title: Teasing apart low mindfulness: differentiating deficits in mindfulness and in psychological flexibility in predicting symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and depression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This research investigated the differential ability of three components of low mindfulness to uniquely predict symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression, while controlling for psychological inflexibility, a construct conceptually related to low mindfulness. Also examined was the meditational role of several mindfulness facets in the relationship between psychological inflexibility and symptoms of each disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a clinical sample (n=153) containing mostly patients with GAD or depression diagnoses, we conducted hierarchical multiple regression analyses and mediation analyses to determine unique relationships.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Whereas deficits in adopting a non-reactive perspective exhibited incremental validity beyond psychological inflexibility in predicting symptoms of GAD, deficits in acting with awareness did so in predicting symptoms of depression. Results of mediation analyses corroborated this pattern, as the relationships psychological inflexibility exhibited with symptoms of GAD and of depression were mediated by non-reactivity and acting with awareness, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cross-sectional design of this study precludes causal interpretations of the mediation models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings corroborate the following conclusions: (i) the lack of present oriented awareness experienced by individuals with symptoms of depression is not completely accounted for by psychological inflexibility nor by symptoms of GAD; (ii) the reactive approach to automatic thoughts adopted by those with symptoms of GAD is not completely accounted for by psychological inflexibility nor by symptoms of depression. These conclusions suggest that it would be profitable for mindfulness-based therapies to concentrate on these specific mindfulness deficits to ameliorate the severity of GAD and depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Yale University, 2 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. Electronic address: joshua.curtiss@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Curtiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Yale University, 2 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. Electronic address: david.klemanski@yale.edu.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Klemanski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Depression; Generalized anxiety disorder; Mindfulness; Psychological inflexibility