Trait Mindfulness Helps Shield Decision-Making From Translating Into Health-Risk Behavior

Abstract

Purpose The cognitive tendency toward mindfulness may influence the enactment of health and risk behaviors by its bringing increased attention to and awareness of decision-making processes underlying behavior. The present study examined the moderating effect of trait mindfulness on associations between intentions to smoke (ITS)/smoking refusal self-efficacy (SRSE) and smoking frequency. Methods Self-reports from Chinese adolescents (N=5,287; M age=16.2, SD=0.7; 48.8% female) were collected in 24 schools. Smoking frequency was regressed on latent factor interactions MAAS*ITS and MAAS*SRSE, adjusting for school clustering effects and covariates. Results Both interaction terms were significant in cross-sectional analyses and showed high ITS predicted higher smoking frequency among those low relative to high in trait mindfulness while low SRSE predicted higher smoking frequency among those low relative to high in trait mindfulness. Conclusions Findings suggest trait mindfulness possibly shields against decision-making processes that place adolescents at risk for smoking.

Does trait mindfulness level affect quitting cannabis use? A six week follow-up study

“…During the follow-up period of our study, we found that the level of trait mindfulness was significantly higher in GQ, or those that quit cannabis use, in comparison with GC, composed of individuals that tested positive for cannabis in at least one drug test. This result is consistent with other research studies that have reported that higher levels of mindfulness are negatively related with substance use frequency 43,44 . All individuals are born with the capacity to exercise mindfulness, although they may possess varying levels of the trait.…”

Mindfully green: Examining the effect of connectedness to nature on the relationship between mindfulness and engagement in pro-environmental behavior

“…Related research (Dijksterhuis & van Knippenberg, 2000;Black et al, 2012) indicates that heightened awareness inhibits automatic behavioral responses, aids in behavioral regulation, and makes alternative behavioral choices salient. Accordingly, we assessed pro-environmental behaviors that could be engaged in daily (e.g., recycling) and that were common sustainable alternatives to normative behaviors (e.g., carpooling to work).…”

“…Research also shows that mindfulness is significantly correlated with pro-environmental behaviors concerning diet, transportation, and housing (Brown & Kasser, 2005), suggesting that mindfulness focuses attention to available sustainable options. Consistent with the notion of mindfulness as a means of behavioral regulation (Langer & Moldoveanu, 2000), research indicates that mindfulness positively influences decision-making processes (Black, Sussman, Johnson, & Milan, 2012), influences behavioral motivation (Levesque & Brown, 2007), and that awareness inhibits automatic behavioral choices by making alternative behavioral choices more salient (Dijksterhuis & van Knippenberg, 2000). Regarding proenvironmental behavior, mindfulness might function to regulate behavior by increasing awareness of pro-environmental options (e.g., recycling a soda can vs. throwing a soda can in a trash bin).…”

A meta-analysis of the relationship between trait mindfulness and substance use behaviors

“…Identifying protective factors that prevent substance use behaviors and the development of problematic substance use behaviors is necessary in order to design more effective treatment and prevention approaches. One potentially important factor is trait mindfulness (Black et al, 2012; Bramm et al, 2013; Brewer et al, 2009; Brister, 2012; Marlatt et al, 2004; Rogojanski et al, 2011). The present meta-analysis examines the relationship between trait mindfulness and substance use behaviors, along with factors that could influence this relationship (e.g.…”