The relationship between dispositional mindfulness, attachment security, emotion regulation and attentional control during adolescence.

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated the relationship between naturally-occurring mindfulness and emotion regulation and attachment security in adult populations. Moreover, the link between the ability to control attention and mindfulness has also been established. However, research into naturally-occurring mindfulness on younger populations has been limited. The current research attempts to investigate the relationship between dispositional mindfulness, attachment security, emotion regulation, and attentional control in an adolescent population. In total, 206 high school age individuals participated in the study and they each completed the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale - Revised (CAMS-R), Experiences in Close Relationships - Relationship Structures (ECR-RS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Attentional Control Scale (ACS). Standard linear regression analysis demonstrated that attentional control and some aspects of emotion dysregulation were strong predictors of mindfulness as they independently predicted scores on most of the mindfulness subscales. Attachment security, however, was not as strong a predictor as only attachment avoidance independently predicted one of the mindfulness subscales. The current findings confirmed that attachment security, emotion regulation, and attentional control are linked to mindfulness and provide a unique insight into the nature of this relationship in an adolescent population.