Date of Award

5-13-2011

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Honors Thesis

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Tara Lineweaver

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of a brief, introductory mindfulness intervention on attention, executive control, and impulsivity. I randomly assigned forty-seven undergraduate students to a treatment group (TG) receiving mindfulness training and a waiting list control group (WLG). Participants completed a battery of self-report questionnaires and standardized neuropsychological tests before and after the intervention. Participants high in trait mindfulness suffered less interference on a Stroop task, were less impulsive on the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, but also evidenced less cognitive flexibility on a dual fluency test at baseline. The TG demonstrated greater improvement than the WLG from baseline to re-test on one cognitive measure (Mental Control). Paradoxically, they also demonstrated a greater increase in impulsivity on the Balloon Analogue Risk Ta k than the WLG. lite its limited effects on attention, executive function, and impulse control, my 2-hour mindfulness intervention successfully motivated college students to engage in the component exercises of meditation, body scanning, and yoga. Perhaps future studies incorporating more extensive training and a longer practice interval will yield larger effects on cognition.

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