Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Habitual worrying and benefits of mindfulness
AU - Verplanken, Bas
AU - Fisher, Naomi Ruth
PY - 2014/10
Y1 - 2014/10
N2 - Although worry is in essence an adaptive mental activity, habitual worrying (repetitive and automatic worried thinking) is dysfunctional. Two studies investigated whether mindfulness mitigated adverse consequences of habitual worrying. The beneficial role of mindfulness was hypothesized on the basis of two key features: a focus on the immediate experience and an attitude of acceptance towards whatever arises in the stream of consciousness. These features map inversely on habitual worrying, which is characterized by a focus away from the present and a non-accepting attitude towards the object of worry. In study 1, it was found that, while habitual worrying correlated significantly with test anxiety, dispositional mindfulness partially mediated this relationship. Study 2 demonstrated that experimentally induced mindfulness made habitual worriers more tolerant to viewing distressing images. Together the studies suggest that mindfulness may function as an antidote to unconstructive consequences of habitual worrying.
AB - Although worry is in essence an adaptive mental activity, habitual worrying (repetitive and automatic worried thinking) is dysfunctional. Two studies investigated whether mindfulness mitigated adverse consequences of habitual worrying. The beneficial role of mindfulness was hypothesized on the basis of two key features: a focus on the immediate experience and an attitude of acceptance towards whatever arises in the stream of consciousness. These features map inversely on habitual worrying, which is characterized by a focus away from the present and a non-accepting attitude towards the object of worry. In study 1, it was found that, while habitual worrying correlated significantly with test anxiety, dispositional mindfulness partially mediated this relationship. Study 2 demonstrated that experimentally induced mindfulness made habitual worriers more tolerant to viewing distressing images. Together the studies suggest that mindfulness may function as an antidote to unconstructive consequences of habitual worrying.
KW - Habitual worrying
KW - Mindfulness
KW - Anxiety
KW - Test anxiety
U2 - 10.1007/s12671-013-0211-0
DO - 10.1007/s12671-013-0211-0
M3 - Journal article
VL - 5
SP - 566
EP - 573
JO - Mindfulness
JF - Mindfulness
SN - 1868-8527
IS - 5
ER -