Mental health and health behaviors among college student mentors in a randomized controlled trial interrupted by COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: The benefits of mindfulness-training and mentoring for college students have yet to be investigated. We aimed to provide an exploratory and descriptive account of their potential benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: In February 2020, 49 undergraduates (M = 20.51 years-old; 94% female) participated in a randomized trial of 12-week mentoring + mindfulness or mentoring-as-usual. After five weekly mentoring-sessions, programs were interrupted by COVID-19; mentoring continued online. Methods: Undergraduates completed questionnaires about mental health, behaviors, and regulatory processes in February and July 2020, with additional COVID-19-related questions at follow-up. Results: Participants reported moderate COVID-19-related perceived stress, but mental health, health behaviors, and regulatory processes did not diminish over time, with no condition differences. Undergraduates described using contemplative practices and social support to cope with COVID-19-stress. Conclusions: Undergraduates showed stable mental health/health behaviors despite moderate COVID-19-related-stress. Future research on mentoring with a mindfulness component among a larger and more heterogeneous sample will be necessary.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• health behaviors
• mental health
• mentoring
• mindfulness

Conflict of interest disclosure

S.A.H. and T.S.Z. have a financial interest in Campus Connections and receive a royalty when the program is licensed and sold to interested parties (eg, Universities). The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the USA and received approval from the Colorado State University Institutional Review Board.

Funding

Support for the study was provided by NIFA/USDA, Grant Number: COL00789 (MPIs: Lucas-Thompson and Shomaker) and Colorado State University, College of Health and Human Sciences, Dean’s Doctoral Fellowship (PI: Miller). REDCap supported by NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSA (Grant number UL1 TR002535).