Trait Mindfulness Moderates Reactivity to Social Stress in an All-Male Sample

Mindful attitudes and practices may help individuals respond to stressors in a more positive way. By limiting reactivity to stress, mindfulness may buffer people against its ill effects. In this study, we examined whether individual differences in trait mindfulness predict psychological and physiological responses to a laboratory stress induction. Trait mindfulness and stress reactivity were assessed using salivary cortisol and a subjective stress scale in a sample of young healthy males (N = 40) who underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Higher trait mindfulness was associated with lower subjective stress (r = − 0.41, p = 0.009) and cortisol stress reactivity (r = − 0.38, p = 0.017). In particular, men who are more proficient in describing their emotions had lower perceived stress to the TSST (r = − 0.42, p < 0.01). Psychological stress and cortisol response were also correlated. These findings replicate those in similar paradigms suggesting that mindfulness may protect individuals against the negative effects of stress. They also suggest that the relationship between mindfulness and stress reactivity is particular to male participants and may be modulated by affect labelling in this gender group.