Minding Attention: The Relationship Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Attention

Abstract

Mindfulness refers to experiencing one’s self and environment in a conscious and unbiased manner focusing on the temporary, passing quality of thoughts, feelings, and life. Treatment providers have employed mindfulness-based interventions to manage issues including stress, depression, and substance abuse; however, few have measured exactly what mechanisms underly these changes. The present study found significant relationships between behavioral measures of attentional selectivity and inattention and scores of self-report mindfulness. ANOVA and MANCOVA analyses revealed that individuals reporting significantly higher levels of dispositional mindfulness are more likely than their less mindful counterparts to demonstrate stronger attentional abilities. Implications for the usage of attentional data in mindfulness treatment interventions, mindfulness to improve attention-related issues, and further research are discussed.