Nomological Network of Dispositional Mindfulness: Evidence from MIDUS-II and MIDUS-III

Abstract

While dispositional mindfulness is a popular construct in the field of positive psychology, its nomological network in the context of health and well-being is not well established. Our study addresses this limitation by examining the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and various health-related psychological constructs, including personality, social well-being, and affective states. Data for this study were gathered from the national longitudinal studies of health and well-being called Midlife in the United States (MIDUS-II and MIDUS-III). The nomological network analysis of dispositional mindfulness showed positive associations with both religiosity and overall well-being measures (e.g., Social Well-Being, Sympathy, Optimism, and Generativity) and negative associations with maladaptive tendencies (e.g., Pessimism, Aggression, Neuroticism, and Personal Constraints). Finally, test-retest validity was positively verified by significant correlations among the variables, spanning over ten years. Articulating a nomological network of dispositional mindfulness has important implications for future research and practice.