Journal Article

State mindfulness mediates relation between brief mindfulness training and sustained engagement with social stressor across social anxiety levels

Brickman, Sophie, Strait, Gerald G., Stinson, Diana C., Bistricky, Steven L., Johnston, Amanda M., Elkins, Sara R.

2024

Overview

Objectives One-in-five people experience anticipatory anxiety that impacts engagement in socially evaluative tasks. Metacognitive strategies have the potential to interrupt maladaptive cognitive-emotional cycles and facilitate greater engagement in such tasks. This study hypothesized that brief mindfulness training would increase participants’ likelihood of approaching a socially stressful task more than a brief distraction training by way of greater state mindfulness, and that participants would endorse relevant approach or avoidance motivations for their behavior. The study used an experimental design with random assignment to one of two metacognitive strategy conditions. University students ( n  = 140) with low-to-high social anxiety completed a 10-min mindfulness training or an active control distraction training, followed by a modified Trier Social Stress Test. Participants were instructed to practice the strategy before preparing for the speech, and were then given a choice to approach or avoid giving the speech. SPSS PROCESS was used to examine whether state mindfulness would mediate the relationship between the mindfulness condition and greater likelihood of approaching the speech. Hypotheses regarding mindfulness as a mediator and approach/avoidance motivations for approaching or avoiding the speech both received support. Extending upon cognitive-behavioral theories, social anxiety level may predispose avoidance of social-evaluative situations, though inducing increasing state mindfulness through brief mindfulness training might help mitigate avoidance and facilitate social approach when experiencing anxious affect.

• Publisher: Springer US,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Behavioral Science and Psychology / Engagement (Philosophy) / Management / Metacognition / Methods / Mindfulness / Mindfulness meditation / Psychological aspects / Psychology / Social anxiety / Social aspects / Social phobia / Social Sciences / Stress management