Being mindful does not always benefit everyone: mindfulness-based practices may promote alienation among psychologically vulnerable people

A growing number of interventions have sought to cultivate mindfulness, an accepting awareness of body and mind experiences. A great deal of prior research has shown mostly beneficial effects of mindfulness interventions. However, cultivating mindfulness may not always be beneficial for everyone. Tw...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cognition and emotion 2021-03, Vol.35 (2), p.241-255
Main Authors: Kaufmann, Martina, Rosing, Kathrin, Baumann, Nicola
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
action versus state orientation
Alienation
Intervention
Mind and body
Mindfulness
Mindfulness training
Self regulation
self-infiltration
Vulnerability
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Summary:A growing number of interventions have sought to cultivate mindfulness, an accepting awareness of body and mind experiences. A great deal of prior research has shown mostly beneficial effects of mindfulness interventions. However, cultivating mindfulness may not always be beneficial for everyone. Two studies examined whether mindfulness may have alienating effects among people high in state orientation (i.e. low self-regulatory abilities). Participants were randomly assigned to either a 90-minute mindfulness training plus 5-minute retreatment or a waiting list control group (Study 1 N = 54, Study 2 N = 155). Alienation was operationalised as false self-ascriptions (FSA rate) of extrinsic goals that were allegedly recommended by experts. Participants high (versus low) in state orientation had significantly higher FSA rates in the mindfulness (versus control) condition. These results suggest that mindfulness training may alienate psychologically vulnerable populations (e.g. state-oriented people) from their intrinsic emotional preferences.
ISSN:0269-9931
1464-0600
DOI:10.1080/02699931.2020.1825337