Awareness as a key component of mindfulness reduces psychological stress in adolescents: Evidence from multi-method studies

IF 4.5 2区心理学 Q1 PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL

Behaviour Research and Therapy Pub Date : 2025-09-30 DOI:10.1016/j.brat.2025.104877

Yaoyao Zhang , Xin Liu , Huimin Wu , Mingxin Shi , Cheng Guo

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

The components of mindfulness include awareness and acceptance. However, the effects of awareness and acceptance on psychological stress in adolescents remain controversial, and the underlying cognitive processes less attention. Therefore, this study aimed to examine their independent effects, and the relevant cognitive processes.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey study (Study 1, N = 3304, M_age = 15.53 years) employed regression models to examine the relationships between awareness, acceptance, and psychological stress. A randomized controlled trial (Study 2, N = 304, M_age = 15.07 years) was conducted by randomly assigning participants to four groups: an awareness group (MA), an awareness and acceptance group (MA + A), an active control group (AC), and a blank control group (BL). Study 2 aimed to examine the effects of awareness and acceptance on adolescents’ psychological stress. A cross-sectional observational study (Study 3, N = 111, M_age = 16.77 years) was conducted to examine the non-temporal mediating role of attention control.

Results

Study 1 indicated that both awareness and acceptance were negatively associated with psychological stress, with awareness showing a stronger negative relationship. Study 2 showed that adolescents’ psychological stress improved in both the MA and MA + A groups, with the MA group showing a more significant reduction than both the MA + A (d = −0.23) and BL groups (d = −0.56). Study 3 showed that conflict monitoring of attention control played a non-temporal mediating role in the relationship between awareness and psychological stress in adolescents. Conclusions: This study emphasizes the importance of awareness and conflict monitoring in developing mindfulness-based stress reduction programs for adolescents.

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意识是正念的一个关键组成部分，可以减少青少年的心理压力：来自多方法研究的证据。

目的：正念的组成部分包括意识和接受。然而，认知和接受对青少年心理压力的影响仍然存在争议，潜在的认知过程较少受到关注。因此，本研究旨在检验它们的独立作用，以及相关的认知过程。方法：采用横断面调查研究（study 1, N = 3304，年龄= 15.53岁），采用回归模型检验意识、接受度与心理压力之间的关系。采用随机对照试验（Study 2, N = 304，年龄= 15.07），将参与者随机分为4组：意识组（MA）、意识与接受组（MA + A）、主动对照组（AC）和空白对照组（BL）。研究二旨在探讨认知和接受对青少年心理压力的影响。本研究采用横断面观察性研究（study 3, N = 111, Mage = 16.77 years）来检验注意控制的非时间中介作用。结果：研究1表明，认知和接受与心理压力均呈负相关，其中认知负相关更强。研究2显示，MA组和MA + A组青少年的心理压力均有改善，其中MA组比MA + A组（d = -0.23）和BL组（d = -0.56）有更显著的降低。研究3表明，注意控制的冲突监测在青少年意识与心理压力的关系中起非时间中介作用。结论：本研究强调了意识和冲突监测在发展以正念为基础的青少年减压项目中的重要性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Behaviour Research and Therapy PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL-

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

7.30%

发文量

148

期刊介绍： The major focus of Behaviour Research and Therapy is an experimental psychopathology approach to understanding emotional and behavioral disorders and their prevention and treatment, using cognitive, behavioral, and psychophysiological (including neural) methods and models. This includes laboratory-based experimental studies with healthy, at risk and subclinical individuals that inform clinical application as well as studies with clinically severe samples. The following types of submissions are encouraged: theoretical reviews of mechanisms that contribute to psychopathology and that offer new treatment targets; tests of novel, mechanistically focused psychological interventions, especially ones that include theory-driven or experimentally-derived predictors, moderators and mediators; and innovations in dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices into clinical practice in psychology and associated fields, especially those that target underlying mechanisms or focus on novel approaches to treatment delivery. In addition to traditional psychological disorders, the scope of the journal includes behavioural medicine (e.g., chronic pain). The journal will not consider manuscripts dealing primarily with measurement, psychometric analyses, and personality assessment.