Chronic Stress Is Associated with Reduced Mindful Acceptance Skills but Not with Mindful Attention Monitoring: A Cross-Sectional Study

Francesco Saldarini () and Mark Cropley
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Francesco Saldarini: School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, UK
Mark Cropley: School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, Surrey, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-16

Abstract: Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are effective in reducing chronic stress, but their therapeutic mechanisms are unclear. One possibility is that MBIs act by re-training attention monitoring and acceptance skills that have been impaired by chronic stress exposure. However, little research has investigated the association between chronic stress, monitoring, and acceptance. In this cross-sectional study we hypothesised observing correlations between stress, and (impaired) monitoring and acceptance. Moreover, we exploratively compared the magnitude of the correlations between chronic stress and four acceptance measures. Finally, we explored whether the association between stress and monitoring is moderated by acceptance. Eighty-five adults participated in the study and completed self-reported chronic stress and acceptance questionnaires and a mindful attention behavioural task. The results revealed that chronic stress was associated with reduced acceptance (all p s < 0.01) but not with monitoring. Exploratory analyses revealed no differences in the magnitude of the correlations between stress and each acceptance measure, except for the combined facets of mindfulness acceptance subscales and nonreactivity subscale ( p = 0.023). Further analyses revealed a significant negative association between stress and the interaction between acceptance and the target detection component of monitoring ( p = 0.044). Surprisingly, these results show that stress is associated with reduced monitoring at higher levels of acceptance. Theory-driven intervention studies are warranted to complement our results.

Keywords: chronic stress; attention; acceptance; mindfulness; monitor and acceptance theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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