Mindfulness-Based Attention, Depressive Affect, and Negative Cognitions

[David Baxter PhD]

Mindfulness-Based Attention as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Depressive Affect and Negative Cognitions
by Brian Thompson, Ph.D., Scientific Mindfulness
June 4, 2011

Here?s another study in the growing body of research suggesting that mindfulness changes how we experience depression.

Researchers at Pacific University collected self-report measures of mindfulness, depression, and negative thinking from a sample of 278 undergraduates. Analyses suggest that there is a weaker relationship between negative thinking and depressive symptom for people higher in mindfulness than for people lower in mindfulness.

What might this mean?

The authors conclude that being more mindful may serve a protective function against becoming depressed when someone experiences negative thoughts. Conversely, less mindful people may be more likely to become depressed when they have negative thoughts.

The results are pretty limited. For one, this was a convenience sample of undergraduate students, not a sample of people with clinical depression. Also, because the results are correlational, we can?t draw any firm conclusions that one thing causes another. We can't tell from these results whether increasing mindfulness actually serves as a prophylactic against becoming depressed.

However, if you're interested in studies that tell us more about how mindfulness may impact how we experience depression, check out some of the past posts from Scientific Mindfulness on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention. Additionally, a longitudinal study showed that less mindful police officers showed greater increases in depression over time compared to their more mindful counterparts.

For the full citation:

Gilbert, B.D., & Christopher, M.S. (2010). Mindfulness-Based Attention as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Depressive Affect and Negative Cognitions. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 34, 514-521.

Books about mindfulness and depression:

• Amazon.com: The Mindful Way through Depression: Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness (9781593851286): Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn: Books
• Amazon.com: The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Depression: Using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy to Move Through Depression & Create a Life Worth Living (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) (9781572245488): Kirk Strosahl, Patricia J. Robinson: B
• Amazon.com: Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse (9781572307063): Zindel V. Segal PhD, J. Mark G. Williams DPhil, John D. Teasdale, Zindel V. Segal, J. Mark G. Williams: Books

 

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I think that is why it is very helpful to write and chronicle or paint or express things onto paper or something in front of you like on a computer screen or in a forum like this.

It's almost better to write it down or record it first than talking about it right away. Then you can look at it, and say, "well there it is." And it's not just inside of you going round and round in an endless loop, stressing you out, and eating you up. And then once you see what's inside of you and it's out in the open, it helps your brain start thinking about why it's there in the first place and what to do about it next. Things that make you go, "Hmmmm..." Or at least that is how I feel about it.

Then when you talk to a therapist, or a friend verbally, face-to-face it is easier to express what you mean. Or if you have a hard time expressing your thoughts verbally, you can show them your writing/art/other expression of your feelings/thoughts. Meditation helps in a similar way, too. You're thoughts are more organized.

But whatever works for a person. It's a personal thing.