Trait mindfulness and early maladaptive schemas in women seeking residential substance use treatment: A preliminary investigation

Abstract

Mindfulness has received an abundance of research attention in recent years, largely due to mindfulness-based interventions demonstrating positive mental and physical health outcomes. However, less research has examined individual’s trait levels of mindfulness and how it is related to mental health, particularly among individuals seeking substance use treatment. Therefore, in the current study, we examined the relation between trait mindfulness and early maladaptive schemas (EMS), which are dysfunctional cognitive and behavioural patterns that theoretically underlie the development of mental health problems, among women seeking residential substance use treatment. Pre-existing, adult female, patient records from a residential substance abuse treatment facility were reviewed (N = 67). Results demonstrated that higher trait mindfulness was negatively associated with 12 of the 18 EMS. Moreover, patients who endorsed multiple EMS reported lower trait mindfulness than patients who endorsed zero (or one) EMS. These findings are the first to examine the relation between trait mindfulness and EMS among women seeking substance use treatment. Findings suggest that EMS and trait mindfulness are robustly related and future research should examine whether mindfulness-based interventions reduce EMS.

• Early maladaptive schemas
• mindfulness
• substance use
• treatment

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

This work was supported, in part, by grant K24AA019707 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) awarded to the last author. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIAAA or the National Institutes of Health.