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Mindfulness, Rumination, and Stress Recovery: Investigation of the Effects of Mindfulness on Rumination and Cortisol Responses following a Social-Evaluative Stressor

Manigault, Andrew W.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1476375071253074

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Experimental Psychology (Arts and Sciences).
Biological models of mindfulness suggest that mindfulness is able to affect a variety of health outcomes by reducing physiological stress reactivity (i.e., an increase or change from resting states). Although some support exists for this view, the stress literature suggests that stress recovery (i.e., a return to resting states) is a better or at least equivalent predictor of long-term health outcomes compared to stress reactivity. Further, mindfulness tends to be negatively associated with coping strategies like rumination which have been shown to inhibit stress recovery. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to test for the direct and indirect (via a reduction in state stress-related rumination) effects of mindfulness on cortisol reactivity and recovery. Cortisol is a stress hormone of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is critical to many health processes. Participants in the study were subjected to a stressful speech task, and subsequently asked to report the extent to which they ruminated over the speech task. Salivary cortisol was measured at various time points during the study to capture baseline, peak levels, and expected return to baseline. Contrary to hypotheses, high trait mindfulness predicted increased cortisol reactivity and was unrelated to state stress-related rumination. The relationship between state stress-related rumination and cortisol recovery was mixed. In conclusion, the present study was not able to replicate previous findings suggesting that trait mindfulness reduces cortisol reactivity. Furthermore trait mindfulness (as assessed with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale) does not appear to improve health by reducing cortisol recovery directly or indirectly (i.e., via reduction in state stress-related rumination). Implications for current theories and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Peggy Zoccola, Dr. (Advisor)
Bruce Carlson, Dr. (Committee Member)
Ronaldo Vigo, Dr. (Committee Member)
113 p.
Psychology
Stress; Reactivity; Recovery; Mindfulness; Rumination; Cortisol

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Manigault, A. W. (2016). Mindfulness, Rumination, and Stress Recovery: Investigation of the Effects of Mindfulness on Rumination and Cortisol Responses following a Social-Evaluative Stressor [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1476375071253074

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Manigault, Andrew. Mindfulness, Rumination, and Stress Recovery: Investigation of the Effects of Mindfulness on Rumination and Cortisol Responses following a Social-Evaluative Stressor. 2016. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1476375071253074.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Manigault, Andrew. "Mindfulness, Rumination, and Stress Recovery: Investigation of the Effects of Mindfulness on Rumination and Cortisol Responses following a Social-Evaluative Stressor." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1476375071253074

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1476375071253074
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© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.