Decentering as a mediator of the effect of mindfulness on emotional distress: Evidence from cross-sectional and longitudinal designs.
Zhenzhen Wang, Xinyi Tang, Amy Hu, Wingsze Chiu, Stefan G Hofmann, Xinghua Liu
Psychotherapy research : journal of the Society for Psychotherapy Research November 17, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/10503307.2024.2426562 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDecentering—the ability to observe thoughts and feelings as temporary mental events rather than as reflections of reality—may be a key mechanism through which mindfulness-based interventions reduce anxiety and depression. In a cross-sectional study of 998 adults with high emotional distress, decentering significantly mediated the link between mindfulness and lower symptoms. In a longitudinal randomized trial, 688 participants were assigned to a Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) or a waitlist control. The MIED group showed greater improvements in decentering, anxiety, and depression over time. Reciprocal influences between decentering and distress were observed, and decentering during the intervention significantly mediated the program's effect on reducing emotional distress.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial and cross-sectional study Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,686 |
| Population | Adults with high emotional distress |
| Intervention | Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) |
| Duration | 5-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Decentering Emotional distress Mediation Mindfulness-based intervention |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key finding | Decentering significantly mediated the effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on reducing anxiety and depression, with reciprocal influences between decentering and emotional distress. |
Abstract
To investigate the role of decentering as a mediator of the effect of mindfulness/mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on emotional distress, we conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. In Study 1, a total of 998 participants with high emotional distress were included. Mindfulness, decentering, anxiety, and depression were measured at baseline. In Study 2, 688 participants with high emotional distress were randomized to a Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) group (N = 344) and a waitlist control (WL) group (N = 344). The same variables were assessed at pre-intervention, week 3, week 5, and post-intervention. In the cross-sectional design, simple mediation analyses pointed to decentering as a significant mediator of the relationship between mindfulness and symptoms of anxiety and depression. In the longitudinal designs, repeated measures ANOVAs showed that decentering, anxiety, and depression significantly improved in the MIED group compared to WL group. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models found that decentering and emotional distress reciprocally influenced each other. Longitudinal mediation analyses showed that decentering during the intervention significantly mediated the effect of the MIED program on alleviating emotional distress. Decentering may potentially act as a pivotal mediator for alleviating emotional distress in MBIs.