Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a group intervention that reduces psychological symptoms, but which specific aspects of the practice drive those improvements is unclear. A new measure of mindfulness practice quality (PQ-M) was validated using exploratory factor analysis with 99 participants, showing a two-factor structure. In a smaller subsample of 19 participants, changes in practice quality over the course of MBSR were linked to reductions in psychological symptoms. Although exploratory, the findings suggest that the quality of mindfulness practice, not just its quantity, may be a relevant factor for improving outcomes and could help instructors tailor interventions.
In a randomized clinical trial of mindfulness training for smokers, the quality of mindfulness practice—how well participants engaged with the techniques—predicted improvements in psychological functioning (including negative affect, emotion regulation, quality of life, and mindfulness) both immediately after treatment and at a 5-month follow-up, even after accounting for the amount of time spent practicing. The amount of practice time predicted improvements only at posttreatment, not at follow-up. Neither practice time nor change in practice quality predicted smoking abstinence at 1 or 6 months after quitting. The findings suggest that the quality of mindfulness practice is a more enduring predictor of psychological benefits than the quantity of practice.