Mindfulness and Negative Emotions Among Females Who Inject Drugs: the Mediating Role of Social Support and Resilience

Drug use is a severe problem in China. It had been demonstrated that negative emotions such as anxiety and depression are crucial factors associated with drug addiction and drug relapse. Mindfulness originated from the eastern culture has gotten researchers’ fervent attention for its positive role in emotion improvement and detoxification. The current study investigated the relationship between mindfulness and negative emotions (i.e., anxiety and depression) and the possible mediating roles of social support and resilience in their relationship among Chinese females who inject drugs (FWID). Two hundred and two FWID from mainland China were recruited in this study. Levels of mindfulness, social support resilience, anxiety, and depression were measured by self-report. Results showed that FWID with higher levels of mindfulness might undergo lower anxiety and depression as they had higher levels of resilience, but social support was not a mediator between mindfulness and resilience. Findings showed the mediation role of resilience in the association between mindfulness and anxiety, and the association between mindfulness and depression. Implications in mindfulness intervention and limitations are discussed.