengthening the link for positive affect and weakening the link for negative affect. Collectively, these findings suggest that the causal direction linking practice time and outcome may flow from outcome to practice time, rather than the reverse-with potential recursive relationships between these factors. Further examination of lagged relationships between practice time and outcome as well as random assignment of participants to varying practice dosages (e.g., in within-person microrandomized trials) may help clarify the influence of this central treatment ingredient within mindfulness-based interventions. Clinical Impact StatementQuestion: We sought to clarify the relationship between practice time and outcomes within a standardized mindfulness-based intervention. Findings: It is possible that more mindfulness practice does not necessarily produce better outcomes, but that individuals may be more prone to practice when they are experiencing benefits or feeling better. Meaning: Discussing clients' experience of mindfulness practice when recommending dosage could be valuable. Next Steps: Future studies using both longitudinal data and random assignment to dosage conditions could help clarify these relationships.

An energizing microintervention: How mindfulness fosters subjective vitality through regulatory processes and flow experience at work.

“…Since within-person designs are relatively rare in mindfulness research, we offer valuable insights into the effectiveness of interventions and their impact on individual experiences. In doing so, we provide support for the causal effect of the intervention on self-regulation, alleviating concerns that individuals with higher self-regulatory competencies may be more likely to engage in mindfulness, as discussed recently by Goldberg et al (2020). In conclusion, a short meditation in the morning serves as a crucial starting point that can trigger positive spillover effects throughout the day, including improved self-regulatory competencies and increased flow experiences in the work domain, as well as enhanced well-being in the home domain.…”

Decentering From Emotions in Daily Life: Dynamic Associations With Affect, Symptoms, and Well-Being

“…First, theory has generally assumed that decentering and mindfulness precede and contribute to subsequent levels of psychological health, rather than the other way around (e.g., Bernstein et al, 2015; Keng et al, 2011; Naragon-Gainey & DeMarree, 2017a). However, it is also plausible that when one is currently feeling distressed, it is more difficult to step back from that experience and adopt a decentered perspective (Goldberg et al, 2020), in part because of the tendency to ruminate, worry, or suppress when confronted with intense negative emotions. That is, strong negative emotion and related symptoms may predict less subsequent engagement in decentering, forming a downward spiral in which low decentering leads to more negative affect or symptoms, which leads to lower decentering.…”

Mindfulness, Connectedness to Nature, Personal Ecological Norm and Pro-environmental Behavior: A Daily Diary Study

“…This indicates that MBP may have an independent contribution in explaining PEB. However, because MBP was included as a dichothom variable, the question as to whether the effect is directly attributable to the daily practice dosage (Goldberg et al, 2020) remains open. It seems likely that the observed effects are due to general longterm MBP effects.…”