Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Summer 2011

Abstract

Mindfulness originated out of Buddhism, but in recent years it has been utilized as a psychological intervention outside the context of Buddhism. Mindfulness is defined as paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally (Kabat-Zinn, 1994, p. 4). Mindfulness is based on the assertion that distress occurs not as a direct consequence of experience, but instead is caused by an individual's response to such experiences (Abba, Chadwick, & Stevenson, 2008). Therefore, mindfulness serves to alleviate distress by helping people learn to react to their experiences in a different way. That is, it helps people to experience thoughts and sensations as they are, without judgment.


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