The Moderating Role of Personality on the Effects of Concentration-, Ethics- and Wisdom-Based Meditation Practices for Well-Being and Prosociality

People high in neuroticism showed greater gains in prosocial behavior after a mindfulness intervention that included wisdom-based practices (contemplations on interdependence and the emptiness of self) along with concentration and ethics practices, compared to a similar intervention without the wisdom component or a waitlist control. High agreeableness improved well-being outcomes for both mindfulness interventions, while high openness improved well-being only for the intervention that included wisdom practices. The findings suggest that tailoring mindfulness programs to personality traits, especially by adding wisdom-based elements, may enhance their effectiveness for individuals prone to interpersonal sensitivity and self-protective tendencies.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Objectives: The majority of mindfulness research has focused on group-level effects, with limited attention to how engagement with specific meditation practices interacts with individual differences such as personality. This study examined whether Big Five traits moderated the effects of two mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on well-being and prosocial outcomes: one incorporating concentration- and ethics-based practices (MBI-CE) and another incorporating concentration-, ethics- and wisdom-based practices (MBI-CEW). Methods: Fifty-six participants were randomly assigned to MBI-CE (n = 21), MBI-CEW (n = 18), or a waitlist Control group (n = 17). Both interventions followed an 8-week programme. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured changes in well-being and prosocial outcomes. Baseline personality traits were analysed as continuous variables using linear regression to test moderation effects, with ANCOVA sensitivity analyses conducted to assess robustness. Results: Participants high in neuroticism showed significantly greater prosocial gains under MBI-CEW compared to MBI-CE and Control (MBI-CEW × Neuroticism: β = 2.09, p = 0.021). High agreeableness moderated well-being outcomes for both interventions (MBI-CE: β = 1.873, p = 0.044; MBI-CEW: β = 2.701, p = 0.012), while high openness moderated well-being only for MBI-CEW (β = 2.478, p = 0.045). These findings suggest that the additional incorporation of wisdom-based practices (such as contemplations on interdependence and the emptiness of self), in combination with ethics-based practices, may enhance the prosocial effects of MBIs for individuals high in neuroticism, who are prone to interpersonal sensitivity and self-protective tendencies. Conclusions: Findings underscore the importance of moving beyond one-size-fits-all approaches to mindfulness. Tailoring MBIs to personality profiles, and integrating wisdom-based elements, in addition to ethics-based practices, may support more effective and sustainable outcomes in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.