Mindfulness meditation experiences of novice practitioners in an online intervention: Trajectories, predictors, and challenges.
Applied psychology. Health and well-being February 1, 2022 Evgeny N Osin, Irina I Turilina 34 citations
A 3-week distance-based guided meditation program for 175 novice volunteers showed that meditation gradually became less effortful, less boring, more interesting, and more important over time. However, individuals varied in these experiences. Those who started with higher autonomous motivation, mindfulness, and self-regulation skills found meditation easier and more beneficial. In contrast, people with lower self-regulation or a tendency to ruminate were more likely to find meditation effortful and boring, and ultimately to quit. The findings highlight that individual differences in well-being, reflective processes, self-management, and self-control shape how people respond to online mindfulness interventions.