Sichert, Malte (2022) Facing the Unpleasant: Does Mindfulness decrease Anxiety by decreasing Avoidance? Master thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Mindfulness can effectively reduce anxiety in clinical and nonclinical populations (Hofmann et al., 2010; Querstret et al., 2020). However, the underlying mechanisms are not sufficiently understood. Avoidance can influence anxiety levels (Eustis et al., 2020; Kashdan et al., 2014) and mindfulness might decrease avoidance by cultivating an open and accepting stance towards experience. Therefore, mindfulness might decrease anxiety by decreasing avoidance. The current study investigated if 1) mindfulness leads to significantly greater anxiety decrease than an audiobook control and if 2) mindfulness decreases anxiety by decreasing avoidance. Participants (n = 69) were assigned to a mindfulness or control condition. In the first lab session, participants listened to a meditation or audiobook, avoidance and anxiety levels were assessed. Participants then followed the meditation/audiobook daily for 12 days at home. Subsequently, participants returned to the lab where they listened to the mindfulness/audiobook again. Anxiety and avoidance levels were again assessed. Mediation analysis provided no support for an indirect effect of mindfulness on anxiety via avoidance. Hence, no evidence was found for avoidance as working mechanism of mindfulness. Current findings are restricted by limitations and should be interpreted with caution. Potential mechanisms of change and future directions are discussed.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Supervisor name: | Ostafin, B.D. and Papenfuss, I. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | Clinical Psychology (CP) [Master Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 04 Apr 2022 09:58 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Apr 2022 09:58 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/371 |
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