Mindfulness, happiness, and anxiety in a sample of college students before and after taking a meditation course

Abstract

Objective

To explore differences in mindfulness, happiness, and perceived anxiety in a sample of college students before and after taking a meditation course.

Participants

Participants were college students at a primarily undergraduate institution enrolled in an experiential meditation class (n = 74) and a non-meditation class comparison group (n = 73).

Methods

The study design was a before-after observational study with two groups and three dependent variables: the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Subjective Happiness Scale.

Results

Students in the meditation course increased average subjective happiness and mindfulness attention awareness. Mindfulness scores increased and anxiety decreased more for students in the meditation class compared to students in the psychosocial class.

Conclusions

This research provides evidence that taking a semester long meditation course is associated with improvements in college student well-being.

Keywords:

• College stress and anxiety
• college student well-being
• happiness
• meditation
• mindfulness