Strengths-based Mindfulness: effects on mental health and well-being
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5944/rdp.v34i125.37235Keywords:
Mindfulness, Character Strengths, Anxiety, Depression, Well-beingAbstract
Combining Mindfulness and character strengths involves living fully aware of our strengths and putting them into action for the common good. Several studies have found a positive effect on well-being, but the effect on mental health has not yet been described. The aim of this study is to test the effectiveness of an online program that combines Mindfulness with character strengths to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, and increase satisfaction with life. For this purpose, a quasi-experimental study was carried out with a control group whose sample consisted of 103 adults with anxious-depressive symptomatology residing in Spain. The results show the capability of the program to reduce the levels of anxiety, depression and stress, as well as to increase the levels of satisfaction with life. It is concluded that Mindfulness and Strengths-based programs are valid alternatives to improve mental health and that they can be applied online, reaching more people and reducing costs.
Keywords: Mindfulness, Character Strengths, Anxiety, Depression, Well-being
Downloads
References
Bados, A., Solanas, A., & Andrés, R. (2005). Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of depression, anxiety and stress scales (DASS). Psicothema, 17(4), 679-683.
Borquist-Conlon, D. S., Maynard, B. R., Brendel, K. E., & Farina, A. S. (2019). Mindfulness-based interventions for youth with anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Research on Social Work Practice, 29(2), 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731516684961
Cillessen, L., Johannsen, M., Speckens, A. E., & Zachariae, R. (2019). Mindfulness‐based interventions for psychological and physical health outcomes in cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychooncology, 28(12), 2257-2269. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5214
Diener, E. D., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71-75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13
Fredrickson, B. L., Cohn, M. A., Coffey, K. A., Pek, J., & Finkel, S. M. (2008). Open hearts build lives: positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(5), 1045. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013262
Harzer, C. (2016). The eudaimonics of human strengths: The relations between character strengths and well-being. In Joar Vittersø (Ed.), Handbook of eudaimonic well-being (pp. 307-322). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-42445-3_20
Herber, E. K. (2021). Activa tus fortalezas: El método para desarrollar tu potencial más auténtico. Kailas Editorial.
Ivtzan, I., Niemiec, R. M., & Briscoe, C. (2016). A study investigating the effects of Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP) on wellbeing. International Journal of Wellbeing, 6(2), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v6i2.557
Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L., & Burney, R. (1985). The clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 8(2), 163-190. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00845519
Khoury, B., Sharma, M., Rush, S. E., & Fournier, C. (2015). Mindfulness-based stress reduction for healthy individuals: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 78(6), 519-528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2015.03.009
Kong, F., Wang, X., & Zhao, J. (2014). Dispositional mindfulness and life satisfaction: The role of core self-evaluations. Personality and Individual Differences, 56, 165-169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2013.09.002
Lavy, S., & Littman-Ovadia, H. (2017). My Better Self: Using Strengths at Work and Work Productivity, Organizational Citizenship Behavior, and Satisfaction. Journal of Career Development, 44(2), 95–109. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894845316634056
Lovibond, P. F., & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33(3), 335-343. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-U
Monzani, L., Escartín, J., Ceja, L., & Bakker, A. B. (2021). Blending mindfulness practices and character strengths increases employee well-being: A second-order meta-analysis and a follow-up field experiment. Human Resource Management Journal, 31(4), 1025-1062. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12360
Niemiec, R. M. (2014). Mindfulness and character strengths: A practical guide to flourishing. Hogrefe Publishing.
Niemiec, R. M. (2017). Character strengths interventions: A field guide for practitioners. Hogrefe Publishing.
Niemiec, R. M., & Lissing, J. (2016). Mindfulness-based strengths practice (MBSP) for enhancing well-being, life purpose, and positive relationships. In I. Ivtzan & T. Lomas (Eds.), Mindfulness in positive psychology: The science of meditation and wellbeing. Routledge.
Niemiec, R., Rashid, T., & Spinella, M. (2012). Strong mindfulness: Integrating mindfulness and character strengths. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 34(3), 240-253. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.34.3.34p6328x2v204v21
Nieto, J., Arribas, B., & Cataluña, D. (2021). Eficacia de una intervención online basada en mindfulness frente al tratamiento psicológico habitual para la reducción de síntomas de ansiedad y depresión [Efficacy of an online mindfulness-based intervention versus treatment as usual for the reduction of anxiety and depression symptom]. Revista de Psicoterapia, 32(120), 37-54. https://doi.org/10.33898/rdp.v32i120.992
Pang, D., & Ruch, W. (2019). Fusing character strengths and mindfulness interventions: Benefits for job satisfaction and performance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(1), 150. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000144
Pavot, W., & Diener, E. (1993). The affective and cognitive contest of self-reports measures of subjective well-being. Social Indicators Research, 28(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01086714
Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press.
Reb, J., Narayanan, J., & Ho, Z. W. (2015). Mindfulness at work: Antecedents and consequences of employee awareness and absent-mindedness. Mindfulness, 6(1), 111-122. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-013-0236-4
Roeser, R. W., Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Jha, A., Cullen, M., Wallace, L., Wilensky, R., Oberle, E., Thomson, K., Taylor, C., & Harrison, J. (2013). Mindfulness training and reductions in teacher stress and burnout: Results from two randomized, waitlist-control field trials. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 787-804. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032093
Román, F., Santibáñez, P., & Vinet, E. V. (2016). Uso de las Escalas de Depresión Ansiedad Estrés (DASS-21) como instrumento de tamizaje en jóvenes con problemas clínicos. Acta de Investigación Psicológica, 6(1), 2325-2336. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2007-4719(16)30053-9
Shonin, E., Van Gordon, W., Dunn, T. J., Singh, N. N., & Griffiths, M. D. (2014). Meditation awareness training (MAT) for work-related wellbeing and job performance: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 12(6), 806-823. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-014-9513-2.
Sopezki, D., Andreoni, S., Montero-Marin, J., Dias de Castro Filho, E., Fortes, S., de Lima, G. G., Pizutti, L., Campos, Á, Fernandes, T., García-Campayo, J. y Demarzo, M. (2020). Feasibility and effectiveness of a mindfulness-based program vs. relaxation in the treatment of burnout in Brazilian primary care providers: a mixed-methods pragmatic controlled study. Mindfulness, 11, 2573-2588. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01472-w
Vázquez, C., Duque, A., & Hervás, G. (2013). Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida (SWLS) en una muestra representativa de españoles adultos: Validación y datos normativos [Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in a representative sample of Spanish adults: Validation and normative data]. Spanish Journal of Psychology, 16(82), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1017/sjp.2013.82
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish in this journal accept the following conditions:
-
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work registered under the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license. This license allows third parties to cite the text and use it without alteration and for non-commercial purposes, provided they credit the authorship of the work and its first publication in this journal.
-
Authors may enter into other independent and additional contractual agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the article published in this journal (e.g., including it in an institutional repository or publishing it in a book), provided they clearly indicate that the work was first published in this journal.
-
The views expressed in the articles are solely the responsibility of the authors and in no case do they reflect the opinions or scientific policies of the journal.
