Within-Person variations in mindfulness mediate effects of daily stressors on psychological distress in adolescence

Objective We tested two competing models linking daily stress, mindfulness, and psychological distress in adolescence: 1) whether daily mindfulness moderates the impact of daily stressors on psychological distress or 2) whether mindfulness mediates the relationship between greater daily stressors and psychological distress. Methods Every evening for a week, 138 adolescents completed ecological momentary assessments (EMAs). Daily diaries assessed negative events, work-school conflict, mindfulness, and perceived stress. Multilevel mediation and moderation were tested. Results Results indicated that there were meaningful variations in adolescent mindfulness from day-to-day, and supported mediation rather than moderation; the within-person association between stressors and psychological distress was mediated by mindfulness at the daily level. Conclusion It may be too challenging for adolescents to remain in a mindful state during stress to effectively use mindfulness as a buffer. Instead, daily stressors may indirectly impact psychological distress through decreasing mindfulness.