The effect of mindfulness on reappraisal, attentional control, and hostile attribution bias

The goal of this study was to expand prior research that examines the potential psychological components within mindfulness, such as attentional control and reappraisal. This study examined the effect of a two-week long mindfulness intervention on levels of mindfulness and hostile attribution bias. Further, we proposed attentional control and reappraisal as the mechanisms behind this relationship. The sample consisted of high school students from a local, rural high school (N = 115; Mₐ₉ₑ = 16.47, SD = 1.15 years). The intervention did not cause any difference in the levels of mindfulness, attentional control, reappraisal, and hostile attribution bias. Results indicated, however, that attentional control was positively correlated with mindfulness and reappraisal and negatively correlated with hostile attribution bias. These results provide partial support for our theoretical model. Future research should further explore this theoretical framework in order to understand the ways in which attentional control contributes to mindfulness and how mindfulness can impact physical and psychological well-being.