Asian American Journal of Psychology, Vol 16(4), Dec 2025, 299-309; doi:10.1037/aap0000385
Cultivating dialectical views that consider, tolerate, and accept contradictions is a key intervention target in dialectical behavioral therapy, and prior research has demonstrated dialectical behavioral therapy’s overall effectiveness in enhancing psychological well-being. However, outside the dialectical behavioral therapy context, holding dialectical views on contradictions has sometimes been linked to lower well-being. Cultural and developmental theories suggest that Asian Americans and older adults may be more adept at leveraging dialectical views to cope with stress. Yet, no study has examined culture and age together as moderators of this relationship. Moreover, the general mechanisms linking dialectical views and psychological well-being remain unclear. This study examines (1) whether culture and age moderate the relationships between dialectical views on contradiction and psychological well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms, life satisfaction) and (2) whether facets of mindfulness (i.e., observing, describing, acting with awareness, nonjudgement, and nonreactivity) mediate these relationships. A total of 205 European American and 167 Asian American adults completed a Self-Report Online Survey. Controlling for demographic factors, dialectical views on contradictions were associated with greater depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction only among younger European Americans and not among Asian Americans regardless of age. Further, across groups, dialectical views on contradictions were associated with lower levels of acting with awareness, and in turn, greater depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction. The current findings provide evidence for cultural and age-related differences in the effects of holding dialectical views on contradictions on psychological well-being. Additionally, the findings suggest that holding dialectical views on contradictions may deplete attentional resources and in turn dampen psychological well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)