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A latent profile analysis of the five facets of mindfulness in a U.S. adult sample: Spiritual and psychological differences among four profiles

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Abstract

Person-centered studies have grown in the mindfulness literature recently. Previous research has suggested four profiles of mindfulness, each with differential mental health and emotional outcomes. The present study supports the existence of these four profiles of mindfulness based on the five facets of mindfulness (observing, nonjudging, acting with awareness, nonreactivity, and describing). We provide further insight into differences in levels of psychopathology, positive psychology indicators, and spirituality among these profiles. Using model-selection criteria (e.g., BIC, AIC, entropy) in a latent profile analysis (LPA), we identified four clusters of individuals based on their scores on the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) among 1499 US participants. We then compared profiles across measures of positive psychology, psychopathology, and spirituality. Overall, we found support for the four profiles of mindfulness in the U.S. sample, replicating and extending findings from prior studies. In addition, the four profiles showed differential levels of previous experience with mindfulness, mind–body and meditative practice, and in positive psychology and spirituality measures. Specifically, the high-mindfulness profile appeared as the healthiest and most adjusted of the four profiles; the judgmental observing and nonjudgmental aware profile showed higher levels of anxiety, depression, and the lowest levels of well-being. By contrast, the average mindfulness displayed intermediate levels of adjustment, spirituality, and well-being. Spiritual and positive psychology outcomes among the nonjudgmentally aware and judgmental observing appeared mixed. In sum, mindfulness profiles are differentially associated with psychopathology, positive psychology, and spirituality.

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Data Availability

The dataset generated and analyzed during the current study is not publicly available due to the multiple demands on the collaborative data, but it is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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  1. Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, Spirituality Mind-Body Institute, Teachers College, Columbia University, 525 W 120th St, New York, NY, USA

    Fabio Cezar De Souza Marcovski & Lisa J. Miller

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  1. Fabio Cezar De Souza Marcovski
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Correspondence to Fabio Cezar De Souza Marcovski.

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De Souza Marcovski, F., Miller, L.J. A latent profile analysis of the five facets of mindfulness in a U.S. adult sample: Spiritual and psychological differences among four profiles. Curr Psychol 42, 14223–14236 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02546-1

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