(PS12-D79) Reward Sensitivity or Emotion Regulation: A Preliminary Analysis of Which Is More Important in the Association Between Mindfulness and Antisocial Behaviors

Mindfulness has shown to reduce problematic behaviors in antisocial behaviors (AB) and externalizing disorders (Muratori et al., 2021) and reduce hostility and increase mood among inmates (Samuelson et al., 2007). Some suggest that increased emotion regulation (ER) accounts for such changes, whereas others credit altered brain activity in anticipation of and in response to rewards for improvements (Kirk et al., 2015). Further research is needed to clarify if mindfulness reduces AB through reward mechanisms together with or independent of ER. Thus, the current study’s goal was to examine the role of reward and ER in AB. Participants were 103 college students (85.44% females) ranging in age from 18-25 (M = 19.66, SD = 1.45) who primarily identified as White (68.93%) and non-Hispanic/Latino (84.47%). Participants were recruited as part of a larger study and completed an online assessment of reward processing (BIS/BAS subscales: drive, fun seeking, reward responsiveness), externalizing behaviors (APSD, ICU, BPAQ), mindfulness (FFMQ), and emotion regulation (DERS). Parallel multiple mediation analyses were completed with reward sensitivity subscales and emotional dysregulation (ED) entered as mediators and externalizing behaviors entered as criterions. When examining AB, mindfulness was not related to reward (a₁ = -0.14-0.05, ps > .05), but higher levels of reward system activation (drive only) were associated with increased AB (b₁ = 0.09, p < .01), although the specific indirect effects were not significant (a₁b₁ = -0.01 to 0.003). However, lower mindfulness was associated with higher ED (a₂ = -0.79, ps < .001), and higher ED was associated with increased AB (b₂ = 0.09-0.11, ps < .01). The indirect effects of mindfulness on AB via ED were significant (a₂b₂ = -0.07 to -0.09). A test of the difference between the specific indirect effects of reward and ED revealed significant differences. Finally, mindfulness was found not to predict APSD independent of its effect on reward and ED (c’ = -0.01 to 0.01, ps > .05). The same pattern was found when examining aggression, in that the indirect effect of reward was not significant (a₁b₁ = -0.03 to 0.01), the indirect effect of ED was significant (a₂b₂ = -0.26 to -0.31), and mindfulness did not independently predict aggression (c’ = 0.02-0.04 ps > .05). A different pattern emerged when examining CU traits. Mindfulness was not related to reward subscales (a₁ = -0.01-0.004, ps > .05), but less reward system activation (reward responsiveness only) was associated with increased CU traits (b₁ = -0.21, p < .01), although the specific indirect effects of reward were not significant (a₁b₁ = -0.003 to 0.001). When considering ED, lower mindfulness was associated with higher ED (a₂ = -0.81, ps < .001), but ED was not associated with CU traits (b₂ = -0.004 to -0.01, ps > .05). Finally, mindfulness was found to predict CU traits independent of its effect on reward and ED (c’ = -0.02, ps < .01). Findings suggest that ER, and not reward sensitivity, may better account for associations found among mindfulness and externalizing behaviors.