The Moderation Effect of Mindfulness on Stress and Non-Clinical Dissociation

Date
2022-06-09
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Abstract

Dissociation has previously been studied in clinical and non-clinical populations, with relation to both mindfulness and stress. However, previous literature has not examined all three together within an experimental design. The study examined the moderating effect of mindfulness on the relationship between stress and dissociation within a non-clinical college population. It was hypothesized that a stress-inducing task would induce peritraumatic dissociation. It was also hypothesized that mindfulness would buffer the impact of stress on peritraumatic dissociation. A Mann-Whitney non-parametric test was conducted to examine the statistical differences in dissociation between the stress-inducing and nonstress-inducing conditions. A simple moderation analysis was conducted to examine the moderation effect of mindfulness on the relationship between stress and peritraumatic dissociation with anxiety, depression, and trait dissociation as covariates. Mindfulness did not moderate the relationship between stress and dissociation. Stress had a positive and significant effect on dissociation, while the effect of mindfulness was not significant. The study has the potential to increase knowledge of the three constructs together within a non-clinical sample. Further implications may be made from the current study, such as checking individual’s progress while conducting mindfulness trainings to ensure the trainings are working as intended.

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dissociation, stress, trauma, mindfulness, non-clinical
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