Experiential acceptance and trait‐mindfulness as predictors of analogue post‐traumatic stress

Abstract

Objectives. Experiential acceptance and trait-mindfulness are associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after traumatic events. The current study was a preliminary attempt to examine (i) associations of experiential acceptance and traitmindfulness with posttraumatic stress (PTS) associated with negative, but not necessarily traumatizing, life-events ("analogue" PTS), (ii) the role of these variables in the context of neuroticism as well as worry and rumination—two other regulatory strategies associated with PTS, and (iii) the impact of pre-trauma tendencies toward experiential acceptance and mindfulness on analogue PTS. Design. Data were obtained from two distinct student samples. A first sample provided cross-sectional data. In a second sample, indices of acceptance, mindfulness, neuroticism, worry, and rumination were tapped at inclusion into the study, and analogue PTS and confrontation with stressful life-events were subsequently assessed one year later. Results. In the cross-sectional sample, higher acceptance and mindfulness were associated with lower analogue PTS, even when controlling for neuroticism, worry, and rumination. In the prospective sample, pre-trauma mindfulness (but not experiential acceptance, neuroticism, worry, and rumination) assessed at baseline, predicted levels of analogue PTS one year later. Conclusions. Findings suggest that experiential acceptance and trait-mindfulness are incrementally related to PTS beyond neuroticism, worry, and rumination, and that pretrauma trait-mindfulness may be a resilience factor protecting against severe PTS.