The effects of mindfulness on adolescent cigarette smoking: Measurement, mechanisms, and theory.

摘要

The pioneering field of mindfulness science, which fits within the broader field of complementary and integrative medicine, has grown substantially over the past three decades. Empirical findings obtained from the study of mindfulness are promising and suggest the construct is associated with improved mental and physical health and more optimal wellbeing. The following dissertation, which is comprised of three studies, continues work in this pioneering field by investigating mindfulness with special emphasis on adolescence. This dissertation is the second of only two studies to examine dispositional mindfulness and health indices among youth. Study I comprises the measurement component of the dissertation as it evaluates the psychometric properties of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), which is an operational measure of dispositional mindfulness. Study II examines cognitive antecedents to adolescent smoking as it explores the moderating effect of mindfulness on important decision-making processes in the theory of planned behavior. Study III examines affective antecedents to adolescent smoking as it tests the indirect effect of mindfulness on smoking frequency through its impact on depressive affect, anger affect, and perceived stress mediators. Taken together, these studies work in unison to advance our understanding of dispositional mindfulness and how it functions in relation to adolescent health