Dimensions of distress tolerance and the moderating effects on mindfulness-based stress reduction

ABSTRACT

Background and Objectives: This study examined the relationship between distress tolerance and psychosocial changes among individuals participating in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). The objective of the analysis was to discern whether individuals with lower distress tolerance measured before MBSR showed larger reductions in perceived stress following MBSR. Design and Methods: Data were collected from a sample of convenience (n = 372) using a quasi-experimental design. Participants completed self-report measures immediately prior to course enrollment and following course completion. Results: Perceived stress, distress tolerance, and mood states showed favorable changes from pre- to post-MBSR in the current study. Baseline distress tolerance significantly moderated reductions on perceived stress, supporting the primary hypothesis that individuals with lower baseline distress tolerance evidenced a greater decline in perceived stress following MBSR. For a one-unit increase on the self-reported baseline Distress Tolerance Scale, reported perceived stress scores decreased by 2.5 units (p < .0001). Conclusions: The finding that individuals with lower baseline distress tolerance evidenced a greater decline in perceived stress may offer hints about who is most likely to benefit from MBSR and other mindfulness-based treatments. Identifying moderators of treatment outcomes may yield important benefits in matching individuals to treatments that are most likely to work for them.

KEYWORDS:

• Distress tolerance
• moderation
• mindfulness-based stress reduction
• MBSR

Acknowledgements

This paper was prepared with partial support of the VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. The paper does not necessarily represent the position or opinions of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and those opinions expressed are the sole responsibility of the authors. The authors would like to acknowledge and thank Elliott Sturgis Berkowitz for his help in the data organization necessary for the production of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at 10.1080/10615806.2015.1085513

Additional information

Funding

Michael Gawrysiak is funded by the NIH-Funded Delaware Center for Neuroscience Research (P20-GM103653), a mechanism which supported the time for the writing of this manuscript.