Abstract
Objectives
According to the broaden-and-build theory, cultivating positive emotions can build personal resources that help individuals cope with stressors. Recent research suggests that dispositional mindfulness can promote an upward spiral of positive emotions. Mindfulness may also interrupt the downward spiral of negative emotions. Despite considerable research on mindfulness and stress, it remains unclear which facets of mindfulness drive this relationship. As such, we aimed to explore which facets of mindfulness predicted stress and to investigate the potential mediating role of affect and resilience. Extending an existing model of mindfulness in the workplace, we examined both positive and negative affect.
Methods
As part of a larger study testing a workplace mindfulness intervention, 193 full-time employees at a Fortune 100 company in the USA completed self-report measures of trait mindfulness, affect, resilience, and perceived stress.
Results
Structural equation modelling was conducted to compare competing models. For mindfulness, non-reacting and non-judging significantly predicted stress. Contrary to hypotheses, resilience did not predict stress in the final model. Negative affect was the most robust predictor of stress.
Conclusions
Mindfulness may indirectly reduce stress by decreasing experiences of negative affect. Increased positive affect played less of a role in stress reduction. Interpreted through the lens of the broaden-and-build theory, mindfulness may help break the negative spiral by encouraging decentering (i.e., non-judging) and by reducing emotional reactivity to stressors (i.e., non-reacting).
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Funding
The current study was supported by an Ontario Centres of Excellence TalentEdge Postdoctoral Fellowship awarded to RN and a SSHRC Insight Development Grant (SSHRC IDG 430-2015-00950) awarded to JPM by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
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LJ collaborated with the theoretical conceptualization of the study, conducted data analysis, and wrote the manuscript. RN generated the research idea, collaborated with the design and execution of the study, and assisted with manuscript preparation and editing of the final manuscript. JC collaborated with the theoretical conceptualization, design, and execution of the study, and assisted with data collection and the editing of the final manuscript. JPM collaborated with the design and execution of the study, and assisted with the editing of the final manuscript.
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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University of Western Ontario’s Institutional Review Board and the American Psychological Association.
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All participants in the present study were provided with information regarding this project and provided informed consent prior to the study being conducted.
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LJ prepared the manuscript as part of a paid internship at SIGMA Assessment Systems, Inc. RN and JC are full-time employees of SIGMA Assessment Systems, Inc.; however, they did not receive any remuneration for this research project. JPM has no conflicts of interest to declare.
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Johnson, L.K., Nadler, R., Carswell, J. et al. Using the Broaden-and-Build Theory to Test a Model of Mindfulness, Affect, and Stress. Mindfulness 12, 1696–1707 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01633-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01633-5