Does mindfulness mitigate the negative effect of stress on working memory?
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Date
2013-07-23
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Towson University. Department of Psychology
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There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.
There are no restrictions on access to this document. An internet release form signed by the author to display this document online is on file with Towson University Special Collections and Archives.
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Abstract
Both the positive effect of mindfulness training on stress and the negative effect of stress on working memory have been documented extensively in the academic literature, but, research on the relationship between mindfulness, stress, and working memory is negligible. The present study evaluated the effect of trait mindfulness on working memory in a stress group and a control group, using a modification of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to elicit stress in the experimental group. The Modified Lag Task (MLT) was used to measure working memory, and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) measured trait mindfulness. Although it was hypothesized that mindfulness might mitigate the negative effects of stress on working memory, significant correlations were not found. Findings are discussed in terms of the limitations of mindfulness as a variable, along with suggestions for future studies given the finding that simply the anticipation of giving a speech is sufficient to induce stress in a group setting.