Research has shown that trait mindfulness is concurrently negatively associated with negative mood outcomes and positively associated with positive mood outcomes, but studies are lacking on which facets prospectively predict mood outcomes over time. We predicted that three facets of mindfulness, i.e., acting with awareness, non-judging, and non-reacting, would significantly predict changes over time.
A sample of 200 community adults in NZ completed a survey six months apart that tapped mindfulness (Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire) as well as both positive and negative mood outcomes.
Hierarchical linear regressions, which covaried out stability of outcomes, showed that only acting with awareness predicted higher happiness, life satisfaction, and social connectedness (βs = .12 to .10, ps = .02 to .002). Both acting with awareness and describing predicted lower depression (βs = -.13, -.10, ps = .008, .03), only acting with awareness predicted lower anxiety (β = -.16, p = .001), whereas both acting with awareness and non-judging predicted lower rumination (βs = -.13, -.10, ps = .03, .009).
The results suggest that acting with awareness is the key ‘active ingredient’ among the five facets of the FFMQ scale, particularly for predicting positive outcomes, whereas a variety of facets function to reduce negative outcomes.