Role of mind wandering, mindful attention and affective states on academic performance

ABSTRACT Background: Mind wandering could occupy a substantial portion of our time especially during distress. It can play a potentially detrimental role in educational contexts. However, its impact on academic performance remains insufficiently explored. Aim: The main purpose of this study was to examine the influence of mind wandering, affect, and mindful attention on academic performance among Indian adolescents. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional in nature, and our sample consisted of 99 adolescents. Each participant was assessed for intelligence, followed by the administration of the Mind-Wandering Questionnaire, the PANAS-SF, and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. Annual academic scores were obtained from school records. Results: The results indicated that males and females were comparable in terms of mean age and years of education. Both groups performed similarly on measures of mind wandering, affect, and mindful attention. However, female participants scored significantly higher on annual academic performance. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that female gender and low mind wandering scores were significantly associated with better academic performance. The final model explained 25.7% of the variance in academic performance ( R ² =0.257), with an adjusted R ² of 0.20, reflecting a large effect size according to Cohen’s (1988) criteria. Conclusion: This study addresses an important research gap in adolescent mental health by examining the role of mind wandering in academic outcomes. The finding highlights the need to develop interventions for mind wandering among Indian adolescents. Future research may explore longitudinal patterns and evaluate the role of attention and negative affect on mind wandering behavior.