Relating mindfulness and self-control to harm to the self and to others

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Cleoputri Yusainy, Claire Lawrence

2014 Personality and Individual Differences Vol. 64 Article Cited by 38

Abstract

Aggression to others and harm to the self (self-harm) have both been associated with similar possible antecedents; however, literatures on aggression and self-harm are commonly separated. This web-based study (N = 241) aimed to explore the dynamics of self-reported mindfulness and self-control towards aggression and self-harm. As predicted, those who were more mindful and more self-controlled reported being less aggressive and self-harmless typically. Bootstrap analyses suggested that self-control mediated the link between mindfulness and general trait aggression, physical aggression, anger, hostility, and self-harm, but not verbal aggression. With the inclusion of self-control, the direct effect of mindfulness on trait aggression, anger, and hostility, but not on physical aggression and self-harm, remained significant. Self-control, therefore, may be a pertinent individual difference on the link between mindfulness and behaviours that are physically harmful to the self and to others. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Affiliations

Psychology Programme, Faculty of Social and Political Science, University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia; Personality, Social Psychology and Health (PSPH) Group, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom