The Association Between Dispositional Mindfulness and Need Threat Following Ostracism in Spanish Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Age

Abstract

Background: Ostracism –being ignored and excluded– entails risks for adolescent mental health. Less is known about the factors that are negatively associated with the adverse consequences of ostracism. This study explored the association between dispositional mindfulness and need threat following social exclusion using the Cyberball paradigm. Sex and age were included as moderators of the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and need threat. Additionally, the factor structure of the Need Threat Scale (NTS) was analyzed in Spanish adolescents. Method: Participants (N = 750, 52.4% female; mean age = 14.51) completed a mindfulness questionnaire, were ostracized in the Cyberball game, and reported their need threat during this game. Results: Dispositional mindfulness was negatively associated with need threat only in older adolescents (>15 years old). Although girls reported higher levels of need threat than boys, sex did not moderate the association between mindfulness and need threat. Conclusions: This research suggests that dispositional mindfulness is only associated with NTS in older adolescents and girls are more vulnerable to the negative consequence of ostracism..