Mindfulness can be described as “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present The objective of this study is to establish the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and depressive Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire 1 moment, and nonjudgementally.” As this definition implies, mindfulness involves attention and and anxiety symptoms in the LGBT community. If a relationship is found, this could lead to more targeted The FFMQ is a self-reported assessment tool consisting of 39 questions that measure 5 components of awareness to the present moment in an intentional and objective manner that attempts to remove mindfulness interventions in the future to improve anxiety and depressive symptoms in the LGBT community. mindfulness. It uses a 5 point likert scale ranging from 1 to 5. judgment from one’s initial response to experiences. The idea is that a mindful person will be able to assess any situation in a reasonable manner, affording them the clarity to make decisions that lead to desirable outcomes. The development of mindfulness has origins with the core teachings of the Buddhist religion. The language of Buddhist psychology is called Sati, which dates back 2,500 years ago. Sati in Buddhist signifies awareness, attention and remembering2. Dispositional mindfulness describes the innate characteristic to be mindful, and can be measured using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ)3. The FFMQ is a self-reported assessment that evaluates the five facets or components of This is a cross-sectional study where participants will be given three surveys. The Five Facet Mindfulness Beck Depression Inventory mindfulness. The table below outlines the Five Components of the FFMQ4: Questionnaire (FFMQ) will be given to assess dispositional mindfulness in five facets: awareness, describing, A 21-item, self-reported, inventory that measures characteristic attitudes and symptoms of depression. non-judgment, non-reactivity, and observing. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Components Interpretation Examples from FFMQ Inventory (BAI) are 21-question self-reported surveys that measure signs, symptoms, and traits characteristic Observing Awareness of one’s internal and external experience. I notice the smells and aromas of things. of depression and anxiety respectively. There will also be a section for demographic information including past mindfulness practices. After completion, participants will be provided an internet link to review their Describing The ability to verbalize internal experiences. I am good at finding words to describe my FFMQ score and what it means. feelings.

Acting with Awareness of internal experiences include sensations, I often pay attention while performing tasks. Inclusion Criteria Beck Anxiety Inventory Awareness emotions, perception and thought, while external A 21-item, self-reported, inventory used to assess the severity of anxiety symptoms. experiences include visual, sound, touch and scent. • LGBT-identified adults ages 18 and older.

Non-Judgement Disregard of initial opinion regarding thoughts, emotions I am not quick to judgment with my Exclusion Criteria

and sensations emotions and think before I react to them. • Severe visual impairment Non-Reactivity Detachment from internal experiences allowing the internal I perceive my feelings and emotions without • Cognitive impairment experience to “flow freely” without investing further having to react to them. • Non-English speaking; the self-administered assessments are written in English, participants will need to concern over what to do. be able to read and understand these surveys.

Recruitment Site Participants will be recruited from a community health center that primarily serves LGBT-identified Evidence suggests that mindfulness impacts depressive and anxiety symptoms. Research into individuals. The site that has been approached is one of the nation’s largest LGBT organizations and this It is expected that lower disposition mindfulness scores will associate with greater anxiety and depressive symptoms, mindfulness has increased over the last decade in many professional disciplines. Healthcare professionals, research proposal is currently undergoing the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process. Participation is and that higher dispositional mindfulness scores will associate with lower anxiety and depressive symptoms. lawyers, athletes and educators have utilized mindfulness based interventions (MBI) to relieve stress and completely voluntary. enhance focus5. MBI has demonstrated clinical benefit in the treatment of anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, and diabetes6,7,8. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) identified people Statistical Analysis are at increased risk of experiencing depression and anxiety, however, there are limited studies exploring Data will be analyzed using ANOVA for continuous variables and chi-square for categorical variables. mindfulness within this population9. Relationships between dispositional mindfulness, demographic information including previous mindfulness Baer, RA, Smith GT, Lykins E, Button D, Krietemeyer J, Sauer S et al. "Construct validity of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in meditating and practices, depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms will be evaluated by using path analysis to compare nonmeditating samples." Assessment 15.3 (2008): 329-342. the strength of direct and indirect relationships. Beck AT, Ward, CH, Mendelson M, Mock J, Erbaugh J. (1961) An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 4 (1961): 561-571. Beck AT, Steer, RA (1993). Beck Anxiety Inventory manual. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.