Does a mindfulness-based intervention strengthen mindfulness stress buffering effects in adolescence? A preliminary investigation

Past research on benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) has focused on differences in levels of trait mindfulness and/or mental health; we provided a preliminary test of the hypothesis that, for adolescents, an MBI enhances the function of mindfulness as a stress buffer. For mindfulness to buffer stress, levels of mindfulness need to stay consistently high during stressors. Twenty adolescents (12-18yrs) participated in an MBI and completed daily diaries across six weeks of the program on interparental conflict, mindful attention, self-compassion, depressive symptoms and psychological distress. Multilevel and heterogeneous mixed-effects location-scale models as well as multilevel mediation and moderation indicated that, within person, the effects of the stressor (interparental conflict) on mindfulness varied between the first half (before receiving instruction about remaining mindful during stress) and the second half of the MBI (after receiving such instruction): greater interparental conflict was associated with lower levels and consistency of mindfulness in the first half, but was not associated with levels or consistency of mindfulness in the second half. Also, within person, mindfulness appeared to mediate rather than buffer effects of conflict on daily mental health in the first half of the program, but in the second half, mindfulness was a significant buffer of the link between conflict and mental health. Results provided preliminary support that an MBI may change the function of mindfulness as a stress buffer for adolescents, allowing them to be able to remain consistently mindful under stress and therefore experience the stress-buffering effects of mindfulness.