Mechanisms of mindfulness

Abstract

Recently, the psychological construct mindfulness has received a great deal of attention. The majority of research has focused on clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions. This line of research has led to promising data suggesting mindfulness-based interventions are effective for treatment of both psychological and physical symptoms. However, an equally important direction for future research is to investigate questions concerning mechanisms of action underlying mindfulness-based interventions. This theoretical paper proposes a model of mindfulness, in an effort to elucidate potential mechanisms to explain how mindfulness affects positive change. Potential implications and future directions for the empirical study of mechanisms involved in mindfulness are addressed.

Internet-based instructor-led mindfulness for work-related rumination, fatigue, and sleep: Assessing facets of mindfulness as mechanisms of change. A randomized waitlist control trial.

“…This increased attendance to, and awareness of, thoughts and emotions is purported to enable the individual to observe their thoughts and feelings as they arise in the mind without engaging with them; thereby allowing greater control over thinking (Williams & Penman, 2011). Shapiro et al (2006) suggested that mindfulness results in a shift of perspective -which they labelled 'reperceiving' -which facilitates a capacity for individuals to see situations as they are in the moment, responding accordingly; instead of with reactionary thoughts and emotions triggered by prior habit.…”

“…Shapiro, Carlson, Astin, & Freedman (2006) suggest two approaches to assessing mechanisms of change in mindfulness-based intervention studies. Firstly, they suggest that dismantle (tease apart) studies are necessary in order to separate and compare various active ingredients in mindfulness-based interventions.…”

“…In the current study, we adopted both of the approaches advocated by Shapiro et al (2006). Firstly, we used a multi-faceted measure of mindfulness to assess whether different facets of mindfulness operated independently as mechanisms of change; and secondly, we removed the possibility of participants simply benefitting from social interaction inherent in taking part in group-based face-to-face programmes.…”

Self-related awareness and emotion regulation

“…However, it was of course not representative for mindfulness in general. Mindfulness was closely associated with well-being (Brown et al, 2007;Kabat-Zinn, 1990;Shapiro et al, 2006;Tang et al, 2007) and represents the basis for psychotherapeutic concepts such as mindfulness based cognitive therapy for depression (MBCT, Teasdale et al, 1999) or mindfulness based stress reduction (Grossman et al, 2004), which are increasingly applied in psychotherapeutic and psychiatric practice (Allen et al, 2006). Mindfulness has been defined as a receptive attention to and awareness of present experience (Brown and Ryan, 2003).…”

“…Mindfulness has been defined as a receptive attention to and awareness of present experience (Brown and Ryan, 2003). A related description of mindfulness components comprised intention, attention and a non-judgmental attitude with an awareness for the present moment (Kabat-Zinn, 1990;Shapiro et al, 2006). Mindfulness can be directed to external or to interoceptive experiences.…”