Mindfulness, anxiety, and perceived stress in university students: Comparing a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) against active and traditional control conditions

Abstract

Objectives

University students experience heightened levels of stress and are seeking mental health services with increasing frequency. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may be an effective resource for managing stress. The present study examined the effectiveness of an MBI in reducing stress, anxiety, and rumination compared to active and traditional control conditions.

Methods

Undergraduate students at a southeastern university participated in either a 4-week MBI, active control, or traditional control condition. Measures were collected pre- and post-intervention. Results: Overall the MBI had a significant impact on perceived stress over and above both traditional and active control conditions. The MBI also had a significant impact on trait mindfulness and anxiety compared to the traditional control condition. No significant differences were observed for rumination. Conclusions: The MBI significantly impacted trait mindfulness, perceived stress, and state anxiety. MBIs may be a useful approach to successfully alleviating stress in a highly stressed population.

Keywords:

• Active control
• anxiety
• intervention
• mindfulness
• stress

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Funding

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

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Dr. Dark-Freudeman’s Charles L. Cahill Award, UNCW’s chapter of Psi Chi, and UNCW’s Department of Psychology who made this project possible.