Personality functioning as a precursor of dispositional mindfulness in participants seeking psychological support : a cross-sectional study
Loading...
Date
2020
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The present study aimed to understand how personality functioning is related to
dispositional mindfulness. We hypothesized that a patient's personality structure (strength
and vulnerability), correlates with dispositional mindfulness as a personality trait.
Participants for this study were selected from two samples, one sample of participants
from a MBSR program and another sample from a psychotherapy program. There were
97 participants (47 MBSR participants and 48 psychotherapy participants). The average
participant was approximately 36 years of age and 54% of the sample was female. The
independent variable was personality functioning and its basic functions (perception of
self and objects, regulation of self and relationships, communication with the internal and
external world, and attachment to internal and external objects), as measured by the OPDSQ (Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis Structure Questionnaire), and the
dependent variable is dispositional mindfulness, as measured by the FFMQ (Five Factor
Mindfulness Questionnaire).
Mindfulness-based interventions have been proven to be effective for a variety of
psychological problems, including personality disorders. Likely the extent to which these
interventions are beneficial for patients and users relies, among other factors, on the
dispositional mindfulness trait. Results of this study indicate that personality dysfunction
negatively impacts dispositional mindfulness, and to this extent, personality dysfunction
may impact the benefit of general mindfulness-based interventions.
When examining the contribution of specific dimensions of personality dysfunction to the
overall level of mindfulness disposition, self-regulation appears to exhibit the greatest
impact, followed by self-perception, internal emotional communication, regulation of
relationships, external emotional communication, attachment to external objects, object
perception and attachment to internal objects. Results were controlled by groups regarding
significant differences on test scores (OPD and BDI) and demographic data. This was an
interesting finding: psychotherapy patients show better scores in personality functioning
and in dispositional mindfulness. It could be discussed that in the present sample, the
psychotherapy patients present a healthier mental state than MBSR participants.
Description
Tesis (Master in Clinical Psychology)--Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 2020