Remote delivery of a Koru Mindfulness intervention for college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective

To examine whether a remote, online, group-based mindfulness intervention results in effects during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants

111 college students: 58 in the intervention group, 53 in a waitlist control group.

Methods

Randomized control trial (RCT) using a 4-week Koru Mindfulness program, investigating pre-to-posttest changes in the intervention group compared to time-yoked control participants.

Results

Average effect size for all 21 variables measured was 0.48. The intervention produced significant benefits for mindfulness, rumination, worry, mood, stress, anxiety, three out of six aspects of psychological wellbeing (Autonomy, Environmental mastery, Self-acceptance) and physical activity. No significant effect was noted for depression (d = 0.33) or sleep (d = −0.13), and three aspects of psychological wellbeing (Personal growth, Positive relationships, Purpose in life).

Conclusions

A remote, online, group-based mindfulness program yielded benefits on stress, anxiety, and mood in college students, even under the dire circumstances of a pandemic.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• Koru
• mindfulness
• remote
• RCT

Acknowledgment

We would also like to thank the Koru Mindfulness Institute in general, particularly Holly Rogers and Libby Webb for providing support and training for remote teaching.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of The United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of The Georgia Institute of Technology.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the Mental Health Joint Allocation Committee of the Student Government Organization and the Georgia Institute of Technology.