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How Does Mindfulness Work? Exploring a Theoretical Model Using Samples of Meditators and Non-meditators

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Abstract

Several models have been proposed to explain the effects of mindfulness training on health and well-being, including several potential mechanisms. The goal of the present study is to empirically test a model of mindfulness mechanisms by comparing samples of meditators and non-meditators. Multi-sample path structural equation models were estimated and tested in two samples, one with 386 meditators and the other with 284 participants with no meditation experience. Results showed higher scores on the five mechanisms in the sample of meditators compared to non-meditators. It showed a greater effect of attentional control on body awareness and non-reactivity and of body awareness on non-reactivity, in meditators compared to non-meditators. The effect of attentional control on reappraisal, however, was lower for this group. The model was useful for explaining mindfulness in both meditators and non-meditators, and it was sensitive in identifying the elements of the process that differ in these two collectives. This study offers preliminary evidence about the important role of body awareness as a key mechanism in mindfulness. Therefore, body awareness should be included in future models designed to understand the underpinnings of mindfulness.

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Funding

This study was funded by PROMOSAM: research in processes, mechanisms and psychological treatments for mental health promotion (PSI2014-56303-REDT), the Network for Prevention and Health Promotion in primary Care (RedIAPP), a postdoctoral grant from Universitat de València (VLC-Campus “Atracció de talent”), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain). Albert Feliu-Soler has a “Sara Borrell” research contract from the ISCIII (CD16/00147).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de València, Avd/ Blasco Ibañez, 10, 46010, València, Spain

    Ausiàs Cebolla, Laura Galiana, Amparo Oliver & Rosa María Baños

  2. CIBER Fisiopatologia de la obesidad y la nutrición, CIBEROBN, Madrid, Spain

    Ausiàs Cebolla & Rosa María Baños

  3. Departament de Psicologia Bàsica, Clínica i Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain

    Daniel Campos

  4. Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau & Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB-SantPau), Barcelona, Spain

    Joaquim Soler

  5. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain

    Joaquim Soler

  6. Mente Aberta – Brazilian Center for Mindfulness and Health Promotion, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marcelo Demarzo

  7. Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil

    Marcelo Demarzo

  8. Teaching, Research & Innovation Unit, Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, St. Boi de Llobregat, Spain

    Albert Feliu-Soler

  9. Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network, RedIAPP, Madrid, Spain

    Albert Feliu-Soler & Javier García-Campayo

  10. University Hospital Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain

    Javier García-Campayo

Authors
  1. Ausiàs Cebolla
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  2. Laura Galiana
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  3. Daniel Campos
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  4. Amparo Oliver
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  5. Joaquim Soler
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  6. Marcelo Demarzo
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  7. Rosa María Baños
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  8. Albert Feliu-Soler
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  9. Javier García-Campayo
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Contributions

AC designed and executed the study, assisted with the data analyses, and wrote the paper. JG, JS, and DC collaborated with the design and writing of the study. LG and AO analysed the data and wrote part of the results. AF, RB, and MD collaborated in the writing and editing of the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ausiàs Cebolla.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethics Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Aragón.

Statement of Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Cebolla, A., Galiana, L., Campos, D. et al. How Does Mindfulness Work? Exploring a Theoretical Model Using Samples of Meditators and Non-meditators. Mindfulness 9, 860–870 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0826-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-017-0826-7

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