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. 2010 Dec;24(4):608-16.
doi: 10.1037/a0021742.

Measuring mindfulness and examining its relationship with alcohol use and negative consequences

Anne C Fernandez  1 , Mark D Wood, L A R Stein, Joseph S Rossi
Affiliations

Measuring mindfulness and examining its relationship with alcohol use and negative consequences

Anne C Fernandez et al. Psychol Addict Behav. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

Mindfulness has been proposed as a useful adjunct to alcohol abuse treatment. However, very little research has examined the basic relationship between alcohol use and mindfulness. Inconsistency in definition and measurement of mindfulness across studies makes such research difficult to interpret and conduct. Therefore, the current research sought to validate an emerging mindfulness measure, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and examine its relationship with alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences among a sample of 316 college-aged adults. The purported factor structure of the FFMQ was examined using confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to examine relations among mindfulness, alcohol use, and alcohol-related negative consequences. Consistent with past research, results supported the five-factor structure of the FFMQ. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that two awareness-based factors of mindfulness were negatively related to alcohol use. After controlling for alcohol use, one acceptance-based factor (nonjudging of thoughts and feelings) was negatively related to alcohol-related consequences, and one awareness-based factor was positively related to consequences (all ps < .05). Effect sizes were small-medium. The results reported here inform the burgeoning development of mindfulness-based addiction treatment and provide additional psychometric validation of the FFMQ.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Confirmatory factor analysis with Parcel 7 removed. All path coefficients represent standardized estimates. * p < .001.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Hierarchical factor analysis. All path coefficients represent standardized estimates. * p < .001.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Relationship between FFMQ and alcohol use and negative consequences. Intervention conditions controlled for (not shown in figure). HED = DDQ = Daily Drinking Questionnaire, Heavy Episodic Drinking, P = Parcel † p<.10, * p<.05, ***p<.001
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