Personality functioning as a precursor of dispositional mindfulness in participants seeking psychological support : a cross-sectional study

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2020
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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.
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Tesis (Master in Clinical Psychology)--Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 2020
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