The association between anxiety and mindfulness while emphasizing the mediating role of attention control functions

Introduction: Several studies showed that anxiety affects cognitive components, mainly working memory function, and mindfulness also may be affected by this factor. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between anxiety and mindfulness while emphasizing the mediating role of attention control functions. Method: The correlational research method and the statistical population included all subjects referred to a counseling center and a painting school in Tabriz, a music school in Saqqez, and staff of Urmia University in 2021. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method, yielding a total of 244 subjects. All subjects filled the State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI) and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Participants also responded to the tasks of Signal-Stop Task (2003) and N-Back Memory Test (1958). Data analysis was administered using SPSS-19 by descriptive and inferential statistics (i.e., Pearson and Sobel correlation tests). Results: The results showed a significant association between trait anxiety (r=0.56, p<0.001), state (r=-0.50, p<0.001), and update component (r=0.22, p<0.001) with mindfulness, but there was no significant association between inhibition component (r=-0.001, p>0.001) and mindfulness. Also, the indirect effect of trait anxiety and state on mindfulness through inhibition and updating components was not significant. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that trait-state anxiety has no significant association with mindfulness through attention control functions, and further studies using various tools are needed to investigate the effect of anxiety on cognitive functions.