Relationships between Mindfulness, Purpose in Life, Happiness, Anxiety, and Depression: Testing a Mediation Model in a Sample of Women

Abstract

Mindfulness is connected to positive outcomes related to mental health and well-being. However, the psychological mechanisms that account for these relationships are largely unknown. A multiple-step multiple mediator structural equation modeling (SEM) model was tested with mindfulness as the independent variable; purpose in life and behavioral activation as serial mediators; and happiness, anxiety, and depression as outcome measures. Data were obtained from 1267 women. Higher mindfulness was associated with higher levels of happiness and lower anxiety and depression symptoms. The association of mindfulness with the outcome variables could be partially accounted for by purpose in life and behavioral activation. The SEM model explained large proportions of variance in happiness (50%), anxiety (34%), and depression (44%) symptoms. Mindfulness is associated with both a sense of purpose in life and engagement in activities, which are also connected with positive outcomes. Moreover, having purposes in life is linked to higher levels of behavioral activation.

The Predictive Power and Dominance of Variables of Purpose and Social Support for Depression, Anxiety, and Fear of COVID-19 in Paraguay

“…The negative association between the variables of well-being and depression is expected and previously reported (Crego et al, 2021 ; Crumbaugh & Henrion, 1988 ; Crumbaugh & Maholick, 1964 ; Deci & Ryan, 2012 ; Hedberg et al, 2010 ; McKnight & Kashdan, 2009 ; Reilly et al, 2019 ). The reason for these results may be due, as previously stated, to the positive reinforcing power of the purpose, its character as a discriminative stimulus for action, its association with reinforcing activities, and its role in modifying the function of stimuli, making the organism less influenced by the aversive stimuli of the environment (Harte & Barnes-Holmes, 2021 ; Kissi et al, 2017 ).…”

“…Among them, the variables of purpose and those of social support have theoretical and factual relevance. Although the emergence of theorizations about meaning and purpose in psychology initially had a strong speculative and reductionist character (Frankl, 1949/ 1991 ), later, various approaches managed to support both theoretically and empirically the relevance of the concepts of meaning and purpose as salutogenic variables in psychology and psychiatry (Crego et al, 2021 ; Crumbaugh & Henrion, 1988 ; Crumbaugh & Maholick, 1964 ; Deci & Ryan, 2012 ; Hedberg et al, 2010 ; McKnight & Kashdan, 2009 ; Reilly et al, 2019 ) And in the context of the current pandemic (Karataş & Tagay, 2021 ).…”

Could mindfulness diminish mental health disorders? The serial mediating role of self-compassion and psychological well-being

“…Fourth, the connection between mindfulness and anxiety, stress, and depression through mediating variables has been highlighted by some empirical studies (e.g., Crego et al, 2021 ; Pérez-Aranda et al, 2021 ). Crego et al ( 2021 ) found that the relationship between mindfulness and each of the outcome variables, including anxiety and depression is partially mediated by behavioral activation and purpose in life. Pérez-Aranda et al ( 2021 ) reported that resilience partially mediates the influence of mindfulness and self-compassion on depression.…”

The 5Cs of Positive Youth Development, Purpose in Life, Hope, and Well-Being Among Emerging Adults in Malaysia

“…Purpose in life can also act as a protective factor in relation to mental health (Galek et al, 2015;Aghababaei et al, 2016;Glaw et al, 2017), well-being (Stoyles et al, 2015), and happiness (Aghababaei and Błachnio, 2014). Those who exhibit a strong sense of purpose in life also express greater self-esteem (Błażek and Besta, 2012) and happiness (Crego et al, 2021), and less depression (Hartanto et al, 2020). In a study carried out among Chinese emerging adults, examined the effects of purpose in life with various variables in relation to mental health.…”