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Mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation: perspectives from Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT)
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Abstract
Experiential acceptance-an orientation of receptivity and noninterference with present-moment experiences-is described as central to mindfulness interventions, yet little experimental work has tested acceptance as a mechanism for mindfulness intervention effects. Guided by Monitor and Acceptance Theory (MAT), this review situates acceptance as an emotion regulation mechanism and reviews self-report mindfulness literature showing that attention monitoring skills are only associated with beneficial mental and physical health outcomes when accompanied by acceptance skills. New experimental dismantling work shows that removing acceptance training from mindfulness interventions reduces their efficacy for improving stress, positive emotion, and social relationship outcomes. Overall, converging evidence demonstrates that acceptance is a critical emotion regulation mechanism of mindfulness interventions. This work advances basic research, has translational value, and offers opportunities for future research.
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“Mindfulness, or compassionate acceptance of present-moment experiences, is thought to reduce emotional barriers to advance care planning [30]. By increasing distress tolerance or acceptance of unpleasant thoughts and feelings, mindfulness practices may reduce emotional reactivity during end-of-life discussions [31].”
From Mindfulness to enhance quality of life and support advance care planning: a pilot randomized controlled trial for adults with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. (2024) · cites this paper as [31]
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“First, mindfulness practices increase distress tolerance by facilitating compassionate awareness of thoughts and feelings [31].”
From Mindfulness to enhance quality of life and support advance care planning: a pilot randomized controlled trial for adults with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. (2024) · cites this paper as [31]
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Chin B, Lindsay EK, Greco CM, Brown KW, Wright AG, Smyth JM, et al.: Acceptance skills drive stress resilience in a mindfulness training randomized controlled trial. under review.
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Metadata
- Authors
- Lindsay, E. K., & Creswell, J. D.
- Affiliations
- University of Pittsburgh (US)
- Carnegie Mellon University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lindsay, Emily K
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Psychology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-08
- Volume
- 28
- Pages
- 120-125
- ISSN
- 2352-250X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6565510
- OpenAlex
- W2912349592
- Semantic Scholar
- 59bfb00e1c6bebc9fce0ba1d01462527ca627f0b
- Cited by
- 220
- References
- 65
- Citations by year
- 2026: 46 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 48 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 1
- FWCI
- 1.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- doi.org
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- MindRxiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- MindRxiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (R01AT008685, F32AT009508, R21AT008493)
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- mindfulness, acceptance, emotion regulation, attention monitoring, mindfulness-based interventions, stress, positive emotions, interpersonal relationships
- MeSH terms
- Emotional Regulation, Humans, Psychological Theory, Mindfulness
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