Neural Correlates of Adolescent Mindfulness, Working Memory, and Internalizing Symptoms

The central aim of this thesis was to investigate behavioural and neural associations between dispositional mindfulness, working memory, and internalizing symptoms in adolescents. One hundred and thirty-one adolescents, aged 11-18 (M = 13.76, SD = 1.65), who had a parent with a history of mood or anxiety disorders completed measures of dispositional mindfulness, internalizing symptoms, and working memory, including a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) N-Back task. Hierarchal regressions and correlation analyses were performed. The blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal was contrasted between 2-back versus 0-back conditions and a small volume correction was computed in the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC, vlPFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Controlling for neuroticism, sex, and mindfulness experience, higher adolescent dispositional mindfulness, including higher self-acceptance and the interaction between attention and awareness and nonreactivity, related to fewer internalizing symptoms. Endorsement of attention and awareness was associated with better 2-back efficiency, except when controlling for mindfulness experience. Internalizing symptoms related to slower reaction time, controlling for sex. Significantly less BOLD signal in the right vlPFC was observed in adolescents with higher attention and awareness scores when controlling for mindfulness experience. Self-acceptance and nonreactive observing (attention and awareness x nonreactivity) may be unique components of mindfulness that have implications for adolescent internalizing symptoms. Adolescents with higher attention and awareness may require less cognitive effort when performing working memory tasks. Learning to be mindful on a daily basis may be beneficial for adolescent cognition and emotional well-being.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Medicine – Neuroscience

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Cumming School of Medicine

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Stein, Jade Aurelie

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Kopala-Sibley, Daniel C.
• MacMaster, Frank P.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bray, Signe L.
• Tomfohr-Madsen, Lianne

• Mindfulness
• Internalizing Symptoms
• Working Memory
• Adolescents
• fMRI

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/38102

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/112415