Professionals' and community members' understandings and use of mindfulness and the effect of different understandings on treatment outcomes and future use

Abstract

Enthusiasm for and interest in mindfulness has grown exponentially over recent decades in the field of psychology. Although a great deal of empirical work continues to provide support for the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for a range of issues and population groups, there is ongoing debate within the academic literature regarding what mindfulness is. Additionally, the paradoxical and experiential nature of mindfulness, its many forms and potential mechanisms of action, and resemblance to other practices, may result in professionals and community members having different conceptualisations of mindfulness and using it in distinct ways. Importantly, these diverse perceptions and applications of mindfulness may translate into different therapeutic outcomes. This dissertation presents a series of three empirical studies examining these issues. The first survey-based study of mental health and related professionals found that mindfulness is understood and used in many ways by this group. It emerged that some professionals perceive mindfulness as a direct change-based strategy and use it as such, while others conceptualise it as fostering change through a process of acceptance of what is. Study 2, a survey of community members familiar with mindfulness, demonstrated that a similar distinction in conceptualisations of mindfulness exists in this group. A third experimental study with individuals predominantly new to meditation examined the effect of providing two rationales reflecting the conceptualisations of mindfulness identified in Study 1 and 2 prior to a brief mindfulness practice, with one rationale describing the potential benefits of mindfulness and the other describing the process of simply observing whatever experiences arise during the practice of mindfulness. Results showed that although the rationale itself did not directly affect self-reported mood, defusion, state mindfulness, or physiology, participants' expectations about how they might benefit from the mindfulness exercise were related to lower negative affect and anxiety, a greater willingness to experience negative thoughts about the self, and state mindfulness. Additionally, having higher expectations of direct benefit from the practice, experiencing larger decreases in anxiety and believability of negative thoughts, and higher state mindfulness, was associated with participants indicating they would consider using mindfulness in the future. The findings are discussed in the context of existing and potential future research as well as clinical implications, and the limitations of the research are acknowledged. Overall, the research confirms that there is much more work to be done in clarifying what mindfulness is and the factors that may influence the experiences and outcomes of those who practice it. This is especially important as the presence of mindfulness continues to extend in both clinical and popular arenas.