Feasibility, Effectiveness, and Mechanisms of a Brief Mindfulness- and Compassion-Based Program to Reduce Stress in University Students: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
The mental health of university students is a public health concern, as psychopathology has significantly risen among this population. Mindfulness-based programs may support their mental health, though more research is needed. We used a two-armed pilot randomized controlled trial to study the feasib...
| Autores: | , , |
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| Formato: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2022 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Universidad Europea (UEM) |
| Repositorio: | ABACUS. Repositorio de Producción Científica |
| Idioma: | español |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:abacus.universidadeuropea.com:11268/11315 |
| Acesso em linha: | http://hdl.handle.net/11268/11315 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palavra-chave: | Atención plena Estrés mental Estudiante universitario Bienestar del estudiante Psicología |
| Resumo: | The mental health of university students is a public health concern, as psychopathology has significantly risen among this population. Mindfulness-based programs may support their mental health, though more research is needed. We used a two-armed pilot randomized controlled trial to study the feasibility, preliminary effectiveness, and potential mechanisms of a brief 6-week instructor-led mindfulness- and compassion-based program (MCBP for University Life) on perceived stress and psychological distress. Thirty undergraduate psychology students participated (15 in the intervention group, and 15 as wait-list controls). Those in the intervention arm engaged well with the course and formal at-home practice, attending at least five sessions and meditating between 4–6 days per week. Significant improvements in perceived stress, psychological distress, mindfulness skills, decentering, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance were found at the end of the intervention, while the wait-list group remained unchanged. There were significant differences between the two groups in those variables at post-test, favoring the intervention arm with major effects. Reductions in stress were mediated by improvements in mindfulness skills, decentering, and self-compassion; meanwhile reductions in psychological distress were mediated by improvements in decentering. These results suggest that this intervention might be feasible and effective for university students, but more high-quality research is needed. |
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