Mindfulness as psychological dimension: Concepts and applications

Mindfulness has been discovered as a psychologically relevant dimension within the last 25 to 30 years. As mindfulness-based psychological interventions are increasingly perceived as being beneficial, they are more and more integrated into different areas of applied psychology, ranging from health care to staff development. However, the theoretical foundations of the mindfulness construct are ambiguous and require further clarification of operational definitions. The article reviews several developments in this area, takes a critical look at existing operational definitions, their translation into mindfulness self-report scales and their validity. It then provides an outlook on emerging developments and critical aspects, discussing the usefulness of separating mindfulness from outcomes resulting from mindfulness. Finally, suggestions are offered as to how this area could be developed to realise the potential many see in integrating mindfulness-based interventions into applied psychology.