The role of mindfulness and positive reappraisal in stress and quality of life
- UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Sudheera T. Ranaweera (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
- Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
- Advisor
- Rosemery Nelson Gray
Abstract: The Mindfulness-Positive Reappraisal (MPR) Pathways Model for Stress Reduction is a conceptual model (Figure D1) developed by the present author after critically examining existing theoretical and empirical work. It theorizes that through two pathways (Buddhist pathway and psychological pathway), individuals may elect to use mindfulness and positive reappraisal for coping, and individuals who use mindfulness and positive reappraisal more frequently will have a higher quality of life and lower perceptions of stress. In Study 1, a community sample was recruited to see if, after engagement in a writing task meant to induce stress, those in a mediation condition (n = 29) experienced less reactivity than those in distraction (n = 27) and rumination conditions (n = 24). In Study 2, participants were recruited from spiritual (Buddhist/Zen) groups (n = 21) and from the community (n = 27) to test the conceptual model through the use of the same experimental manipulation (from Study 1), followed by only meditation. Participants were given various self-report measures and asked open-ended questions about mindfulness and positive reappraisal. I predicted that participants in the meditation condition in Study 1 and the spiritual group in Study 2 would have lower reactivity to the stressful writing task. This hypothesis was supported for Study 1 across the pleasant/unpleasant subscale and for Study 2 across the pleasant/unpleasant and negative/relaxed mood subscales. For Study 2, I also predicted that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, positive reappraisal, and state mindfulness would be related to lower perceived stress and higher quality of life. Higher dispositional mindfulness was predictive of lower perceived stress, and lower positive reappraisal was predictive of higher quality of life. These findings, additional exploratory hypotheses, similarities and differences between the two spiritual and community groups, and how these relationships map onto the MPR Pathways Model for Stress Reduction are discussed.
The role of mindfulness and positive reappraisal in stress and quality of life
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Created on 8/1/2022
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Dissertation
- Language: English
- Date: 2022
- Keywords
- Coping, Mindfulness, Positive reappraisal, Quality of life, Stress
- Subjects
- Mindfulness (Psychology)
- Adjustment (Psychology)
- Stress (Psychology)
- Quality of life