Date of Award
2010
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Does mindfulness have state-like and trait-like characteristics? How does mindfulness develop? Although mindfulness research has burgeoned within the past twenty years, these questions remain largely unanswered. Recently, the anxiety and avoidance dimensions of adult attachment have demonstrated relatedness to mindfulness (Shaver, Lavy, Saron, & Mikulincer, 2007), and secure attachment has been shown to cultivate compassion (Mikulincer & Shaver, 2005; Mikulincer, Shaver, Gillath & Nitzberg, 2005) considered by many to be an expression of mindfulness (Brach, 2003; Neff, 2003a). Furthermore, mindfulness positively correlates with autonomy, competence, and relatedness, the three primary psychological needs postulated by self-determination theory (Brown & Ryan, 2003). Satisfaction of all three of these needs is essential to develop a strong autonomous orientation (Deci & Ryan, 2008). Therefore, it is possible that secure attachment (defined as low avoidance and low anxiety) and autonomy orientation are related to the construct of mindfulness. It was hypothesized that secure attachment style and/or autonomy orientation would predict higher levels of self-reported mindfulness. Undergraduate students at Indiana State University ( N = 199; 50% female) completed questionnaires for course extra credit. Results support the conceptualization of mindfulness as a complex and multi-dimensional construct. Attachment avoidance and anxiety predicted lower levels of overall mindfulness initially, but the relationship was no longer significant after accounting for intervening variables. Mediation analyses suggest that the relationship between attachment dimensions and mindfulness was largely mediated by self-esteem. After accounting for intervening variables, autonomy orientation predicted higher levels of overall mindfulness as hypothesized, and impersonal orientation predicted lower levels of mindfulness. Age, meditation practice, and self-esteem also predicted higher levels of overall mindfulness. The results of this study might guide future research in developing an etiological model of mindfulness. Furthermore, mindfulness-based interventions might improve their effectiveness by addressing the age, self-esteem, causality orientation, and attachment style of group members.
Recommended Citation
Leigh, Janis, "Self-Determined Mindfulness And Attachment Style In College Students" (2010). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1259.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1259