Mechanisms of Mindfulness: A Buddhist Psychological Model

Several models have explored the possible change mechanisms underlying mindfulness-based interventions from the perspectives
of multiple disciplines, including cognitive science, affective neuroscience, clinical psychiatry, and psychology. Together,
these models highlight the complexity of the change process underlying these interventions. However, no one model appears
to be sufficiently comprehensive in describing the mechanistic details of this change process. In an attempt to address this
gap, we propose a psychological model derived from Buddhist contemplative traditions. We use the proposed Buddhist psychological
model to describe what occurs during mindfulness practice and identify specific mechanisms through which mindfulness and attention
regulation practices may result in symptom reduction as well as improvements in well-being. Other explanatory models of mindfulness
interventions are summarized and evaluated in the context of this model. We conclude that the comprehensive and detailed nature
of the proposed model offers several advantages for understanding how mindfulness-based interventions exert their clinical
benefits and that it is amenable to research investigation.