Psychology, health & medicine
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Prior work has linked mindfulness with superior physical and psychological health outcomes. However, studies to date have infrequently tested the unique contributions of individual mindfulness facets, inadequately tested links between facets and healthcare utilization, and have not tested whether depression or anxiety may influence these links. In the current report, 40 young, middle aged and older adults (N = 121) completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, health, healthcare utilization and depression/anxiety. ⋯ Across models, observe scores - the tendency to attend to thoughts, sensations and feelings - predicted poorer, and non-reactivity scores better, outcomes even when controlling for demographic and health confounds. Depressed and anxious emotion reduced some but not all mindfulness-health links. Results are discussed in terms of the mechanisms by which greater mindfulness may facilitate better health and health behaviour.
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This study assessed the extent to which being predisposed towards engaging in acts of gratitude and forgiveness is associated with enhanced quality of life (QoL), and whether these associations are mediated by positive and negative affective states. The study sample comprised 327 people with one of three chronic illnesses (arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes). Participants completed self-report measures of two positive predispositions (the tendencies towards gratitude and forgiveness), two affective states (positive and negative) and three indices of QoL (physical, psychological and satisfaction with life). ⋯ Findings support the view that predispositions towards interpersonal gratitude, and possibly interpersonal forgiveness, may bolster the QoL of people living with chronic physical illness. Consistent with contemporary theories of positive emotion, gratitude appears to have its effects via enhancing positive affect. The study adds to the emerging evidence that a predisposition towards gratitude benefits QoL and extends past findings by identifying a mechanism that is important in people with chronic illnesses.