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Self‐expansion as a mediator of relationship improvements in a mindfulness intervention
Author(s) -
Carson James W.,
Carson Kimberly M.,
Gil Karen M.,
Baucom Donald H.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of marital and family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.868
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1752-0606
pISSN - 0194-472X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2007.00035.x
Subject(s) - mindfulness , mediation , psychology , intervention (counseling) , distress , relationship education , psychotherapist , mediator , randomized controlled trial , clinical psychology , social psychology , developmental psychology , medicine , psychiatry , sociology , surgery , social science
In a recent randomized controlled trial, couples participating in a mindfulness‐based relationship enhancement program demonstrated significant improvements in relationship satisfaction and relationship distress (Carson, Carson, Gil, & Baucom, 2004). Here we report on a multiple mediation analysis of these couples’ improvements. Potential mediators included measures of couples’ engagement in exciting self‐expanding activities, couples’ ability to accept one another’s difficult characteristics, and individual partners’ ability to relax. Results indicate that to a large extent, the mindfulness‐related relationship improvements can be attributed to partners’ sense that they were participating in exciting self‐expanding activities together during the course of the intervention. The implications of these findings for future mindfulness research are discussed.