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On being aware and accepting: a one-year longitudinal study into adolescent well-being
Joseph Ciarrochi1, Todd B Kashdan, Peter Leeson
1School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia. joseph_ciarrochi@uow.edu.au
Journal of Adolescence
|October 19, 2010
Summary
Adolescent mindfulness and emotional acceptance promote prosocial behavior and increase well-being over time. These awareness skills are crucial for youth emotional development and positive social interaction.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Psychology
Background:
- The role of awareness and experiential acceptance in adolescent development is understudied.
- Existing research has not fully explored the link between these psychological constructs and adolescent well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between mindfulness, emotional awareness, experiential acceptance, and prosocial tendencies in adolescents.
- To examine the predictive power of these factors on changes in emotional well-being over a one-year period.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 776 Grade 10 students completed self-report measures of mindfulness, emotional awareness, experiential acceptance, personality traits, and prosocial tendencies.
- Emotional well-being was assessed at baseline and after a 1-year interval.
Main Results:
- "Acting with Awareness" (full engagement in present activities), emotional awareness, and experiential acceptance were significantly correlated with prosocial tendencies.
- These specific awareness and acceptance skills uniquely predicted increases in emotional well-being over the 1-year study period.
- Observing experience, while correlated with personality traits, did not predict changes in well-being.
Conclusions:
- Mindfulness skills, particularly "Acting with Awareness," alongside emotional awareness and experiential acceptance, are vital for fostering prosocial behavior in adolescents.
- These psychological constructs are important predictors of enhanced emotional well-being during adolescence.
- Interventions aimed at improving these awareness and acceptance skills may benefit adolescent psychological development.
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