Who Can Benefit More From Mindfulness Training? The Effects of Trait Mindfulness and Different Training Programs on Improving Adults’ Executive Functions
Date Issued
2012
Date
2012
Author(s)
Teng, Shan-Chuan
Abstract
Mindfulness refers to a mind state that focusing on current moment. Studies have shown that mindfulness training techniques enhance attentional control abilities. However, the mindfulness training effects on improving attentional control showed by the past studies were very inconsistent. In order to clarify such inconsistency, in the present study, I attempted to use two mindfulness training programs to investigate how different training programs influence the effects of mindfulness training. In addition, I also adopted an individual-difference approach to investigate that how the trait mindfulness moderates the effects of mindfulness training. The present study used a pretest-posttest control group design. There were one control group and two training groups trained separately with Chan meditation program and Central-axis meditation program for a month. Three executive function tasks (working memory, inhibition, switching) were tested before and after the training period for all participants. The results revealed that after mindfulness training, compared to control group, the Chan meditation group showed significant improvement on switching cost, while the Central-axis group showed greater improvement on working memory span. In addition, the present study also showed that individuals with lower levels of pretreatment trait mindfulness would benefit more from mindfulness training. They performed more improvement on the trait mindfulness as well as on the switching cost than those with higher levels of pretreatment trait mindfulness.
Subjects
mindfulness training
meditation
individual difference
executive functions
Type
thesis
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