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Published on: May 11, 2020
Does Mind Wandering Mediate the Association Between Mindfulness and Negative Mood? A Preliminary Study.
Yuzheng Wang1, Wei Xu2, Capella Zhuang3
1Beijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Department of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
Mindfulness positively impacts mood. Mind wandering mediates the link between mindfulness and negative mood, highlighting its role in emotional regulation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Mental Health
Background:
- Mindfulness, the awareness of present experience, is linked to emotional well-being.
- Mind wandering, or spontaneous thought unrelated to the immediate task, may influence this relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between trait mindfulness and mood states.
- To determine if mind wandering mediates the relationship between mindfulness and mood.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-two adults completed self-report measures of mindfulness (Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire), mood (Profile of Mood States), and mind wandering (Meditation Breath Attention Exercise).
Main Results:
- Trait mindfulness significantly correlated with both positive and negative mood.
- Mind wandering was found to mediate the relationship between mindfulness and negative mood.
Conclusions:
- Mind wandering plays a crucial role in how mindfulness influences negative mood.
- Interventions targeting mind wandering may enhance the mood benefits of mindfulness practices.
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