Objectives

Mindfulness has been linked to better emotion regulation and more adaptive responses to stress across a number of studies, but the mechanisms underlying these links remain to be fully understood. The present study examines links between trait mindfulness (Five Facets of Mindfulness Questionnaire; FFMQ) and participants’ responses to common emotional challenges, focusing specifically on the roles of reduced avoidance and more self-distanced engagement as key potential mechanisms driving the adaptive benefits of trait mindfulness.

Methods

Adults (n = 305, age range: 40–72) from the Second Generation Study of the Harvard Study of Adult Development completed two laboratory-based challenges—public speaking combined with difficult math tasks (the Trier Social Stress Test) and writing about a memory of a difficult moment. State anxiety and sadness were assessed immediately before and after the two stressors. To capture different ways of engaging, measures of self-distancing, avoidance, and persistent worry were collected during the lab session.

Results

As predicted, individuals who scored higher on the FFMQ experienced less anxiety and persistent worry in response to the social stressors. The FFMQ was also linked to less anxiety and sadness when writing about a difficult moment. The links between mindfulness and negative emotions after the writing task were independently mediated by self-distanced engagement and lower avoidance.

Conclusions

Affective benefits of trait mindfulness under stress are associated with both the degree and the nature of emotional engagement. Specifically, reduced avoidance and self-distanced engagement may facilitate reflection on negative experiences that is less affectively aversive.

中文翻译：

---

自我距离和回避调解特质正念和对情绪挑战的反应之间的联系

目标

在多项研究中，正念与更好的情绪调节和对压力的更适应性反应有关，但这些联系背后的机制仍有待充分了解。本研究探讨了正念特质（正念五方面问卷；FFMQ）与参与者对常见情绪挑战的反应之间的联系，特别关注减少回避和更多自我距离参与作为推动特质适应性益处的关键潜在机制的作用正念。

方法

来自哈佛成人发展研究的第二代研究的成人（n = 305，年龄范围：40-72）完成了两项基于实验室的挑战——公开演讲和困难的数学任务（特里尔社会压力测试）和写作一个艰难时刻的记忆。在两种压力源之前和之后立即评估状态焦虑和悲伤。为了捕捉不同的参与方式，在实验室会议期间收集了自我距离、回避和持续担忧的措施。

结果

正如预测的那样，在 FFMQ 上得分较高的人在应对社会压力源时的焦虑和持续担忧较少。在撰写困难时刻时，FFMQ 还与减少焦虑和悲伤有关。写作任务后正念和负面情绪之间的联系由自我疏远的参与和较低的回避独立调节。

结论

压力下特质正念的情感益处与情绪参与的程度和性质有关。具体来说，减少回避和自我疏远的参与可能有助于对情感厌恶程度较低的负面体验的反思。