The development of neurocognitive mechanisms underlying dispositional mindfulness

Abstract

This project aimed to examine the personality traits and cognitive processes underlying the disposition to be mindful (DM) from a developmental perspective. Although mindfulness is effective for emotional management, there is scarce information regarding the underlying mechanisms of action and how they change across development. Literature lacks a neurocognitive model explaining DM’s mechanisms. DM is understood by a two-component model composed of: regulation of attention and an attitude of acceptance towards experience. We assessed DM’s two-component processes with two convergent techniques: self-report scales and computerized cognitive paradigms (CCP). Our sample was composed of 240 healthy participants, divided into 120 adolescents (13-17 years old) and 120 young adults (18-25 years old) of both sexes. The project had two phases. We assessed our sample with self-report scales measuring personality traits and cognitive styles and explored changes across development. After this, the young adults’ sample participated in CCP, which focused on measures of emotion regulation and attentional abilities related to DM’s two-component model. Analysis assessed the relation between DM, personality traits, and cognitive processes (measured by self-report techniques) with performance on cognitive paradigms. To understand developmental differences in DM, independent samples t-tests were performed. A regression analysis was performed to develop a cognitive model explaining DM’s variance across each age group. Results showed that DM is dependent on distinct factors across development. Moreover, decentering was at the center of both developmental models. We correlated participant’s performance, measured by reaction times (RTs) and errors, with psychological measures. Results from CCP showed that DM’s components work as protective factors against the effects of vigilant behaviors and commission errors during a Go-No Go task. Further, employment of DM’s strategies during a task switching paradigm gave better RTs and fewer errors than those employing maladaptive strategies. DM’s components could work as protective mechanisms for daily tasks and emotionally taxing events. This project is innovative since it is one of the few that shows DM’s effectiveness outside of an intervention or subjective experience. With these results we aim to better inform a neurocognitive model for DM’s expression and contribute to refine interventions directed to improve DM.