Embodied and embedded mindfulness: a mindful path to well-being

ABSTRACT

While there is a growing interest in mindfulness as an intrapersonal trait, only a limited number of studies have investigated interpersonal mindfulness, and no study has examined the interaction between both concepts. This paper aims to evaluate a path model that depicts the role of both intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness in facilitating emotion regulation and improving well-being by mitigating the effects of psychological symptoms and enhancing social connectedness and safeness. Additionally, this study aims to compare the results obtained using different measures of intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness. Moreover, the study evaluates an alternative path model. A sample of 353 participants completed various measures of intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness, emotion dysregulation, psychological symptoms (stress, anxiety, and depression), social connectedness, social safeness, satisfaction with life, and happiness. The findings supported the proposed path model, indicating that emotion regulation mediated the relationship between intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness on one side and psychological symptoms and social connectedness and social safeness on the other side. Furthermore, the findings suggested that psychological symptoms and social related measures mediated the associations between emotion regulation and well-being. The same path model was supported when using different sets of mindfulness measures. The alternative path was not supported. This study enhances our understanding of how intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness interact together to promote emotion regulation, improve well-being, mitigate psychological symptoms, and foster social relatedness and safeness. The findings highlight the importance of training both intrapersonal and interpersonal mindfulness skills to enhance well-being. Implications and limitations are thoroughly discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Path
• embodied mindfulness
• embedded mindfulness
• emotion regulation
• symptoms
• well-being

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2024.2333375.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) – Insight Development Grant (IDG) [430-2021-00078]; McGill Internal Social Sciences and Humanities Development Grants.

Notes on contributors

Bassam Khoury

Bassam Khoury is an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational & Counselling Psychology at McGill University, where he conducts pioneering research focused on advancing the theory, research, and applications of mindfulness and compassion. The overarching goal of this research is to effect profound and enduring positive change in both individuals and societies by fostering novel ways of engaging with oneself, others, and the natural world, including animals, through the practices of mindfulness and compassion. Prof. Khoury’s contributions to the field are substantial, with numerous publications (60 papers and 5 book chapters) in leading journals encompassing clinical psychology and physical/medical health. His work has garnered international acclaim, boasting over 5800 citations. Dr. Khoury’s impact extends beyond research, as evidenced by multiple awards and nominations, including the prestigious Association of Psychological Science Emerging Scholars Rising Stars Award and the William Dawson Scholars Award.

Rodrigo C. Vergara

Rodrigo C. Vergara is a researcher in the Faculty of Psychology and Humanities at San Sebastian University. He specializes in cognitive neuroscience, focusing on the neural basis of behavior, dementia, and mindfulness. His work primarily revolves around methodology, including experimental design and advanced analytic strategies. He employs machine learning techniques in both traditional research and the development of psychometric tools. With over 40 research articles and 2 book chapters to his credit, Prof. Vergara’s expertise spans various research domains, allowing him to innovate by applying methods and approaches from different disciplines. His objective is to enhance our understanding of mindfulness by utilizing advanced analytic approaches that provide a more detailed insight into the mechanisms underlying mindfulness and, consequently, well-being.