title: Nonattachment and mindfulness: Related but distinct constructs.
abstract: In this study, we examined whether nonattachment, a relatively new construct in the mindfulness literature, showed convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity in relation to the well-studied 5 facets of mindfulness. Mindfulness was defined as a multifaceted construct including observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity; and measured using the recently validated, 20-item Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ; Tran, Glück, & Nader, 2013; Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer, & Toney, 2006). Nonattachment was defined as a flexible, balanced way of relating to one's experiences without clinging to or suppressing them, and measured using the 7-item Nonattachment Scale (NAS-7; Elphinstone, Sahdra, & Ciarrochi, 2015; Sahdra, Shaver, & Brown, 2015). In a large nationally representative sample of Americans (N = 7,884; 52% women; age, M = 47.9, SD = 16), nonattachment was positively related to all 5 aspects of mindfulness. Structural equation modeling showed that the 20-item FFMQ and NAS-7 showed good fit; their factor structures were invariant across genders and age groups; and NAS-7 was empirically distinguishable from the 5 mindfulness facets. Hierarchical regression models provided evidence of the incremental validity of NAS-7. Finally, mediation models showed that nonattachment substantially mediated the links between the mindfulness facets and the outcome variables of satisfaction with life and life effectiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors.affiliation: Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University.
authors.forename: Baljinder
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sahdra
authors.affiliation: Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ciarrochi
authors.affiliation: Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness; D009769:Object Attachment; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011594:Psychometrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States