Does mindfulness practice promote psychological functioning or is it the other way around? A daily diary study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are widely used for psychological symptom reduction.
• Understanding the impact of mindfulness practice dosage is crucial for effective implementation.
• Previous research has not fully clarified the relationship between practice quantity and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between mindfulness practice dosage and psychological functioning.
• To examine the influence of practice time on positive affect, negative affect, and state mindfulness.
• To explore the causal direction between practice dosage and psychological outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week study involving 25 participants undergoing a standardized MBI (Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement).
• Daily diary assessments were used to collect data on practice time and psychological states.
• Two-part gamma regression models analyzed both the occurrence and amount of practice.

Main Results:

• Same-day relationships were observed between practice time and psychological outcomes.
• No evidence indicated that current day practice time predicted subsequent day outcomes.
• Higher current day negative affect predicted less subsequent practice, while higher mindfulness predicted more practice.
• Practice time moderated the relationship between daily affect, strengthening the link for positive affect and weakening it for negative affect.

Conclusions:

• The causal direction between mindfulness practice and outcomes may be reversed, with outcomes influencing practice.
• Psychological states appear to predict subsequent practice time, suggesting a potential recursive relationship.
• Further research, including microrandomized trials, is needed to clarify the role of practice dosage in MBIs.