Date of Award

12-1-2016

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Behavior Analysis and Therapy

First Advisor

Dixon, Mark

Abstract

The present study examined the effects of a brief video-led mindfulness exercise on momentary choice impulsivity as measured by a monetary delay discounting survey. Participants in the experimental group watched a video requiring them to engage in a brief breathing exercise while participants in the control group viewed a video unrelated to the topics at hand. Switch point analyses suggested that the experimental group discounted less steeply following the intervention while the discounting slope of the control group remained relatively unchanged. A t-test comparing the average change in AUC values from pre-test to post-test for both groups revealed a significant difference: t (13.17) = 2.94, p = 0.0114. The experimental group demonstrated greater changes in AUC scores from pretest to posttest (M= 0.1036 ± 0.0328) than the control group (-0.00031 ± 0.01317). Additionally, an F-test was conducted to compare variances between the individual score changes of the experimental group and the control group (p < .05). The results suggest that there was a significant difference between the two groups: F = 5.682, p = 0.0082. The results of this study could have several implications for future research regarding delay discounting and mindfulness as an intervention for impulsivity and suggest that telecommunication may be a viable modality.

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