Trait mindfulness plays a protective role in the positive relationships between stress, depressive symptoms, and suicidal behavior in an at-risk population: Music industry touring professionals

Abstract

This study aimed to elucidate factors related to suicidality in a high-stress population—music industry touring professionals. It also examined whether trait mindfulness plays a moderating role in relations among these factors and suicidality. Touring professionals ( N = 1,154) responded to an online questionnaire that included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale–Revised (CES-D), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Suicide Behavior Questionnaire–Revised (SBQ-R), and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Mediation and moderated-mediation analyses were conducted on data from completed instruments ( n = 550) with PSS as the antecedent, CES-D as the mediator, MAAS as the moderator, and SBQ-R as the outcome. The indirect effect of stress through depressive symptoms on suicidality was significant. The moderation of this indirect effect by mindfulness also reached significance, with greater mindfulness scores associated with an attenuation of the impact of stress on suicidality through depressive symptoms. Mindfulness was a moderator of stress on depressive symptoms and suicidality. Mindfulness-based interventions for populations under high stress, such as touring professionals, may be an important topic for future research.