IT’S ALL IN YOUR … YOU KNOW –
April 28, 2022 – To better understand the benefits of mindfulness, a team of psychologists led by Lisa Best of the University of New Brunswick in Canada conducted an in-depth personality study on 781 Canadian adults.
“The focus of our laboratory is to determine how specific psycho-social factors, including mindfulness, affect psychological and physical wellness,” said Best.
While most research on mindfulness and personality has focused on mindfulness’ connection to the Big Five personality dimensions (i.e., emotional stability, extraversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness), Best and her team took a more nuanced look at mindfulness and personality. For example, instead of focusing on the overarching trait of conscientiousness, the researchers looked at specific sub-components of conscientiousness, such as organization, productivity, and responsibility. The researchers pointed out a natural connection between mindfulness, mental health, and physical health. For instance, highly mindful individuals are more likely to engage in various health-promoting behaviors, such as healthy eating and better sleep hygiene.
“Naturally, an individual who can accept and observe their inner and outer events without judgment and behave purposefully is more likely to engage in healthy behaviors, which leads to better physical health outcomes,” explained Best. “Due to the strong interdependence between physical and psychological health, the influence of mindfulness in one can improve the other,” said Best.
