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Current Psychology

, Volume 29, Issue 1, pp 10–23 | Cite as

Incremental Validity of Components of Mindfulness in the Prediction of Satisfaction with Life and Depression

  • Michael S. ChristopherEmail author
  • Brennan D. Gilbert
Article
First Online:

Abstract

Self-report measures of mindfulness have consistently demonstrated positive relationships with well-being and inverse relationships with depression symptoms. The goal of this study was to extend the existing literature to include a test of the incremental validity of the components of mindfulness (as measured by the four factors of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills [KIMS]; Baer et al. Assessment, 11, 191–206, 2004) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown and Ryan Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 822–848, 2003) in the prediction of satisfaction with life (relative to self-esteem) and depression (relative to negative cognitions) among a sample of 365 college students. Results revealed only KIMS Observe accounted for a significant amount variance relative to self-esteem in the prediction of satisfaction with life, and in the prediction of depression symptoms, only KIMS Accept without Judgment accounted for a significant amount of variance relative to negative cognitions. These results are discussed in relation to the measurement of mindfulness and methods used to assess the validity of these scales.

Keywords

Mindfulness assessment Well-being Depression 
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© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Pacific University, School of Professional PsychologyPortlandUSA

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