The relationship between mindfulness, wisdom, and emotion dysregulation: a cross sectional survey study in healthy adults

Abstract

Emotional dysregulation (ED), a hallmark of psychiatric disorders, is characterised by an impaired ability to regulate unpleasant emotions. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) reduce symptoms of mental health conditions with presence of ED. This has encouraged empirical research on mindfulness within the context of emotional difficulties. Mindfulness is defined as awareness cultivated through non-judgemental attention to the present moment. Wisdom is defined as the application of meta-cognitive capacities for navigating complex social and ethical life matters. While wisdom is conceptually linked to mindfulness, the relationship between these constructs and their connection to emotion regulation (ER) remains understudied. To fill this gap, this study investigated the relationship between wisdom and mindfulness, and compared mindfulness and wisdom among healthy adults with high and low ED. This cross-sectional study, involving 132 healthy adults (103 female), employed valid and reliable self-reported measures. Results indicated a large positive correlation between wisdom and mindfulness, with factor analysis supporting a single underlying factor. Healthy adults with lower levels of ED showed higher levels of mindfulness and wisdom compared to those with high ED. These findings support a positive association between wisdom, mindfulness, and decreased ED, calling into question the existing theoretical differences between wisdom and mindfulness, which suggest they would not converge into the same empirical concept. Future studies should explore the role of mindfulness in wisdom and its potential as an antidote to ED.