Measuring mindfulness and examining its relationship with alcohol use and negative consequences

Mindfulness facets are differentially related with reward processing stages in striatum and alcohol use in adolescence

Attenuated functional processing of non-drug rewards in striatal regions is an important mechanism in the transition from normal to hazardous alcohol use. Recent interventions seek to enhance nondrug reward processing through mindfulness, a mechanism that targets attention regulation and self-regulatory processes. It is yet unclear which specific aspects of mindfulness and which stages of reward processing are relevant preventive targets, particularly in adolescence, where alcohol use is often initiated and reward relating processing streams undergo continuous maturation. Fifty-four 14- and 16-year-old adolescents (54% female) completed the monetary incentive delay task (MID) during event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. Alcohol use and dispositional mindfulness facets were measured using self-report instruments. Mindful Attention Regulation was positively associated with anticipatory reward processing in ventral striatum, whereas feedback-related processing in dorsal striatum was associated with the mindfulness facet Body-Listening. Only Attention Regulation was additionally associated with frequency of alcohol consumption and mediated the relationship between functional activation in ventral striatum during reward anticipation and alcohol use. Attention Regulation, beyond other mindfulness facets, might contribute to potentially triggering neural mechanisms of anticipatory, but not feedback-related reward processing and alcohol use, presenting a potential target for preventive efforts in combating transitions to substance-related disorders in adolescents.

The Association Between Mindfulness Facets and Substance Use via Emotional Psychopathology and Coping Motives in Argentinian College Students

Background: Prior studies suggest that lower levels of mindfulness contribute to the motivation of using alcohol to cope with distress. Research examining this possibility is scarce or limited to alcohol, but not marijuana, related outcomes. Objectives: We examined separate models (for alcohol and for marijuana) to determine the associations between trait mindfulness (describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reactivity) and alcohol and marijuana outcomes (use indicators and negative consequences) via emotional psychopathology (i.e., a latent variable assessing symptoms of depression and anxiety) and alcohol/marijuana coping motives. Results: The final analytic sample consisted of 456 participants (Mean age = 22.96 ± 3.12 years; 66.2% women) for the alcohol model; and 232 participants (Mean age = 22.96 ± 3.01 years; 66.2% women) for the marijuana model. Two path models were conducted, such that indirect paths were examined for each trait mindfulness facet on alcohol/marijuana outcomes (e.g., describing → emotional psychopathology → alcohol coping motives → binge drinking frequency). Within the comprehensive alcohol model, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging and non-reactivity were associated with less binge drinking frequency and lower number of alcohol-related negative consequences via lower severity of emotional psychopathology symptoms and lower endorsement of drinking to cope motives. For the marijuana model, describing, acting with awareness, and non-judging of inner experience were associated with less marijuana quantity (grams) consumed and lower number of marijuana-related negative consequences via lower severity of emotional psychopathology symptoms and lower endorsement of marijuana coping motives. Conclusions: Prevention and intervention programs of alcohol and marijuana in Argentina may benefit from improving mindfulness skills and targeting emotional psychopathology and motives to use drugs, to prevent or reduce negative drug-related consequences.

Psychological dimensions in alcohol use disorder: comparing active drinkers and abstinent patients

Background

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major public health concern due to its various physical, psychological, and social consequences. Despite regulatory differences, abstinence remains the primary treatment objective. Addressing the multifaceted nature of alcohol use disorder requires a comprehensive approach.

Methods

150 AUD patients (66%male) with a mean age of 54.10 ± 11.3 years were recruited for the study. Depression, impulsivity, alexithymia, and hopelessness were assessed to determine if there were significant differences in these dimensions between abstinent (N=72) and active drinkers (N=78).

Results

The study found significant differences in the psychological dimensions scores, active drinkers exhibited higher levels of depression, impulsivity, alexithymia, and hopelessness compared to abstinent patients.

Conclusion

Treatment outcomes for patients with AUD vary between regulatory agencies, but abstinence remains the safest and most preferred objective in managing AUD. Prioritizing abstinence-oriented interventions is crucial for achieving long term recovery and minimizing relapse risk. These results emphasize the intricate relationship between AUD and mental health issues, highlighting the need for comprehensive interventions addressing both alcohol consumption and associated psychological distress. Promoting abstinence (or at least reducing alcohol consumption) not only preserves mental health but also prevents life-threatening consequences such as suicide.

The circular argument relationship between mindfulness and mobile phone addiction: evidence based on the diary method

The link between civilization and technology has long been a hotspot of research around the world. Mobile phone addiction has become a common social phenomenon with advances in society and technology, wreaking havoc on people's emotional health, physical fitness, and personal connections. Considering the positive effects of mindfulness, this study used the diary method to explore the relationship between mindfulness and mobile phone addiction based on the mindfulness reperceiving model. We conducted a 14-day diary study among 198 Chinese youth participants. The results showed that there was a circular argument relationship between mindfulness and mobile phone addiction: mindfulness of the previous day could significantly negatively predict mobile phone addiction of the following day, and vice versa. These results, based on the mindfulness reperceiving model, effectively extend theories and profoundly reveal the circular argument relationship between mindfulness and mobile phone addiction. Besides, it also provides new thought for the mechanism of the interrelationship between mindfulness and mobile phone addiction, as an important theoretical support for the intervention of mobile phone addiction from the perspective of mindfulness.

Post-traumatic stress and future substance use outcomes: leveraging antecedent factors to stratify risk

Background

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis) are highly comorbid. Many factors affect this relationship, including sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics, other prior traumas, and physical health. However, few prior studies have investigated this prospectively, examining new substance use and the extent to which a wide range of factors may modify the relationship to PTSD.

Methods

The Advancing Understanding of RecOvery afteR traumA (AURORA) study is a prospective cohort of adults presenting at emergency departments (N = 2,943). Participants self-reported PTSD symptoms and the frequency and quantity of tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use at six total timepoints. We assessed the associations of PTSD and future substance use, lagged by one timepoint, using the Poisson generalized estimating equations. We also stratified by incident and prevalent substance use and generated causal forests to identify the most important effect modifiers of this relationship out of 128 potential variables.

Results

At baseline, 37.3% (N = 1,099) of participants reported likely PTSD. PTSD was associated with tobacco frequency (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.003, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01, p = 0.02) and quantity (IRR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.01, p = 0.01), and alcohol frequency (IRR: 1.002, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.004, p = 0.03) and quantity (IRR: 1.003, 95% CI: 1.001, 1.01, p = 0.001), but not with cannabis use. There were slight differences in incident compared to prevalent tobacco frequency and quantity of use; prevalent tobacco frequency and quantity were associated with PTSD symptoms, while incident tobacco frequency and quantity were not. Using causal forests, lifetime worst use of cigarettes, overall self-rated physical health, and prior childhood trauma were major moderators of the relationship between PTSD symptoms and the three substances investigated.

Conclusion

PTSD symptoms were highly associated with tobacco and alcohol use, while the association with prospective cannabis use is not clear. Findings suggest that understanding the different risk stratification that occurs can aid in tailoring interventions to populations at greatest risk to best mitigate the comorbidity between PTSD symptoms and future substance use outcomes. We demonstrate that this is particularly salient for tobacco use and, to some extent, alcohol use, while cannabis is less likely to be impacted by PTSD symptoms across the strata.

Drunkorexia and trait mindfulness among college students

Objective: Combined alcohol and disordered eating (drunkorexia) are alcohol fueled weight management behaviors. Mindfulness negatively relates to both disordered eating and alcohol use. Participants: Participants (n = 344, average age 20) were primarily female (85.2%, n = 293), and Caucasian (82.6%, n = 284). Methods: Students reported drunkorexia and mindfulness. Results: Drunkorexia behaviors were negatively correlated with Acting with Awareness (AA; full attention to a present moment; r = -.21, p < .001) and Nonjudgment (NJ; understanding and leniency toward oneself; r = -.22, p < .001). Drunkorexia motivations are significantly correlated with AA (r = -.13, p = .01) and NJ (r = -.18, p = .001). Structural equation modeling revealed higher levels of NJ related to higher levels of drunkorexia. Conclusion: The objective was to determine a potential relationship between drunkorexia behaviors and motivations, and trait mindfulness. Findings suggest a nonjudgmental disposition relates to lower levels of drunkorexia.

Integrated Alcohol Use and Sexual Assault Prevention Program for College Men Who Engage in Heavy Drinking: Randomized Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Sexual assault is prevalent on college campuses and most commonly is perpetrated by men. Problematically, there is a dearth of evidence-based prevention programs targeting men as perpetrators of sexual aggression. The Sexual Assault and Alcohol Feedback and Education (SAFE) program is an integrated alcohol and sexual assault prevention intervention for college men who engage in heavy drinking that aims to address sexual aggression proclivity and alcohol use outcomes by incorporating social norms theory, bystander intervention, and motivational interviewing.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to examine the initial feasibility-, acceptability-, and efficacy-related outcomes of a randomized pilot trial of an integrated alcohol and sexual assault prevention program for college men who engage in heavy drinking.

METHODS

This study included 115 college men who engaged in heavy drinking, who were randomly assigned to the SAFE program or a mindfulness-based control condition (MBCC). The feasibility of implementation, adequacy of participant retention, fidelity and competency of program administration, and satisfaction and utility of the intervention were evaluated. The primary outcomes of alcohol use and sexual aggression were evaluated at 2 and 6 months after baseline. The secondary outcomes of perceived peer norms, risks for sexual aggression, and bystander intervention were also assessed. The extent to which the motivational interviewing session with personalized normative feedback facilitated changes in the proximal outcomes of drinking intentions, motivation to change, and self-efficacy was also examined.

RESULTS

The study procedures resulted in high program completion and retention (>80%), high fidelity to the program manual (>80% of the content included), high competency in program administration, and high ratings of satisfaction and program utility in addressing sexual relationships and alcohol use. Both groups reported declines in the number of drinks per week and number of heavy drinking days. Compared with the MBCC participants, the SAFE participants reported higher motivation to change alcohol use after the program, as well as greater use of alcohol protective behavioral strategies at 6 months. Compared with the MBCC participants, the SAFE participants also reported lower perceived peer engagement in sexual coercion, perceived peer comfort with sexism, and peer drinking norms at 2 and 6 months. However, no group differences were observed in sexual aggression severity, rape myth acceptance, or the labeling of sexual consent. Results regarding bystander intervention intentions were mixed, with the MBCC group showing decreased intentions at 2 months and the SAFE group reporting increased intentions at both 2 and 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings provide promising evidence for the feasibility, acceptability, utility, and preliminary efficacy of the SAFE program in reducing alcohol use and positively influencing perceived peer norms and intentions for bystander intervention among college men who drink.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05773027; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05773027.

Effect of fear of missing out on learning burnout in medical students: a moderated mediation

Introduction

Learning burnout has a significant negative impact on students' academic performance and professional development, which has been exacerbated by the growing trend of problematic smartphone use, such as smartphone addiction, among young people. Recently, the literature on excessive social media use has revealed a critical role of fear of missing out. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine how fear of missing out affects smartphone addiction and its subsequent effect on learning burnout in college students.

Methods

In Study 1, 352 medical students were recruited to complete a cross-sectional survey. In Study 2, 2,948 college students were recruited to complete a cross-sectional survey. Further in Study 3, 30 medical students were recruited into a mindfulness-based intervention program.

Results

Study 1 preliminarily confirmed that fear of missing out was positively correlated with learning burnout. Study 2 then revealed a moderated mediation model showing that fear of missing out may increase smartphone addiction, which in turn affects their sleep quality and finally leads to learning burnout. This chain mediation model was moderated by the participants' level of mindfulness. To confirm the promoting role of mindfulness, Study 3 further confirmed that mindfulness training indeed can improve smartphone addiction and reduce learning burnout in medical students.

Discussion

Theoretical and practical contributions were discussed, highlighting the effects of fear of missing out on smartphone addiction and a moderating role of mindfulness training.

The Relationship between Mindfulness and Readiness to Change in Alcohol Drinkers

Mindfulness is a multi-faceted construct that involves paying attention to thoughts and emotions without automatically reacting and being critical of them. Recent research has suggested that mindfulness might play an important role in reducing problematic alcohol use. Further, Readiness to Change (RTC) is related to motivation to change drinking behaviours. The RTC scale identifies motivation to change drinking behaviours including Precontemplation, Contemplation, and Action stages. The current study investigated, for the first time, the relationship between mindfulness (and its facets) and RTC in relation to drinking behaviours. Undergraduate students from Western Sydney University (N = 279) were screened for drinking levels using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and then completed the Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCT) and the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), which includes the following facets: Acting with Awareness, Non-Judging of Inner Experience, Non-Reactivity to Inner Experience, Describing, and Observing. Results show that overall, mindfulness and its facets negatively correlated with RTC. Multiple regression analysis further showed that Awareness and Non-Judgement facets negatively predicted RTC. These findings provide insight into how the facets of mindfulness interact with the drinking motives of individuals and their intentions to change drinking behaviours. Based on these findings, we recommend the incorporation of mindfulness techniques in interventions targeting problematic drinking.

Is Mindfulness Associated With Safer Cannabis Use? A Latent Profile Analysis of Dispositional Mindfulness Among College Students Who Use Cannabis

Objectives

Previous research cites mindfulness as a protective factor against risky substance use, but the specific association between dispositional mindfulness (DM) and cannabis use has been inconsistent. Despite known heterogeneity of DM facets across college students, much of the prior research in this area has relied on variable-centered approaches. Only a handful of prior studies within the cannabis literature have utilized person-centered approaches, and only one has specifically examined unique profiles of dispositional mindfulness in relation to patterns of use among college students.

Method

The present study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify subtypes of DM and their relationships with cannabis use behaviors (i.e., hazardous use and consequences of use) in a sample of 683 U.S. college students who endorsed past-month cannabis use and participated in an online survey of substance use behaviors, hypothesizing that a three-profile model would be replicated. We also examined whether age and prior experience with mindfulness predicted DM profile membership (hypothesizing that these variables would differentially predict membership) and explored mean differences in alcohol use across profiles.

Results

LPA results revealed three discrete profiles of DM: non-judgmentally aware, judgmentally observing, and moderate traits. Participants in the non-judgmentally aware profile were less likely to have prior mindfulness experience than the other profiles, but age did not predict profile membership. Judgmentally observing had more hazardous cannabis use and consequences than the other profiles, and no mean differences emerged on alcohol use.

Conclusions

These results build upon the only known study that investigated how DM relates to cannabis use. Further research is needed to elucidate this relationship, which can inform the application of mindfulness interventions for hazardous cannabis use in college students.

Pre-registration

This study was not pre-registered.

Validity of the 15-item five-facet mindfulness questionnaire among an ethnically diverse sample of university students

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the psychometrics of the 15-item version of the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15).

PARTICIPANTS

An ethnically diverse sample of 538 college students participated in this study.

METHODS

The factor structure was evaluated through confirmatory factor analyses fitting 64 alternative models with and without method factors. Model fit as well as valid interpretations of the model parameters were considered in selecting the final model. Utilizing the final selected model, the relationship between mindfulness and the mindfulness facets with two related constructs, psychological inflexibility and emotional distress tolerance was examined.

RESULTS

The five-facet second-order model with a single-method factor best fitted to the data and provided sound, interpretable estimates. After accounting for the single-method effect, overall mindfulness was positively correlated with emotional distress tolerance and negatively correlated with psychological inflexibility.

CONCLUSIONS

The FFMQ-15 was a valid measure of mindfulness among university students when accounting for the method factor.

Relationship Between Mindfulness and Physical Activity in College Students: The Mediating Effect of Eudaimonic Well-Being

Previous research has shown many benefits of mindfulness for physical and psychological health, including its link to such health behaviors as increased physical activity (PA). We re-examined the association between mindfulness and PA to better understand a possible mediating role of eudaimonic well-being in this association, while controlling for participants' age, gender, and affect. We had 738 undergraduate student participants (45.0% females; M age = 19.58 years) complete measures of trait mindfulness, eudaimonic well-being, and PA, and we used age, gender, and affect as covariates in a single-wave assessment. We conducted this mediation analysis with a bootstrapping technique to produce 10,000 resamples. We replicated findings of a significant relationship between mindfulness and enhanced eudaimonic well-being (β = 0.474, p < 0.001), which in turn contributed to increased PA (β = 0.193, p < 0.001). The bootstrapping method indicated a significant indirect effect of eudaimonic well-being (β = 0.092, 95% CI = [0.043, 0.142]) in the relationship between mindfulness and PA through eudaimonic well-being. Thus, eudaimonic well-being may mediate the connection between mindfulness and PA. College administrators should consider incorporating mindfulness into health promotion programs as a means of enhancing college students' well-being and health behaviors.

Effect of mindfulness on online impulse buying: Moderated mediation model of problematic internet use and emotional intelligence

Introduction

Online impulse buying behavior is an unplanned urge to buy a product or service in an online setting and it has several negative consequences for customers, such as guilt and financial distress, and e-commerce firms, such as higher returns and customer complaints. Evidently, it is important to examine the various psychological processes which may assist in a better understanding, therefore addressing the high prevalence of online impulse buying. This study builds upon self-regulation theory to explore how mindfulness influences online impulse buying, and examines problematic internet use as a mediator in the relationship between mindfulness and online impulse buying. Further, this study investigates how emotional intelligence as a moderator plays the role of a suppressant on the adverse impact of problematic Internet use which fuels online impulse buying.

Method

A total of 598 individuals working with various servicebased industries responded to the questionnaire. Multiple regression and moderated mediation analysis was used using SPSS and AMOS for analyzing the data.

Result

Problematic internet use mediates the relationship between mindfulness and online impulse buying behavior. Emotional intelligence negatively moderates the relationship between problematic internet use and online impulse buying behavior.

Discussion

This study findings outlined the inverse relationship of mindfulness & online impulse buying, along with the mediating effect of problematic internet use between mindfulness and online impulse buying. Further, this study showed how emotional intelligence played an important role as a moderator by suppressing the adverse impact of problematic Internet use and preventing online impulse buying. The study offers implications to online marketers in regulating the unplanned purchase process-while minimizing uninhibited buying behavior that leads to regret, and the subsequent intention to return products. Further, social and theoretical implications are discussed.

Mindful Lawyering: a Pilot Study on Mindfulness Training for Law Students

Objectives

Many US law schools are now offering elective courses in mindfulness training to alleviate disproportionately high levels of anxiety, depression, stress, and disordered alcohol use among law students. To date, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of these courses has been lacking. The aim of this pilot study was to explore the feasibility and impact of a 13‐week mindfulness course, “Mindful Lawyering,” specifically tailored to law students. The primary hypothesis was that mindfulness training would be significantly correlated with improvements in well-being and mindfulness.

Methods

The design was a non-randomized, quasi-experimental study involving 64 law students. The mindfulness group was 31 students taking Mindful Lawyering; the comparison group was 33 students taking other law school courses. Outcome measures were the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; the Positive and Negative Affect Scale; the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire.

Results

Results provide promising evidence to support the hypothesis. The mindfulness group showed significantly greater improvement on measures of stress (p < .001, d = 1.15), anxiety (p < .001, d = . 90), depression (p = .012, d = .66), negative affect (p = .002, d = .81), disordered alcohol use (p = .011, d = .67), and mindfulness (p < .001, d = 1.32) from pre to post relative to the comparison group. The course was well accepted and feasible for law students.

Conclusions

Findings from the current study suggest that mindfulness training may occasion improvements in the well-being of law students. More research is needed to replicate these findings in larger, randomized samples of law students.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-022-01965-w.

Psychometric properties of Persian version of five facets of mindfulness questionnaire

Background

Many tools have been designed to measure mindfulness. Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) is one of the most widely used tools. This study was done to investigate psychometric properties FFMQ in Iranian students.

Materials and Methods

FFMQ was translated into Persian and administered in 571 students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Tehran University of Medical Science. Samples were selected using convenience sampling method. A battery including Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Spielberger's Trait Anxiety Questionnaire, and Affect Control Scales was used in studies for examining divergent, convergent, and discriminant validity. Data were analyzed using Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability, and confirmatory factor analysis.

Results

Results of this study supported the five-factor structure of FFMQ (root mean square error of approximation = 0.06, Comparative Fit Index = 0.81 Goodness of Fit Index = 0.91, and Normed Fit Index = 0.87). There was a significantly negative correlation between the FFMQ with DERS, Trait Anxiety, Affect Control, suppression sub-scale of ERQ, and there was a positive correlation with reappraisal subscale of ERQ. The Cronbach's alpha for the FFMQ was. 78.

Conclusion

FFMQ have good psychometric properties in Iranian student sample, and it can be used in studies on student populations.

Delaying Gratification's role in the relationship between facets of mindfulness and substance use outcomes

The present study examined whether five facets of mindfulness (acting with awareness, describing, observing, non-judging of inner experience, and non-reactivity to inner experience) relate to alcohol and cannabis outcomes (quantity of use and negative consequences) via delaying gratification. Participants were college students across seven universities who used alcohol (n = 1467) and/or cannabis (n = 647) in the last 30 days. For the alcohol analytic sample, the majority of students identified as being female (71.1%) and reported a mean age of 20.04 (Median = 19.00; SD = 3.47) years. For the cannabis analytic sample, the majority of students identified as being female (69.7%) and reported a mean age of 19.63 (Median = 19.00; SD = 2.85). Within our model, significant indirect effects were only found for two mindfulness facets. Specifically, the indirect effects from acting with awareness (alcohol indirect β = -0.026, SE = 0.006; cannabis indirect β = -0.019, SE = 0.008) and observing (alcohol indirect β = -0.017, SE = 0.005; cannabis indirect β = -0.015, SE = 0.007) to consequences via delaying gratification and quantity were significant for both the alcohol and cannabis models, such that acting with awareness and observing were associated with higher delaying gratification; which in turn was associated with lower quantity of use, which in turn was associated with fewer consequences for both the cannabis and alcohol models. Our findings suggest that delaying gratification is important to understanding the relationship between specific mindfulness facets (i.e., acting with awareness and observing) and alcohol and cannabis outcomes. Mindfulness interventions aimed at reducing substance use may benefit from targeting delaying gratification through increasing acting with awareness and observing.

Emotion regulation and substance use: A meta-analysis

There has been exponential growth in research on emotion regulation and substance use in the past decade. The current meta-analysis evaluated variability in the magnitude of the relation between aspects of emotion regulation and substance use. A search of PsycINFO, Embase, PubMed, CINAHL Plus, and PILOTS in December 2020 resulted in 6642 initial studies, of which 95 met inclusion criteria (association between emotion regulation and substance use was reported, participants were > 18 years old, article was in English). A total of 445 effects were obtained (N = 156,025 participants; weighted M_age = 29.31; 59.5% female; 66.1% White; 76.6% non-clinical). Emotion regulation and substance use were significantly related (r = 0.19; p < 0.001; 95%CI [0.17, 0.20]). Emotion regulation abilities were generally more strongly related to substance use than emotion regulation strategies; this pattern was stronger for behavioral vs. cognitive abilities and extended to both negative and positive emotions. Relations were stronger for older and clinical samples; mixed effects were found for sex and no conclusive effects were found for race. Despite limitations of the existing literature (e.g., cross-sectional, self-reports), results indicated that the magnitude of the relation between emotion regulation and substance use varied considerably as a function of emotion regulation and substance use constructs and sample characteristics.

Exploring the Optimal Factor Structure of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire: Associations Between Mindfulness Facets and Dimensions of Psychopathology

Recent studies of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and its condensed version (FFMQ-SF) fail to replicate the initially proposed five-factor structure in clinical samples. Failure to adequately understand the dimensionality of common mindfulness measures within clinical samples, therefore, represents an important gap in the current literature. The increasing popularity of mindfulness-based interventions warrants further investigation of differential associations between facets of mindfulness and different forms of psychopathology. We examined (a) the underlying structure of the FFMQ and FFMQ-SF, and (b) associations between FFMQ and FFMQ-SF facets and dimensions of psychopathology (i.e., internalizing and substance use disorders) in two large clinical samples (N = 2,779). Results from bass-ackwards analyses suggested similarly defensible five- and six-factor model solutions in terms of fit. The five-factor model was optimal when factoring in parsimony. Exploratory structural equation modeling revealed that all FFMQ facets with the exception of observe were negatively associated with the internalizing factor. Associations with substance use disorders were more complex. In both samples, five-factor FFMQ and FFMQ-SF models were determined to best represent these data. Whereas deficits in all FFMQ facets with the exception of observe correspond with lower internalizing psychopathology, a more nuanced association was observed with substance use disorders.

A Short-Term Longitudinal Investigation of the Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness and Female-Perpetrated Dating Violence

Within the past several decades, dating violence has emerged as a major health problem, with rates of physical violence ranging from 20% to 30% and psychological aggression ranging from 60% to 90% in college dating relationships. Despite this, there have been few successful dating violence prevention programs developed. Thus, it is imperative that research can identify the relationship between potential protective factors, such as trait mindfulness, and dating violence perpetration. This study builds upon previous research on mindfulness and dating violence by investigating this question within a sample of female undergraduate students at two universities (N = 381) over the course of one semester. Findings suggested that the nonjudging aspect of mindfulness was associated with less perpetration of psychological and physical aggression approximately 3 months later. Furthermore, several facets of mindfulness were able to differentiate individuals who perpetrated aggression at Time 2 relative to individuals without a history of perpetration. These findings build on previous work in the field and suggest that mindfulness may play an important role in the manifestation of dating violence. Directions for future research on the relation between mindfulness and dating violence are discussed.

Awareness, affect, and craving during smoking cessation: An experience sampling study

OBJECTIVE

Mindfulness has received attention in smoking cessation research, yet the mechanisms by which mindfulness may promote smoking cessation are not well understood. Mindfulness training may help individuals increase awareness and respond skillfully to processes that contribute to smoking, such as affective states and craving. This study used experience sampling (ES) to test how awareness was related to craving, positive and negative affect and smoking, in the moment, among smokers in treatment for smoking cessation.

METHOD

Participants (N = 228) were part of a clinical trial evaluating Craving to Quit, a smartphone app for mindfulness training for smoking cessation, compared to an app delivering only ES. All participants were asked to complete 22 days of ES, with up to 6 ES surveys per day, measuring awareness, craving, positive and negative affect and smoking. Data were analyzed using multilevel linear modeling.

RESULTS

Both at the within and between-person level, higher awareness was associated with higher positive affect, lower craving and lower negative affect. Lower within-person craving was associated with lower smoking. Within-person awareness, positive and negative affect were not significantly associated with smoking. At the between-person level, higher awareness and higher positive affect, and lower negative affect and lower craving were associated with lower smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness of current experience was related to key psychological variables linked to behavior change in smoking cessation, namely positive and negative affect and craving, among smokers trying to quit. Future studies should test whether learning to increase awareness, such as through mindfulness training, may benefit smokers in treatment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

The mindful shield: The effects of mindfulness training on resilience and leadership in military leaders

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to address military leader perceptions of their resilience, transformational leadership behaviors, and leadership effectiveness before and after experiencing Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT).

METHODS

Participants were formal and informal leaders in the Kansas Air National Guard. The study used a mixed-methods sequential exploratory design. Phase I involved analyzing pretest and posttest results obtained from a Jha Lab study for three self-report assessments in an intervention group (n = 36) vs a control group (n = 37). The qualitative data in phase II was obtained from individual interviews of participants (n = 12) following the Jha Lab study.

RESULTS

The phase I quantitative results confirmed the null hypotheses-no significant differences found-for all research questions. Phase II resulted in eight thematic codes, six of which were central to the experiences described by participants (Halting, Sensing, Being, Shielding, Considering, and Engaging) and two that were not (Obstructing, and Escaping).

CONCLUSIONS

The key finding was that the descriptions of mindful thoughts and behaviors were consistent across participants indicating that MBAT accurately presents mindfulness during the course and the training had positive effects on participant mindfulness, primarily in the areas of being present to self, shielding the self through reperceiving, and then consciously altering behavior based on the new perspective. Results should direct future resiliency course development, leadership course curricula, and aid understanding of how leaders mentally conceptualize stress, incorporate resilient behaviors and then apply that knowledge to their own leadership behaviors.

Training emotion regulation processes in alcohol-abstinent individuals: A pilot study

The study aimed to assess whether abstinent individuals with alcohol use disorders (AUD) would benefit from enhanced emotional regulation (ER) strategies using the affect regulation training (ART) program based on weekly sessions comprising psycho-education, muscle and respiratory relaxation, awareness, acceptance and tolerance, compassionate personal support, emotion analysis and modification. Seventy-two participants with AUD benefited from ART and were compared on their ER ability, mindfulness, and their experience of abstinence to 40 participants not receiving the program, before it, at the end, and 6 months after. Improvements in ER were observed, particularly in positive centration, action centration or self-blame and in mindfulness abilities after the program and six months later. In addition, by comparing participants who received the program with a short (<18 months) or long (>18 months) abstinence duration, the results showed a greater decrease in the use of non-adaptive strategies, a greater increase in adaptive strategies and mindfulness abilities in short-term abstinent individuals. These results demonstrate improvement in ER skills after training in people who were abstinent from alcohol. ART is effective for consolidating abstinence and should be used especially at the beginning of withdrawal to promote the rapid implementation of new ER strategies.

Examining the Prospective Associations Between Mindfulness Facets and Substance Use in Emerging Adulthood

AIMS

Emerging adulthood (i.e. ages 18-25) is a developmental phase associated with frequent alcohol and cannabis use, placing this population at risk for substance use problems. Depression and anxiety (i.e. emotional psychopathology) are also prevalent during this phase, and some emerging adults use substances to cope with these negative emotions. Mindfulness-a multifaceted construct-involves being present in a nonjudgmental and nonreactive way. Certain mindfulness facets are particularly relevant in buffering against substance use. A recent longitudinal study [Single A, Bilevicius E, Johnson EA. et al. (2019) Specific facets of trait mindfulness reduce risk for alcohol and drug use among first-year undergraduate students. Mindfulness  10:1269-1279] showed that specific mindfulness facets (i.e. acting with awareness, nonjudging of inner experience and nonreactivity to inner experience) predicted decreased alcohol and drug use in undergraduates. These pathways were explained by low levels of emotional psychopathology.

METHODS

This study expanded this recent work by using a three time-point longitudinal design and by including measures of both alcohol and cannabis use and related problems. Using MTurk, participants (N = 299) completed online measures of trait mindfulness, depression, anxiety, alcohol and cannabis use and related problems at three time-points, each 2 weeks apart. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.

RESULTS

The acting with awareness and nonjudging of inner experience facets predicted fewer alcohol problems, but not alcohol use, and this effect was mediated by low levels of emotional psychopathology. These results were not supported for cannabis use and problems.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that there may be differences in the pathways from trait mindfulness to alcohol and cannabis use during emerging adulthood.

Examining Transdiagnostic Factors among Firefighters in Relation to Trauma Exposure, Probable PTSD, and Probable Alcohol Use Disorder

Firefighters represent a distinct group of first responders that are at heightened risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Assessing the role of transdiagnostic factors that underlie PTSD-AUD associations can inform specialized interventions among this population. This study included urban firefighters (N = 657) with probable PTSD-AUD (n = 27), probable PTSD-alone (n = 35), probable AUD-alone (n = 125), and trauma-exposure-only (n = 470). Methods: All firefighters completed a self-report, online questionnaire battery. Between group differences in anxiety sensitivity (AS), distress tolerance (DT), mindfulness, and emotional regulation difficulties (ERD) were assessed. It was hypothesized that firefighters with probable PTSD-AUD would endorse elevated AS and ERD, and reduced DT and mindfulness in comparison to all other diagnostic groups. Relationship status was included as a covariate in all comparisons. Results: Firefighters with probable PTSD-AUD endorsed elevated AS and ERD, and reduced DT and mindfulness in comparison to firefighters with trauma-exposure-only and probable AUD-alone. Firefighters with probable PTSD-AUD and probable PTSD-alone did not significantly differ. Conclusions: Given these findings, this line of inquiry has great potential to inform specialized, evidence-based mental health programming among firefighter populations, who represent a unique population susceptible to trauma-exposure, PTSD symptomology, and problematic alcohol use.

Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-being: Role of Mindfulness Mediated by Self-Control and Negative Affect

With the growing concern about excessive Internet use and accompanying adverse psychosocial outcomes, unveiling the underlying mechanisms related to problematic Internet use has become an important topic to study. The present study examines the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and psychosocial well-being through problematic Internet use. An attempt has also been made to investigate whether negative affect and self-control are useful in explaining the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and problematic Internet use or not. The data was derived from a questionnaire survey of 246 postgraduate management students from a leading business school (approximately 48% females) and structural equation modelling technique was used for data analysis. The results suggest that higher mindfulness is associated with lower problematic Internet use, and the relationship is partially mediated by negative affect and self-control. Problematic Internet use partially mediate the relationship between mindfulness and depression/loneliness (indicators of psychosocial well-being). The study outcomes may prove helpful in empirical understanding of previously unidentified mediating mechanisms through which mindfulness may impact problematic Internet use, which further influences psychosocial well-being. Limitations and future directions, as well as potential implications, are also discussed.

Alexithymia and Problematic Mobile Phone Use: A Moderated Mediation Model

Alexithymia has been studied with its impact on problematic mobile phone use. However, none of these studies has examined the roles of mindfulness facets in this relationship. To address this issue, a total of 901 Chinese undergraduate students participated in this study and were tested with questionnaires for measuring their levels of alexithymia, problematic mobile phone use, and mindfulness facets. A moderated mediation model was constructed to examine the roles of mindfulness facets in the association between alexithymia and problematic mobile phone use. The results showed that after controlling for age and sex, alexithymia positively predicted problematic mobile phone use both directly (β = 0.157, p < 0.001) and indirectly via mindfulness facet of acting with awareness (16^th, 50^th, and 84^th percentiles of observing were −5.371, β = 0.019; −0.371, β = 0.216; and 4.629, β = 0.242, respectively, and the 95% confidence intervals were 0.142 to 0.246; 0.167 to 0.269; and 0.186 to 0.3, respectively). The facet of acting with awareness partially mediated this relationship in a negative way. Further, the facet of observing moderated the path between alexithymia and the facet of acting with awareness: with a higher level of observing, the negative association between alexithymia and acting with awareness became more negative (alexithymia × observing, β = −0.006, p = 0.001, 95% confidence interval −0.01 to −0.003). The current study advanced our understanding of the mechanism underlying the connection between alexithymia and problematic mobile phone use and helped to investigate how mindfulness skills benefited the individuals.

Associations of Five Facets of Mindfulness With Self-Regulation in College Students

Mindfulness has been associated with positive mental health functioning across a range of constructs, including self-regulation. Most of this research, however, has investigated mindfulness as a unidimensional domain. Few studies have examined the relationships between specific facets of mindfulness and particular dimensions of self-regulation, including delay of gratification and emotion regulation, despite relevance for mindfulness-based interventions. Two hundred and seventy-eight undergraduate college student participants completed a series of questionnaires examining dispositional mindfulness, difficulties with emotion regulation, and delay of gratification skills. Linear regressions investigated the associations between five facets of mindfulness and each of the two components of self-regulation. Findings revealed that describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreacting mindfulness facets were negatively associated with difficulties with emotion regulation, and that observing, acting with awareness, and nonjudging mindfulness facets were positively associated with delay of gratification skills, after accounting for the effects of the other mindfulness subscales. These preliminary findings may have important clinical relevance, as greater self-regulation has critical implications for social, emotional, and academic functioning.

Mindful Awareness: Can a Neuro-Developmentally Timed Approach Prevent Youth Substance Misuse

Youth substance use remains a significant public health issue. Although there are numerous evidence-based substance use preventive interventions, room for program improvement remains. Mindfulness practice, due to its feasibility of implementation, capacity to promote neuro-networks associated with delayed substance use initiation and progression to substance use disorders, and efficacy in promoting protective and reducing risk factors associated with substance use, may constitute one strategy for increasing the effectiveness of substance use preventive interventions. However, mindfulness-based approaches to substance use prevention have yet to be systematically tested with youth. In this conceptual paper, we first define mindfulness and its potential, through practice, to strengthen neuro-circuitry associated with substance use disorders. We then review evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based preventive interventions to promote protective factors and reduce risk factors known to predict youth substance use. Thus, a case is made for neuro-developmentally timed, mindfulness-based substance use preventive interventions, with the ultimate goal of preventing future substance misuse and associated health consequences.

Mindfulness training for clinically elevated social anxiety: The impact on peak drinking

Social anxiety is related to more drinking in high-risk drinking situations and to more drinking-related problems. Given the rise in mindfulness-based interventions for social anxiety, it is important to test whether drinking impacts outcomes among individuals with clinically elevated social anxiety. Undergraduates with clinically elevated social anxiety were randomly assigned to mindfulness training (n = 29) or thinking-as-usual control (n = 29). They were encouraged to practice mindfulness or thinking-as-usual in response to social events daily for two-weeks following baseline. Follow-up measures were completed one month post-baseline. The interaction of baseline peak estimated blood alcohol content (eBAC) X condition predicted one-month follow-up peak eBAC such that among those with greater (but not lower) baseline eBAC, mindfulness was related to lower follow-up eBAC compared to control. Similarly, mindfulness training resulted in less post-training anxiety among those with greater (but not lower) baseline eBAC. However, this effect was not evident during a two-week practice period nor at one-month follow-up. Rather, at one-month follow-up, the interaction of baseline eBAC X condition predicted follow-up mindfulness (non-reactivity); among those with higher (but not lower) baseline eBAC, mindfulness training was associated with less follow-up mindfulness than the control condition. Results indicate that among those with greater baseline peak eBAC, mindfulness practice resulted in lower follow-up eBAC compared to control among those with clinically elevated social anxiety. However, although mindfulness training may result in less anxiety in the short-term among heavy drinkers with social anxiety, this effect did not last longer-term. Rather, heavier drinkers evinced poorer longer-term mindfulness-related outcomes.

Relations among motives, negative urgency, and mindfulness skills in college drinkers

Heavy alcohol use continues to be a common problem among the college student population, and numerous negative consequences can be attributed to student drinking. Several factors, including drinking motives and impulsivity, have been studied to better understand college drinking behaviors. Research has identified that coping motives (i.e., drinking to reduce negative affect) and negative urgency (i.e., the tendency for rash reaction in response to negative affect) are both closely linked to alcohol-related problems and to one another. The primary purpose of this study was to test if mindfulness skills moderate the relation between negative urgency and drinking to cope. To test for moderation, 683 college student drinkers responded to self-report measures of drinking behaviors, drinking motives, impulsivity, and daily utilization of mindfulness skills. Four separate regression models tested for the mindfulness skills of observing, describing, acting with awareness, and accepting without judgment as potential moderators to the relation between negative urgency and coping motives. The mindfulness skill of accepting without judgment significantly moderated (i.e., dampened) the positive relation between negative urgency and drinking to cope. Results may be useful in developing targeted intervention and prevention efforts to test among students, as skills training may benefit individuals with long-standing impulsive personality traits who engage in the traditionally problematic behavior of drinking to cope.

The relationship of mindfulness and mindfulness-related practices with alcohol use among Hispanics/Latinx

Hispanics/Latinx (H/Ls) are the largest ethnic minority group in the U.S., and three of the four leading causes of death are associated with problematic alcohol use. This study examined the relationship between mindfulness and alcohol use among H/Ls and whether differences emerged by sub-ethnicity. Participants (N = 341; 49.7% female; average age=28.57) were H/Ls currently living in the U.S. Survey questions were answered online in English or Spanish. Participants primarily endorsed engaging in informal mindfulness practices (47.5%), spiritual practices (25.2%), and mindfulness meditation (24.6%). No significant differences emerged among H/L sub-ethnicities. Spiritual practices and higher mindfulness were associated with less problematic alcohol use among the entire sample. Similar results were found among drinkers-only. Findings shed light on commonly used mindfulness practices and indicate that very few differences emerge among H/L sub-ethnicities on mindfulness practices and general mindfulness. The delivery/tailoring of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may not need to differ amongst H/L sub-ethnicities in the U.S. Aspects of mindfulness appear protective regarding problematic alcohol use, suggesting that future MBIs that increase mindfulness should be explored for this population.

Development of a Short Form of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Adolescents for Children and Adolescents

The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) assesses several dimensions of mindfulness. The objective of this study was to develop a short version of the FFMQ for children and adolescents. The main sample consisted of 829 participants (51% boys; 10-18 years old). From this initial sample, 789 participants (49% boys) completed the FFMQ at a 6-month follow-up. A second independent sample (N = 418, 50% boys; 12-16 years old) was used to confirm the factor structure. Confirmatory factor analyses with the full version supported a structure composed of 5 correlated factors (1 per facet) plus 2 correlated method factors representing the method effect (positive and negative) of the items. From this model, the FFMQ-A-SF was derived, consisting of 25 items (5 per facet). The measure displayed adequate internal consistency, and invariance was confirmed over time and across different age groups. The analysis of the relationship between mindfulness facets and temperament and psychological problems provided additional evidence for the construct validity of the questionnaire. It is concluded that the FFMQ-A-SF presents acceptable validity and reliability in children and adolescents. However, the positive versus negative wording of the items could affect the responses of younger participants.

Feasibility, acceptability and preliminary outcomes of a mindfulness-based relapse prevention program in a naturalistic setting among treatment-seeking patients with alcohol use disorder: a prospective observational study

OBJECTIVES

Cultural differences between the USA and France led us to examine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy data on craving, quality of life and psychological flexibility of the add-on Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) programme in alcohol use disorder (AUD) in France.

DESIGN

We conducted a prospective observational study with a 6-month follow-up.

SETTING

The study was performed in a naturalistic setting with adult outpatients from an addiction department.

PARTICIPANTS

We included all patients with a current AUD who participated in the MBRP programme (n=52). There was no non-inclusion criterion.

INTERVENTIONS

The intervention was an 8-week MBRP programme, combining elements of traditional relapse prevention cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness meditation training. This was an eight-session closed-group programme.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcomes were the number of attended treatment sessions, home practice frequency and dropout rate. Secondary outcomes were changes in craving, quality of life, psychological flexibility, drinking outcomes, depression, anxiety and mindfulness levels.

RESULTS

The average number of completed sessions was 6.6 (SD: 1.9). Most participants introduced mindfulness meditation into their everyday lives: 69% and 49% of included patients maintained formal practice at 3 and 6 months, respectively, and 80% and 64% maintained informal practice at 3 and 6 months, respectively. Most participants used mindfulness techniques to face high-risk situations (56% at 6 months). Participants reported a significant reduction in craving, days of alcohol use, depression and anxiety and an increase in mindfulness and psychological flexibility at 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The MBRP programme showed good acceptability and feasibility. MBRP seemed to improve craving, mindfulness and psychological flexibility. Comparative studies are needed to evaluate the programme's efficacy in AUD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

2200863 v 0.

On the role of mindfulness and compassion skills in students' coping, well-being, and development across the transition to college: A conceptual analysis

In this paper, we aim to integrate the current conceptual approaches to stress and coping processes during the college transition with the potential role of mindfulness and compassion (MC) skills on students' well-being and development. First, we provide an overview of the issues and challenges emerging adults are facing during the transition to college, drawing on the revised version of the transactional stress model by Lazarus and Folkman (1984). Second, we introduce a conceptual model of adaptive stress and coping processes enhanced by MC skills to positively impact the appraisal and coping resources and emerging adults' mental health. Specifically, MC skills may play an important role in promoting a healthy stress response by strengthening emerging adults' socioemotional competencies and supporting the development of adaptive appraisal and coping resources, including processes antecedent and consequent to a coping encounter. In particular, MC skills were hypothesized to enhance (a) preparedness to cope, (b) productive stress response through adaptive appraisals and skillful deployment of coping resources, and (c) healthy postcoping reflections. Therefore, MC skills may be a useful preventive tool to strengthen emerging adults' ability to adjust to a new academic environment and fulfil the developmental tasks of this period.

Psychological Determinants of Drug Abuse among Male Adolescents in Isfahan: A Structural Model

Background:

Drug abuse is one of the most prevalent public health problems around the world and Iran too. Drug abuse is influenced by various psychosocial factors. This study aimed to explain the relationship model of drug abuse based on perceived criticism, mindfulness, and emotion regulation in Isfahan male adolescents.

Methods:

This was a correlational cross-sectional study. A total of 350 male students were randomly selected from different high schools in Isfahan during the period of 2015–2016 academic year. Four questionnaires including the probability of drug abuse questionnaire, emotion regulation inventory, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, and perceived criticism scale were employed. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and correlation coefficient, besides; Structural equation modeling was used to model the direct and indirect relationships between variables. In this regard, SPSS and AMOS softwares were used.

Results:

Out of the whole subjects, 49.7% had score above the median, indicating more likely to be drug abuser. There was a significant correlation between emotional reappraisal (r = −0.40), expressive suppression (r = −0.38), mindfulness (−0.57), and criticism (r = 0.57) with drug abuse among male adolescents (P < 0.001). Moreover, criticism through the emotional self-regulation had indirect effects on drug abuse. Totally 69% of the variance in drug abuse was explained by the study variables.

Conclusions:

In total, the results of this study revealed that high levels of drug abuse among students can be considered as a crucial issue, regarding the significant effects of psychological factors, adaptive emotion-regulation strategies, as well as school and family-based Psycho-social skills, are recommended.

Mindfulness buffers the effects of cue-induced craving on alcohol demand in college drinkers

Alcohol consumption among young adult college students represents a significant public health problem. The presence of alcohol-related cues in drinkers' environments can trigger powerful alcohol cravings, which may influence drinking outcomes. Less is known about how this cue-induced craving influences behavioral economic demand for alcohol. In addition, research has suggested that trait mindfulness may be an important buffer of the effects of internal states of craving on drinking decisions. Based on this literature, we hypothesized that cue-induced cravings would be associated with increased alcohol demand, an effect that would be attenuated among drinkers who have higher levels of mindfulness. Young adult college student drinkers (n = 69) completed a laboratory-based cue-induced craving assessment, a self-report assessment of trait mindfulness, and an alcohol purchase task. Findings revealed that cue-induced craving was related to higher alcohol demand. Consistent with the study hypothesis, acceptance, a component of mindfulness, buffered the effects of cue-induced craving on alcohol demand. Results raise the possibility that mindfulness-based interventions may be useful in helping disrupt the link between internal states of craving and drinking decisions in young adult college student drinkers.

Mindfulness as a mediator of the association between adverse childhood experiences and alcohol use and consequences

One-third of college students report past-year heavy episodic drinking, making college student alcohol use an important area for continued research. Research has consistently linked early experiences of adversity to problematic substance use in adolescence and adulthood. Given the negative health consequences associated with heavy episodic drinking, it is imperative to identify mechanisms that contribute to this relation. Low levels of mindfulness have been linked to early adversity as well as impulsivity and alcohol use, therefore, the current study aims to examine the mediating role of mindfulness in the relation between early adversity and current alcohol use and consequences. Undergraduate students (N = 385) at a Midwestern university completed an online questionnaire assessing experiences of childhood adversity, trait mindfulness, and current alcohol use and related consequences. Results indicated that increased adverse experiences and lower levels of mindfulness predicted both increased alcohol consumption and consequences (ps < 0.025), with mindfulness mediating the relationships. Mindfulness is a predictor of alcohol outcomes and appears to mediate the relation between early adversity and alcohol use and consequences. Findings suggest that students with a history of adversity are more likely to exhibit lower levels of mindfulness, which may lead to an increase in alcohol consumption and consequences in early adulthood. Targeted alcohol intervention efforts that incorporate mindfulness skills may be particularly beneficial for those who have experienced early adversity.

Mindfulness in nursing students: The five facet mindfulness questionnaire in samples of nursing students in China, the Philippines, and South Africa

Mindfulness as a clinical strategy for helping manage physical and psychological symptoms is gathering an impressive evidence base. It is also being embraced widely for personal and professional development. As a therapeutic intervention for nurses working across a spectrum of settings, it helps expand practice, and integrating mindfulness in nursing undergraduate and graduate curricula is imminent. In the present study, we outline the development and measurement of mindfulness as a personality trait and therapeutic intervention, and advocate the use of a questionnaire alternative to expensive and impractical laboratory measures. The aims of the present study were to examine and compare the use and reliability of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) in samples of nursing students from South Africa, China, and the Philippines, and compare the findings in the nursing student samples to other student and non-student samples. Three samples of students of nursing from China (n = 193), the Philippines (n = 243), and South Africa (n = 131) completed the 31-item FFMQ. The internal consistency was acceptable, and the correlations were significant among all facets and the total score. Although the total mean scores between the three samples were not significantly different, there were significant and interesting differences in the facet scores, and these are discussed in the light of likely cultural influences, and comparative data from other samples of students and clinical populations. The instrument shows promise for future use in educational research as a tool for curriculum change, for personal and professional development of nurses, and as a clinical tool for determining mindfulness changes over time.

Depressive statements prime goal-directed alcohol-seeking in individuals who report drinking to cope with negative affect

BACKGROUND

Most variants of negative reinforcement theory predict that acute depressed mood can promote alcohol-seeking behaviour, but the precise mechanisms underpinning this effect remain contested. One possibility is that mood-induced alcohol-seeking is due to the formation of a stimulus-response (S-R) association, enabling depressed mood to elicit alcohol-seeking automatically. A second possibility is that depressed mood undergoes incentive learning, enabling it to enhance the expected value of alcohol and thus promote goal-directed alcohol-seeking.

OBJECTIVES

These two explanations were distinguished using a human outcome-revaluation procedure.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-eight alcohol drinkers completed questionnaires of alcohol use disorder, drinking to cope with negative affect and depression symptoms. Participants then learned that two responses earned alcohol and food points respectively (baseline) in two alternative forced choice trials. At test, participants rated the valence of randomly sampled negative and positive mood statements and, after each statement, chose between the alcohol- and food-seeking responses in extinction.

RESULTS

The percentage of alcohol- versus food-seeking responses was increased significantly in trials containing negative statements compared to baseline and positive statement trials, in individuals who reported drinking to cope with negative affect (p = .004), but there was no such interaction with indices of alcohol use disorder (p = .87) or depression symptoms (p = .58).

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals who drink to cope with negative affect are more sensitive to the motivational impact of acute depressed mood statements priming goal-directed alcohol-seeking. Negative copers' vulnerability to alcohol dependence may be better explained by excessive affective incentive learning than by S-R habit formation.

Trait mindfulness and protective strategies for alcohol use: Implications for college student drinking

INTRODUCTION

The use of Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) has been strongly linked with decreased experience of alcohol-related consequences, making them a potential target for intervention. Additionally, mindfulness is associated with decreased experience of alcohol-related consequences. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a model of PBS as a mediator of the effect of mindfulness on alcohol-related consequences. Additionally, mindfulness as a moderator of the relationship between PBS and alcohol use and consequences was examined.

METHODS

College students (N=239) at a large South Central university completed self-report measures of demographics, alcohol use and consequences, use of PBS, and trait mindfulness.

RESULTS

Results indicated that both higher levels of mindfulness and using more PBS predicted decreased alcohol-related consequences and consumption, with PBS mediating both relationships (p<0.01). Those with higher levels of mindfulness were more likely to use PBS, with individuals using more PBS experiencing fewer alcohol-related consequences and consuming fewer drinks per week. Mindfulness moderated the relationship between PBS and consequences, with a significantly stronger negative relationship for those with lower levels of mindfulness.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals who are higher in trait mindfulness are more likely to use PBS, which leads to a decrease in the experience of alcohol-related consequences. Furthermore, for individuals lower in mindfulness, low PBS use may lead to increased experience of alcohol consequences. Interventions that incorporate PBS may be most beneficial for students who are low in mindfulness and unlikely to engage in drinking control strategies.

Depressive Symptoms and Alcohol-Related Problems Among College Students: A Moderated-Mediated Model of Mindfulness and Drinking to Cope

OBJECTIVE

In college student samples, the association between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related problems has been found to be mediated by drinking-to-cope motives. Mindfulness-based interventions suggest that mindfulness may attenuate the conditioned response of using substances in response to negative emotional states, and trait mindfulness has been shown to be a protective factor associated with experiencing fewer alcohol-related problems. In the present study, we examined trait mindfulness as a moderator of the indirect associations of depressive symptoms on alcohol-related problems via drinking-to-cope motives.

METHOD

Participants were undergraduate students at a large, southeastern university in the United States who drank at least once in the previous month (n = 448). Participants completed an online survey regarding their personal mental health, coping strategies, trait mindfulness, and alcohol use behaviors. The majority of participants were female (n = 302; 67.4%), identified as being either White non-Hispanic (n = 213; 47.5%) or African American (n = 119; 26.6%), and reported a mean age of 22.74 (SD = 6.81) years. Further, 110 (25%) participants reported having a previous and/or current experience with mindfulness mediation.

RESULTS

As hypothesized, the indirect effects from depressive symptoms to alcohol-related problems via drinking-to-cope motives were weaker among individuals reporting higher levels of mindfulness than among individuals reporting lower and average levels of mindfulness.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests a possible mechanism through which mindfulness-based interventions may be efficacious among college students: decoupling the associations between depressive symptoms and drinking-to-cope motives.

Latent Profile Analysis of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in a Sample With a History of Recurrent Depression

Extending previous research, we applied latent profile analysis in a sample of adults with a history of recurrent depression to identify subgroups with distinct response profiles on the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and understand how these relate to psychological functioning. The sample was randomly divided into two subsamples to first examine the optimal number of latent profiles (test sample; n = 343) and then validate the identified solution (validation sample; n = 340). In both test and validation samples, a four-profile solution was revealed where two profiles mapped broadly onto those previously identified in nonclinical samples: “high mindfulness” and “nonjudgmentally aware.” Two additional subgroups, “moderate mindfulness” and “very low mindfulness,” were observed. “High mindfulness” was associated with the most adaptive psychological functioning and “very low mindfulness” with the least adaptive. In most people with recurrent depression, mindfulness skills are expressed evenly across different domains. However, in a small minority a meaningful and replicable uneven profile indicating nonjudgmental awareness is observable. Current findings require replication and future research should examine the extent to which profiles change from periods of wellness to illness in people with recurrent depression and how profiles are influenced by exposure to mindfulness-based intervention.