Dispositional Mindfulness, Meditation, and Conditional Goal Setting.
Conditional goal setting (CGS, the tendency to regard high order goals such as happiness, as conditional upon the achievement of lower order goals) is observed in individuals with depression and recent research has suggested a link between levels of dispositional mindfulness and conditional goal setting in depressed patients. Since interventions which aim to increase mindfulness through training in meditation are used with patients suffering from depression it is of interest to examine whether such interventions might alter CGS. Study 1 examined the correlation between changes in dispositional mindfulness and changes in CGS over a 3-4 month period in patients participating in a pilot randomised controlled trial of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Results indicated that increases in dispositional mindfulness were significantly associated with decreases in CGS, although this effect could not be attributed specifically to the group who had received training in meditation. Study 2 explored the impact of brief periods of either breathing or loving kindness meditation on CGS in 55 healthy participants. Contrary to expectation, a brief period of meditation increased CGS. Further analyses indicated that this effect was restricted to participants low in goal re-engagement ability who were allocated to loving kindness meditation. Longer term changes in dispositional mindfulness are associated with reductions in CGS in patients with depressed mood. However initial reactions to meditation, and in particular loving kindness meditation, may be counterintuitive and further research is required in order to determine the relationship between initial reactions and longer-term benefits of meditation practice.
Catherine
C
Crane
Danka
D
Jandric
Thorsten
T
Barnhofer
J Mark G
JM
Williams
Mindfulness (N Y). 2010 Mar;1(1):21-27
21125024
Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2004 Mar;38(3):155-61
14961934
Mindfulness (N Y). 2010 Mar;1(1):10-20
21125023
Clin Psychol Rev. 2007 Jul;27(6):715-23
17316941
Emotion. 2008 Oct;8(5):720-4
18837623
J Affect Disord. 2004 Oct 1;82(1):1-8
15465571
Assessment. 2006 Mar;13(1):27-45
16443717
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2008 Nov;95(5):1045-1062
18954193
J Consult Clin Psychol. 2010 Apr;78(2):169-83
20350028
Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2003 Dec;29(12):1494-508
15018681
J Abnorm Psychol. 2001 May;110(2):353-7
11358029
J Pers. 2006 Dec;74(6):1749-71
17083665
J Clin Psychol. 2006 Mar;62(3):373-86
16385481
J Clin Psychol. 2009 May;65(5):499-509
19267396
Clin Psychol Psychother. 2010 Jan-Feb;17(1):33-43
19358146
Conscious Cogn. 2010 Jun;19(2):597-605
20363650
Br J Clin Psychol. 2010 Sep;49(Pt 3):281-90
19558756
Clin Psychol Rev. 2007 Jul 1;27(6):679-681
21984860
Assessment. 2008 Sep;15(3):329-42
18310597
Behav Res Ther. 2009 May;47(5):366-73
19249017
Psychooncology. 2003 Sep;12(6):580-9
12923798