Examination of Anxiety Sensitivity and Mindfulness in Adolescents

Abstract

Anxiety sensitivity increases the risk of developing anxiety disorders while mindfulness decreases such risk. The current study hypothesized adolescents with high anxiety sensitivity will score significantly lower than adolescents with low anxiety sensitivity on trait mindfulness, nonreactivity, nonjudging, describing, and acting with awareness, and adolescents with high anxiety sensitivity will score significantly higher than individuals with low anxiety sensitivity on observing. Participants received the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Adolescents Short Form (FFMQ-A-SF) and Revised Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI-R). Significant differences consistent with hypotheses were found between anxiety sensitivity groups on overall mindfulness, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, and nonreactivity subscale scores. No significant differences were found for the observing subscale.