The differential effects of three mindfulness techniques on indicators of emotional well-being and life satisfaction

The efficacy of mindfulness-based therapies for treatment of a range of psychological presentations has been demonstrated by a substantial amount of research. The present study compared three specific mindfulness techniques: mindfulness of breath (MOB), body scanning (BS), and everyday mindfulness (EDM). A community sample of 263 was recruited to complete an 8-week course, with participants randomly assigned to MOB, BS, or EDM training groups of 8-10 people. Self-report measures of stress, anxiety, depression, life satisfaction, emotional regulation, and mindfulness were administered at baseline, after 4 weeks of training, at the completion of training, and 3 months post completion of the training. ANOV As investigating change over time on each dependent variable as a function of training group were conducted with data for the 100 participants who remained for the duration of the study. Regardless of training type, between the start and finish of the 8-week course all 3 groups reported increases in life satisfaction and emotion regulation and decreases in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. These gains were also maintained and recorded at 3 months post completion of the training. Unexpectedly, mindfulness scores were found to decrease. Significant time-by-group interactions were found for stress and emotion regulation only. There was a significant decrease in scores on stress between end of training and the 3-month follow-up only for participants in the EDM group; there was no difference in stress scores for participants in the MOB and BS groups. Difficulties in Emotion Regulation scores significantly decreased across the same time period for participants in the MOB and BS groups; while there was no significant change in the EDM group. These results provide some support for the greater efficacy of the formal meditative approaches (MOB and BS) compared to the informal EDM approach in providing gains that are maintained post-training.