ICD-11 Personality Domains, Trait Mindfulness, and Quality of Life in the Context of an 8 Week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program

Abstract

Abstract Background. Mindfulness-based interventions, such as the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR), are among the most effective evidence-based interventions for improving quality of life (Grensman et al., 2018), while mindfulness tools are often implemented in the treatment of personality disorders (Sng, 2016). Although the scientific literature includes studies on personality traits and their association with mindfulness related characteristics (Tang & Braver, 2020) to our knowledge, there is no published research on the newly developed ICD-11 personality domains (Gecaite-Stonciene et al., 2021) and their links with trait mindfulness. Therefore, in the current study we aimed to (1) assess changes in quality of life before and after the 8-week online MBSR, and (2) to investigate the relationship between trait mindfulness, ICD-11 personality domains and quality of life. Methods. The current study included 301 adult participants (94.6% women, 42±9 years), who attended a remote MBSR group during 2021-2024 in Lithuania. The certified mindfulness teachers invited group participants to complete the anonymous online survey before and after MBSR. The questionnaire included: (1) informed consent and socio-demographic questions (i.e., age, gender, education, marital status, professional activity, chosen formal practice and its duration, etc.); (2) the Five-Factor Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD) to assess personality domains such as anankastia, detachment, dissociality, negative affectivity, and disinhibition; (3) the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) to assess physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment; and (4) the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), measuring trait mindfulness characteristics including observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, and non-reactivity. Correlational analyses and comparisons within groups (series of t-test analyses) were performed. Results. In the study participants that completed the questionnaire the second time (n=51), we found a positive change in all areas of quality of life after the MBSR group (p<0.02). Furthermore, after analyzing the responses completed before the MBSR (n=301), we found that trait mindfulness and almost all its characteristics were negatively associated with the ICD-11 personality domains negative affectivity (r = [-0.305 to -0.585], p<0.001), disinhibition (r = [-0.207 to -0.375], p<0.001), and detachment (r = [-0.225 to -0.469], p<0.001). Also, all quality of life areas were positively linked with trait mindfulness (r = [0.291 to 0.550], p<0.001). Conclusion. The findings indicate a significant positive change in quality of life after the MBSR program in Lithuania. However, the major limitation was limited sample size, thus further study with larger samples is warranted. Furthermore, trait mindfulness was negatively linked with ICD-11 personality domains, such as negative affectivity, disinhibition, and detachment, which are known to be problematic in many personality disorders. These results may underscore the importance of studying ICD-11 personality domains and their interplay with mindfulness related aspects.