Why Trait Change Matters More Than Feeling Calm

Many people try meditation and feel calmer during or right after a session. But an important question remains:

Does meditation change how we function in daily life, even when we are not meditating?

This is the difference between state effects and trait change. One of the most influential papers to explore this distinction was published in 2016 by Goldberg and colleagues.

The Study in Simple Terms

The researchers examined whether mindfulness-based interventions actually increase dispositional mindfulness, meaning a stable tendency to be mindful in everyday life.

They focused on changes measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, one of the most widely used tools in meditation research.

Importantly, the study compared mindfulness programs not only to no treatment, but also to active control groups, which makes the findings more reliable.

Link to the paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27078183/

What the Researchers Found

The results showed that:

• Mindfulness-based programs do increase trait mindfulness
• Not all facets change equally
• Effects are strongest when practice is consistent and integrated
• Some questionnaire items may reflect learning meditation concepts rather than deep behavioral change

This nuance was critical for the field.

Why This Paper Was So Influential

This research helped clarify that trait change is real, but also gradual and uneven.

It challenged the idea that all aspects of mindfulness automatically improve and emphasized the importance of how mindfulness is practiced and measured.

What This Means for Real Life

Trait change does not come from occasional meditation sessions.

It comes from repeated experiences where attention, awareness, and emotional regulation are practiced in real situations.

How intuno Uses This Insight

intuno is designed specifically to support trait change rather than short-lived states.

• Meditations are embedded into daily activities where habits are formed
• Practice happens in varied contexts, not only in quiet settings
• The app emphasizes continuity and relevance over duration

By meeting people in real life, intuno increases the likelihood that mindfulness becomes a lasting trait.