Mindfulness, psychological flexibility and their relationship with psychopathology in persons with schizophrenia-spectrum-disorders and healthy controls - A multicenter cross-sectional study

The precise nature of the relationship between mindfulness, psychological flexibility (PF) and psychopathology in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) remains largely unclear and warrants further investigation. We recruited 43 persons with SSD and 43 controls. Our findings revealed that SSD showed lower mindfulness and PF than controls. Mindfulness was associated with higher PS, anticipatory pleasure, behavioral activation, and lower depressive and negative symptoms. PS was associated with lower depressive and negative symptoms and higher anticipatory pleasure and behavioral activation. The outcomes imply that targeting mindfulness and PF may prove beneficial in alleviating the amotivational psychopathology exhibited in SSD.

Automated summary

The relationship between mindfulness, psychological flexibility (PF), and psychopathology in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) is not clear. A study with 43 participants with SSD and 43 controls found that SSD patients had lower mindfulness and PF. Mindfulness was associated with higher PS, anticipatory pleasure, behavioral activation, and lower depressive and negative symptoms. PS was associated with lower depressive and negative symptoms and higher anticipatory pleasure and behavioral activation. The findings suggest that targeting mindfulness and PF may help alleviate the amotivational psychopathology seen in SSD.