Date of Award

Summer 8-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program/Concentration

Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology

Committee Director

Christina Rodriguez

Committee Member

Scott M. Debb

Committee Member

James M. Henson

Committee Member

Michelle L. Kelley

Abstract

Dispositional mindfulness refers to the ability to intentionally focus on the present moment, which positively affects psychological well-being (PWB). Mindfulness can be practiced through formal interventions—such as meditation or body scan, where individuals engage in structured activities to cultivate awareness—or informal practices, such as focusing on one task at a time where mindfulness is integrated into routine activities. A person’s phenomenological perspective, shaped by their core beliefs about the world (primals), also influences PWB. For instance, those who view the world as mostly safe or good may be more likely to form close relationships and engage more deeply with their environment. Understanding how primals affect stress and PWB is particularly relevant for college students, who are often more vulnerable to the negative effects of stress during this life transition. This study explored the relationships between dispositional mindfulness, primals, and PWB, with a focus on whether primals moderate the relationship between mindfulness and PWB. Results showed a positive link between mindfulness and PWB, as well as between mindfulness and positive primals; however, primals did not moderate the mindfulness-PWB relationship as expected. The findings suggest that individuals with more positive worldviews may be more likely to engage with mindfulness practices, and clinical interventions targeting worldview restructuring could improve well-being, particularly for college students. Future research should examine the development of primals over time and explore interventions aimed at reshaping maladaptive worldviews.

Comments

The VIRGINIA CONSORTIUM PROGRAM IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY is a joint program of Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DOI

10.25777/s02v-cg20

ISBN

9798293844111

ORCID

0000-0003-1685-3254

Download

Share

COinS