The Role of Mindfulness in Savoring Beliefs and Positive & Negative Affect By: Katelyn Johnson Mentor: Barbara Rybski Beaver, Ph.D. Psychology Department of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Participants Implications Results suggest that females who are more aware and attentive in the moment are more able to hold onto positive beliefs, and those who are better able to hold onto their positive beliefs show higher levels of positive moods and lower levels of negative moods. Those females who are attentive in the moment with a nonjudging attitude show higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect. While male participant's ability to be mindful did not appear to relate to their ability to savor positive emotions or show heightened positive mood. Future research should look at using an equal number of males and females, to lessen the female bias. The possibility of stress or worry being a mediating variable between mindfulness and affect level should also be looked into, as an individual’s level of stress or worry may impact the level of affect and alter its relationship to mindfulness. Introduction Results The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ; Baer, Smith, Hopkins, Krietemeyer & Toney, 2006) is a 39-item questionnaire measuring 5 facets of mindfulness. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) is a 36-item questionnaire measuring 6 facets of emotion regulation. Savoring Beliefs Inventory (SBI; Bryant, 2003) is a 24-item questionnaire that measures 3 facets of savoring positive emotions. The Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale (PANAS; Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1998) is a 20-item questionnaire measuring positive and negative affect. The Life Satisfaction Scale (SWLS; Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985) is a 5-item questionnaire measuring general life satisfaction. Participants completed questionnaire packets in a group setting. All packets included the above questionnaires, plus a series of demographic questions. Informed consent was obtained prior to participation. Participants were 149 UW-Whitewater Students. 53 were male and 96 were female. The mean age was 19.88, with a range of years. 85.2% described themselves as being European American, 6% as being African American, 3.4% as being Hispanic, 3.4% as being Asian American or Pacific Islander, and.7% as being Native American. Materials Procedure The larger study looked at mindfulness and its role in regulating emotions, savoring beliefs, positive and negative affect, and life satisfaction. The following diagram depicts the expected relationships. Positive Affect(PA) and Negative Affect (NA) Mindfulness Life Satisfaction Difficulties in Regulating Emotions Savoring Beliefs NA PA NA PA Figure 2 Figure1 Pearson’s correlation between mindfulness factor Awareness and savoring belief factor Anticipating with differences in males (r (52) = -.099, p =.482) and females (r (94) =.312, p.002). Pearson’s correlation between mindfulness factor Nonreactivity and Savoring and negative affect with differences in males (r (52) = -.020, p =.887) and females (r (94) =.349, p =.000). Mean differences in male and female levels of Positive Affect and Negative Affect. Mindfulness is an active process of allowing current thoughts, feelings and sensations to occur (Baer, Smith Hopkins, Krietemeyer, & Toney, 2006). A mindful person is aware and attentive to their environment in a nonjudging and nonreactive way. A person who is mindful is less likely to show extremes in positive or negative emotional experiences because they are more focused on reaching levels of equanimity and peace of mind (Brown & Ryan, 2003). Anticipating.052 (.712).270 (.051) (.482).245 (.077).209 (.134).219 (.032)*.178 (.083).312 (.002)**.310 (.002)**.373 (.000)** Savoring (.887).149 (.287) (.399).208 (.135).295 (.032)*.349 (.000)**.109 (.292).534 (.000)**.356 (.000)**.523 (.000)** Reminiscing (.674).298 (.030)* (.314).136 (.333).272 (.048)*.169 (.099).106 (.302).380 (.000)**.400 (.000)**.439 (.000)** Nonreactivity Observing Awareness Describing Nonjudging Pearson’s correlation between mindfulness factors and savoring belief factors Table 1 Figure3 Anticipating Savoring Reminiscing Positive Affect.083 (.555).072 (.608) (.702).238 (.019)*.284 (.005)**.285 (.005)** Negative Affect (.002)** (.012)* (.005)* (.000)** (.000)** (.000)** Males are in Black Font and Females are in Red Font Significant levels are in parenthesis * Indicates significant at.05 level ** Indicates significant at.01 level Table 2 Pearson’s correlation between mindfulness factors and positive and negative affect Nonreactivity Observing Awareness Describing Nonjudging Positive Affect.500 (.000)** (.646).130 (.355).328 (.016)*.094 (.505).140 (.174).062 (.549).317 (.002)**.277 (.006)**.415 (.000)** Negative Affect (.662) (.163) (.220) (.377) (.008)* (.049)* (.358) (.000)** (.054) (.000)** Table 3 Pearson’s correlation between savoring belief factors and positive and negative affect Positive and Negative Affect: Positive Affect (PA) Negative Affect (NA) A person who scores high on levels of mindfulness will report greater levels of savoring positive beliefs. A person who scores high on levels of mindfulness will be accepting of their feelings, so they will not show extreme scores in positive and negative affect. A person who is better able to savor positive feelings will have higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect. Difficulties in Regulating Emotions measures: Nonacceptance of emotional responses Difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior Impulse control difficulties Lack of Emotional Awareness Limited access to emotion regulation strategies Lack of emotional clarity Mindfulness measures: Nonreactivity to inner experiences Observing/ noticing/ attending to sensations/ perceptions/ thoughts/ feelings Acting with awareness/ automatic pilot/ concentration/ nondistraction Describing/ labeling with words Nonjudging of experience Savoring Beliefs: Anticipating Savoring the moment Reminiscing This Research Project was sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Undergraduate Research Program