[en] Recent findings have shown that mind-wandering – the occurrence of stimulusindependent
and task-unrelated thoughts – is associated with negative affect and lower
psychological well-being. However, it remains unclear whether this relationship is due to
the occurrence of mind-wandering per se or to the fact that people who mind wander
more tend to be generally less attentive to present-moment experience. In three studies,
we first validate a French translation of a retrospective self-report questionnaire widely
used to assess the general occurrence of mind-wandering in daily life – the Daydreaming
Frequency Scale. Using this questionnaire, we then show that the relationship between
mind-wandering frequency and psychological distress is fully accounted for by individual
differences in dispositional mindful awareness and encoding style.These findings suggest
that it may not be mind-wandering per se that is responsible for psychological distress,
but rather the general tendency to be less aware and attentive to the present-moment.
Thus, although mind-wandering and present-moment awareness are related constructs,
they are not reducible to one another, and are distinguishable in terms of their relationship
with psychological well-being.
Disciplines :
Theoretical & cognitive psychology
Author, co-author :
Stawarczyk, David ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Psychopathologie cognitive
Majerus, Steve ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Psychopathologie cognitive
Van der Linden, Martial ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Psychopathologie cognitive
D'Argembeau, Arnaud ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie : cognition et comportement > Psychopathologie cognitive
Language :
English
Title :
Using the daydreaming frequency scale to investigate the relationships between mind-wandering, psychological well-being, and present-moment awareness
Publication date :
2012
Journal title :
Frontiers in Psychology
eISSN :
1664-1078
Publisher :
Switzerland Frontiers Research Foundation, Pully, Switzerland
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