Does meditation build mindfulness skills—and Improve mental health? This study tested it in 1,017 adults to find the answer.
A study in Assessment, titled “Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples”, examined whether long-term meditation actually develops mindfulness skills—and if those skills, in turn, improve well-being.
This study further explores the five Facets of Mindfulness that we have discussed before.
The researchers wanted to validate the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), a tool designed to measure five core mindfulness traits:
- Observing
- Describing
- Acting with Awareness
- Nonjudging of Inner Experience
- Nonreactivity to Inner Experience
They asked: Do experienced meditators score higher on these traits than non-meditators? And do these traits predict better psychological health?
The Study
They enrolled 1,017 adults, split into four groups:
- Experienced meditators (213 people) with regular practice (many for over 10 years).
- Demographically similar non-meditators (252 people), mostly well-educated.
- A general community sample (293 people), more reflective of the broader population.
- A student sample (259 students), mostly undergraduates with no regular meditation background.
Participants completed the FFMQ and the Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being assessments:
- Symptom inventories (e.g., stress, anxiety, mood)
- A well-being scale measuring life purpose, growth, autonomy, and self-acceptance.
The researchers compared scores across groups and ran statistical analyses to see which facets predicted well-being—and whether mindfulness explained the benefit of meditation.
Key Findings
Experienced meditators scored significantly higher than non-meditators on four out of five mindfulness traits:
- Observing
- Describing
- Nonjudging
- Nonreactivity
Surprisingly, “Acting with Awareness” didn’t differ much between groups.
The more someone had meditated (in months), the higher their scores on key mindfulness traits.
These traits, in turn, predicted lower psychological symptoms and higher well-being.
The mindfulness traits partially or fully mediated the link between meditation and well-being. That is, the mindfulness traits of observing, describing, nonjudging, and nonreactivity were the bridge between meditation experience and well-being in these data.
The study concluded that facet-level mindfulness skills—especially nonjudging and nonreactivity—show robust, independent links to better well-being and fewer symptoms.
Why This Matters
This study shows that mindfulness isn’t a vague concept—it’s a set of trainable skills with clear benefits for focus, emotional balance, and stress reduction. And in today’s high-demand work environments, emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience are absolutely essential.
More importantly meditation sharpens specific skills that buffer against stress and help you stay steady even when things get chaotic.
In summary:
- Training that boosts nonjudging, nonreactivity, and describing(clear labeling of feelings) is most tied to better well-being and fewer symptoms—helpful for focus and resilience at work.
- Simply “noticing more” (observing) helps when coupled with a nonjudging, nonreactive stance—otherwise it may track with distress in the untrained.
- The FFMQ offers a facet-level snapshot to tailor coaching or programs, track progress, and link skill-gains to outcomes.
Why This Happens
The authors suggest that meditation trains people to observe thoughts and sensations without reacting to them. Over time, this practice strengthens what’s known in neuroscience as meta-awareness—a form of awareness that helps you recognize your inner experience without becoming overwhelmed by it.
In people without meditation experience, noticing internal thoughts can sometimes increase stress or rumination. But meditators learn to pair that observation with nonjudgment and nonreactivity—turning inward focus into something adaptive rather than anxiety-provoking.
What It Means for You
Concrete, practical takeaways from this research:
- Mindfulness isn’t one skill—it’s five. Different aspects of mindfulness (e.g., noticing vs. nonjudging) develop differently and offer unique benefits.
- Describing your emotions helps. Verbalizing internal experiences was strongly linked to well-being—this supports practices like journaling or therapy.
- Self-awareness alone isn’t enough. “Observing” only helps if paired with nonjudgment and emotional regulation—skills that develop with sustained practice.
- Mindfulness predicts resilience. People with higher mindfulness traits had lower anxiety, depression, and stress.
Practitioner Tip: How can you try this?
- Describing: Name the feeling right before a big presentation, or meeting. It will ground you, and help reduce the anxiety and stress.
- Assess facets: Use the FFMQ (39 items) to baseline and track five skills. Repeat every 8–12 weeks.
- Train three targets:
- Label feelings (describing): 1–2×/day, pause and name the strongest feeling in 1–2 words.
- Nonjudging: When a tough thought/emotion shows up, add “…and that’s okay to feel.”
- Nonreactivity: When triggered, take three slow breaths before acting; let the feeling rise/fall without fixing it.
- Guardrails for “observing”: If you are new, pair observing with nonjudging cues (“curious, not critical”) to avoid rumination.
- Dose: Aim 3–6 sessions/week, 20-45 min each, and occasional retreat-style days if possible.
Caveat
This is a validation/group-comparison study, not an intervention/RCT. Please check the quality section for more details.
Final Thought
Mindfulness isn’t magic—it’s measurable. And this study shows that meditation builds it, bit by bit. Whether you’re looking to lead more effectively, avoid burnout, or just feel more grounded, there’s now strong evidence that mindfulness can be a learnable foundation—not just a buzzword.
Technical Summary
TL;DR
- Study: Four samples (students, community adults, highly educated adults, and experienced meditators), total N = 1,017, tested the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). (Table 2, p. 333)
- Finding: The FFMQ showed good reliability, a solid five-facet structure in meditators, and meaningful links to fewer symptoms and higher well-being—especially for describing, nonjudging, and nonreactivity. (CFA & fit indices, p. 335; Tables 7–9, pp. 337–338)
- Why does it matter: The facets pinpoint which mindfulness skills relate to better mental health—useful for training, coaching, and tracking progress.
Mindfulness skills can be taught and measured. This study tested whether a 39-item tool—the FFMQ—captures five everyday mindfulness skills and whether these skills relate to symptoms and psychological well-being (PWB). (pp. 329–331)
A study in Assessment, titled “Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples,” examined whether the FFMQ measures five skills: observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity (Table 1, p. 330). In experienced meditators, the five-facet model fit well (CFI = .97, TLI = .96, RMSEA = .06, SRMR = .05) and each facet loaded on a higher-order mindfulness factor (e.g., loadings: observing .82; nonreactivity .84; p. 335). Across samples, internal consistency was acceptable (α ≈ .72–.92; one exception: student nonreactivity α = .67; p. 335).
Mindfulness facets related as expected to symptoms (lower is better) and to PWB (higher is better), with one nuance: observing correlated beneficially in meditators but not in non-meditators (Tables 7–8, p. 337). In combined meditator + matched non-meditator analyses, describing, nonjudging, and nonreactivity each independently predicted PWB (R² = .39; Table 9, p. 338) and mediated the link between meditation experience and PWB (Fig. 1, p. 339). Group comparisons showed meditators scored higher than non-meditators on most facets (Table 6, p. 336).
Methods Overview
Participants from four groups completed the FFMQ and symptom/well-being scales: university students, a UK community sample, highly educated adults (some mental-health professionals), and experienced meditators. Meditation “dose” was self-reported (months of practice; sessions/week; retreat days; Table 3, p. 334). Outcomes included symptoms (BSI, POMS, DASS) and Ryff’s 54-item PWB total. Analyses: internal consistency, facet inter-correlations, CFA (meditators), ANOVAs with planned contrasts, correlations, multiple regression, and mediation (Baron & Kenny; MacKinnon tests). (pp. 331–338)
Study Design Snapshot
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Design | Cross-sectional psychometric validation with group comparisons and mediation |
| Participants | N = 1,017: Students (n=259), Community (n=293), Highly educated non-meditators (n=252), Meditators (n=213). Predominantly White; more women; meditators older and more educated (Table 2, p. 333). |
| Intervention / Exposure | Not an intervention; exposure = meditation experience (months, frequency, retreat days). In meditators: 45% practicing >10 years; typical session 21–45 min; many with >30 retreat days (Table 3, p. 334). |
| Comparator | Meditators vs. non-meditators; also meditators vs. demographically similar non-meditators (Table 6, p. 336). |
| Outcome Measures | FFMQ (five facets); Symptoms: BSI (students), POMS (community), DASS (highly educated & subset of meditators); PWB (Ryff 54-item) (pp. 334–335). |
| Follow-up Length | None (single-timepoint). |
| Statistical Analysis | Cronbach’s α; CFA with CFI/TLI/RMSEA/SRMR; ANOVA + planned contrasts; partial correlations; multiple regression; mediation with significance of indirect effects (pp. 335–339). |
Key Findings
- Structure & reliability
- Five-facet model fit in meditators: CFI .97, TLI .96, RMSEA .06 (90% CI .05–.08), SRMR .05 (p. 335).
- Loadings on higher-order mindfulness: observing .82; describing .53; acting with awareness .63; nonjudging .69; nonreactivity .84 (p. 335).
- Internal consistency: α ≈ .72–.92 across samples; student nonreactivity α = .67 (p. 335).
- Group differences (means ± SD, meditators vs. demographically similar non-meditators; Table 6, p. 336)
- Observing: 31.96 ± 4.16 vs. 27.04 ± 5.63; t = 10.27; Hedges g = 0.98 (95% CI 0.79–1.17).
- Describing: 31.84 ± 5.30 vs. 30.01 ± 5.63; t = 3.21; g = 0.33 (0.15–0.52).
- Acting with awareness: 28.08 ± 5.10 vs. 28.32 ± 5.21; t = –0.45; g = –0.05 (–0.23–0.14) (ns).
- Nonjudging: 32.44 ± 5.63 vs. 29.13 ± 5.79; t = 5.62; g = 0.58 (0.39–0.76).
- Nonreactivity: 25.70 ± 4.01 vs. 22.82 ± 4.19; t = 7.11; g = 0.70 (0.51–0.89).
(g and CIs computed from Table 6 means/SDs with n=213 vs n=252.)
- Symptoms (Table 7, p. 337)
- In meditators, higher mindfulness linked to fewer symptoms: observing r = –.48, nonjudging r = –.58, nonreactivity r = –.43 (all p < .01).
- In students/community, observing was positive or null with symptoms (e.g., students r = +.21, p < .01).
- Psychological well-being (PWB; Table 8, p. 337–338)
- In meditators, all facets correlated positively with PWB (e.g., acting with awareness r = .51, nonjudging r = .50, observing r = .45, all p < .01).
- In students/highly educated non-meditators, all but observing were consistently positive (Table 8).
- Incremental prediction & mediation
- Regression (combined meditator + matched non-meditator sample): R² = .39; significant β for describing (.20), acting with awareness (.19), nonjudging (.26), nonreactivity (.18); observing ns (Table 9, p. 338; p ≤ .011).
- Mediation (Fig. 1, p. 339): with facets entered, the path from meditation experience to PWB dropped from β = .23* to β ≈ 0; describing (.22), nonjudging (.30), nonreactivity (.22) each carried unique indirect effects (p < .05).
Limitations Stated by Authors
- Cross-sectional design; cannot infer causality; longitudinal trials needed (pp. 339–340).
- Meditators were older, highly educated, many in mental health; generalisability limited (pp. 339–340).
- Short-term meditators and clinical populations under-represented (p. 340).
- Only the FFMQ was used (no multi-method assessment); meditation practices varied and were not deeply profiled (pp. 339–340).
Critical Notes
- Convenience sampling and moderate response rates (~48%) invite nonresponse bias.
- Symptom measures differed by sample (BSI/POMS/DASS), which can add measurement heterogeneity.
- The observing facet’s dependence on meditation experience suggests context-sensitive validity—use with caution in general populations.
- What we can conclude confidently: Facet-level mindfulness skills—especially nonjudging and nonreactivity—show robust, independent links to better well-being and fewer symptoms, and statistically mediate the relationship between meditation experience and well-being. (Tables 7–9; Fig. 1)
Glossary
- FFMQ: A 39-item questionnaire measuring five mindfulness skills (observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, nonreactivity).
- Psychological well-being (PWB): Ryff’s model of positive functioning (e.g., purpose, growth, autonomy); higher scores = better well-being.
- CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis): A test of whether data fit a hypothesised factor structure; fit indices (CFI/TLI/RMSEA/SRMR) show model quality.
- Mediation: When an intermediate variable (e.g., nonjudging) explains how/why an exposure (meditation experience) relates to an outcome (PWB).
Paper Quality (Moderate-High)
Strong psychometrics in large samples, but cross-sectional and convenience recruitment limit causal claims.
| Criterion | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Randomisation & blinding | 🔴 Low | Cross-sectional validation; no randomisation/blinding (not applicable). |
| Sample size & power | 🟢 High | N = 1,017 across four samples; ample for CFA and regressions (Table 2, p. 333). |
| Attrition / adherence | 🟡 Moderate | Survey response rates ~48% (meditator mailout) and 47.5% (community), potential nonresponse bias (pp. 331–334). |
| Conflicts of interest | ⚪ Not reported | University internal grant acknowledged; no COI statement (p. 329). |
Suggested Reads
- Baer R.A., Smith G.T., Hopkins J., Krietemeyer J., & Toney L. (2006). Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness.
- Brown K.W., & Ryan R.M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being.
- Ryff C.D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being.