Research Article

Cultivating mindfulness: effects on well-being

  1. Shauna L. Shapiro1,*,
  2. Doug Oman2,
  3. Carl E. Thoresen3,
  4. Thomas G. Plante1,
  5. Tim Flinders1

Article first published online: 16 MAY 2008

DOI: 10.1002/jclp.20491

Issue

Journal of Clinical Psychology

Journal of Clinical Psychology

Volume 64, Issue 7, pages 840–862, July 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Shapiro, S. L., Oman, D., Thoresen, C. E., Plante, T. G. and Flinders, T. (2008), Cultivating mindfulness: effects on well-being. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64: 840–862. doi: 10.1002/jclp.20491

Author Information

  1. 1

    Santa Clara University

  2. 2

    University of California, Berkeley

  3. 3

    Stanford University

*Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA 95053

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 5 JUN 2008
  2. Article first published online: 16 MAY 2008

Funded by

  • Metanexus Institute
  • John Templeton Foundation
  • Academic Council of Learned Societies
  • Contemplative Mind in Society
  • Fetzer Institute
  • Santa Clara University

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Keywords:

  • mindfulness;
  • mediation;
  • college mental health;
  • meditation;
  • attention

Abstract

There has been great interest in determining if mindfulness can be cultivated and if this cultivation leads to well-being. The current study offers preliminary evidence that at least one aspect of mindfulness, measured by the Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS; K. W. Brown & R. M. Ryan, 2003), can be cultivated and does mediate positive outcomes. Further, adherence to the practices taught during the meditation-based interventions predicted positive outcomes. College undergraduates were randomly allocated between training in two distinct meditation-based interventions, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR; J. Kabat-Zinn, 1990; n=15) and E. Easwaran's (1978/1991) Eight Point Program (EPP; n=14), or a waitlist control (n=15). Pretest, posttest, and 8-week follow-up data were gathered on self-report outcome measures. Compared to controls, participants in both treatment groups (n=29) demonstrated increases in mindfulness at 8-week follow-up. Further, increases in mindfulness mediated reductions in perceived stress and rumination. These results suggest that distinct meditation-based practices can increase mindfulness as measured by the MAAS, which may partly mediate benefits. Implications and future directions are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 64: 1–23, 2008.

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