Facets of dispositional mindfulness versus sources of social support predicting college students' psychological adjustment

J Am Coll Health. 2020 May-Jun;68(4):403-410. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1574801. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Abstract

Objective: This study examined the relative contribution of five dispositional mindfulness (DM) facets and two aspects of social support along with sex in predicting psychological adjustment. Participants: Three hundred fifty-three undergraduates (72% female; M = 18.82 years) participated with data collected from September 2014 through March 2016. Methods: Self-report measures of DM, social support, perceived stress, and emotional well-being were completed. Results: Sex and higher scores on specific mindfulness facets (ie, nonreactivity, nonjudging) predicted lower stress and greater emotional well-being. Higher family support predicted lower stress, whereas friend support predicted greater emotional well-being. The mindfulness facets were stronger predictors of adjustment than the social support domains. Females reported higher perceived stress and lower emotional well-being than males, and males scored significantly higher on total mindfulness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity. Conclusions: Results have implications for mindfulness-based interventions with college students such that focusing on the nonjudging and nonreactivity facets may enhance effectiveness.

Keywords: College students; dispositional mindfulness; psychological adjustment; social support.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Emotional Adjustment*
  • Emotions
  • Family Relations
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Mindfulness / methods*
  • Personality
  • Self Report
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Support*
  • Stress, Psychological / epidemiology
  • Students / psychology*
  • Universities
  • Young Adult