Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Brief Mindfulness Activity in University Students With Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Engagement

Abstract

Current theoretical frameworks posit that engagement in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is due to an inability to regulate one’s emotions. In turn, mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to enhance emotion regulatory processes in those who engage in NSSI. Objective. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a brief mindfulness activity was differentially effective at increasing state mindfulness and decreasing stress following a stress induction task in university students with versus without a history of NSSI engagement. Method. The sample consisted of two groups of participants who identified as women: participants with a history of NSSI engagement (NSSI; n = 57; M_age=20.09, SD = 2.05) and participants without (no-NSSI; n = 87; M_age=20.22, SD = 1.94). All participants were asked to complete pre-intervention measures of state mindfulness and stress and were randomly assigned to either a mindfulness activity (body scan) or control task condition. Following the completion of their respective activities, a Stroop stress induction task was conducted and participants completed post-intervention measures of state mindfulness and stress. Results. Two 3-way mixed ANOVAs (Time X NSSI status X Condition) were conducted and revealed significant time by condition interactions for both state mindfulness, Wilk’s Λ = .93, F(1, 140) = 10.70, p = .001, η_p² = .07, and stress, Wilk’s Λ = .97, F(1, 140) = 4.21, p = .04, η_p² = .03. As such, both groups (NSSI/no-NSSI) demonstrated similar increases in state mindfulness and decreases in stress in response to the brief mindfulness activity following the stress induction. Implications for future research and practice will be discussed.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The brief mindfulness activity effectively increased state mindfulness.

• The brief mindfulness activity effectively decreased stress.

• Benefits were experienced similarly among both groups (NSSI/no-NSSI).

Keywords:

• mindfulness
• non-suicidal self-injury
• stress

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors would like to thank all participants from the present study.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

There are no conflicts of interest to report in the present study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amanda Argento

Amanda Argento (MA) is a recent Master of Arts in Educational Psychology graduate from McGill University. Her research interests include emotion regulation, mindfulness, non-suicidal self-injury, and coping in educational settings. She is currently working as a project administrator in the Faculty of Education at McGill University.

Amanda Simundic

Amanda Simundic (MA) is a PhD student in the Counseling Psychology program in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology at McGill University. She is currently working with Dr. Nancy Heath’s Development and Intrapersonal Resilience (DAIR) research team, with research interests in the area of non-suicidal self-injury and coping patterns among young adults.

Jessica Mettler

Jessica Mettler (MA) is a PhD student in Educational Psychology in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology at McGill University. Her research interests center on mental health and well-being in educational contexts, specifically focusing on the use of mindfulness with students.

Devin J. Mills

Devin J. Mills (PhD) is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Community, Family, and Addiction Sciences at Texas Tech University. His research explores the development of behavioral addictions, specifically video gaming and gambling disorder, with the intention of identifying factors that facilitate sustained recovery across the lifespan.

Nancy L. Heath

Nancy L. Heath (PhD) is a James McGill Professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology at McGill University. Her research program explores resilience and adaptive functioning in young people. Specifically, she has published and presented extensively on topics related to mental health and resilience in educational settings as well as non-suicidal self-injury.