Resumen de Distress tolerance as a mechanism of mindfulness for depression and anxiety: cross-sectional and diary evidence

Yanjuan Li, Ruilin Ju, Stefan G. Hofmann, Wingsze Chiu, Ye Guan, Yu Leng, Xinghua Liu

• Background Both trait and state mindfulness are associated with less depression and anxiety, but the mechanisms remain unknown. Distress tolerance, an important transdiagnostic factor of emotional disorders, may mediate the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety.

  Method Study 1 examined the mediation model at the between-person level in a large cross-sectional sample (n = 905). In Study 2, a daily diary study (n = 110) was conducted to examine within-person changes. Participants were invited to complete daily diaries measuring daily mindfulness, distress tolerance, depression and anxiety for 14 consecutive days.

  Results In Study 1, results of simple mediation analyses indicated that distress tolerance mediated the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety at the between-person level. In Study 2, results of multilevel mediation analyses indicated that, in both the concurrent model and time-lagged model, daily distress tolerance mediated the effects of daily mindfulness on daily depression/anxiety at both the within- and between-person level.

  Conclusions Distress tolerance is a mechanism underlying the relationship between mindfulness and depression/anxiety. Individuals with high or fluctuating depression and anxiety may benefit from short-term or long-term mindfulness training to increase distress tolerance.