Pilot evaluation of the stop, breathe & think mindfulness app for student clients on a college counseling center waitlist

Abstract

Objectives: College counseling centers face significant challenges meeting the mental health needs of their students and waitlists are common. Mobile apps offer a promising solution to increase access to resources while students wait for services. Methods: This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a publicly available mindfulness app. Students on a counseling center waitlist (n = 23) were randomized to use the app or not, with assessments completed over four weeks. Results: Recruitment over three semesters was slow, leading to an underpowered trial. Participants reported high satisfaction and moderate app usage. Very preliminary support was found for potential app efficacy relative to the control condition, particularly for depression, anxiety, and overall distress. Weaker, mixed effects were found for mindfulness and values processes. Conclusions: Overall, these results provide mixed findings suggesting the potential benefits, but also challenges in using a mindfulness app for students waiting to receive counseling services.

Keywords:

• College students
• eHealth
• mHealth
• mindfulness
• online

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. LuAnn Helms and all of the counselors and staff at the Utah State University Counseling and Psychological Services center for their support and collaboration on this research study.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.