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Staying in the Moment and Finding Purpose: The Associations of Trait Mindfulness, Decentering, and Purpose in Life with Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety Symptoms, and Alcohol-Related Problems

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Abstract

The present study examined the associations between trait mindfulness and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms (i.e., worry), and alcohol-related problems via decentering and purpose in life. Using structural equation modeling in a large sample of college students (N = 1,277), we found support for decentering and purpose in life as partial mediators of the associations between trait mindfulness and these outcomes. Although our findings should be viewed as preliminary given the cross-sectional study design and study population, our results are consistent with the notion that decentering and purpose in life may be mechanisms explaining the health beneficial effects of mindfulness. Future research studies with extensive assessments of potential mechanisms using experimental and longitudinal designs are needed to bolster confidence that decentering and purpose in life are important mechanisms explaining the health-promoting effects of mindfulness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale SE MSC11-6280, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA

    Matthew R. Pearson, David B. Brown & Katie Witkiewitz

  2. Department of Psychology, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA

    Adrian J. Bravo

Authors
  1. Matthew R. Pearson
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  2. David B. Brown
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  3. Adrian J. Bravo
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  4. Katie Witkiewitz
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Correspondence to Matthew R. Pearson.

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Pearson, M.R., Brown, D.B., Bravo, A.J. et al. Staying in the Moment and Finding Purpose: The Associations of Trait Mindfulness, Decentering, and Purpose in Life with Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety Symptoms, and Alcohol-Related Problems. Mindfulness 6, 645–653 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-014-0300-8

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