Impact of mindfulness training on attentional control and anger regulation processes for psychotherapists in training

Abstract

Objectives: Little empirical literature focuses on psychotherapists' cultivation of internal states of mind necessary for controlling attention and responding empathically to the client. We explore the effects of mindfulness training on emotional and attentional measures in Spanish resident intern psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. Method: One hundred and three residents were assigned to an experimental group (n = 60) that completed an 8-week mindfulness training versus a wait-list control group (n = 43). We evaluated emotional variables (sadness, anxiety, and anger, using standard instruments), state of mindfulness (using the Mindfulness Awareness Attention Scale), and attentional control variables using objective measures such as a continuous performance task and the Stroop task before and after mindfulness training. Results: Our study provides data that suggest that mindfulness training significantly improves measures of trait anger and attentional control. Conclusions: Further research is needed to replicate these findings, explore the effects of mindfulness training on other aspects of emotional regulation and cognition, and evaluate the impact of these effects within clinical situations.