Impact of mindfulness training on in-the-moment attentional control and emotion dysregulation in older adults: secondary analysis of a pilot, placebo-controlled randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions show increasing promise for improving attention and emotion regulation— processes that critically support healthy aging. Given their complex, multi-faceted nature, identifying specific aspects of attention and emotion regulation that are modifiable with training in older adults, particularly compared with active control groups, is an ongoing challenge. We performed pre-registered, secondary analyses of a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of a four-week mindfulness-based attention training (MBAT) group and a lifestyle education (LifeEd) active control group on attention and emotion dysregulation in older adults. Differential training outcomes were assessed for: (a) in-the-moment effects of mind-wandering on sustained attention, measured by performance decrements preceding self-reported mind-wandering, and (b) self-reported emotion dysregulation. Baseline working memory (WM) performance was tested as a moderator of training effects. There were no significant between-group differences for change in in-the-moment effects of mind-wandering on attention or emotion dysregulation. However, baseline WM moderated training effects, such that older adults with higher WM showed greater reductions in emotion dysregulation following mindfulness training. This has potential implications for identifying aging cohorts that may benefit most from this type of training.

Keywords:

• Attention
• mind-wandering
• emotion regulation
• working memory
• cognitive training

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Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.