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A Brief Mindfulness Intervention for Healthy College Students and Its Effects on Psychological Distress, Self-Control, Meta-Mood, and Subjective Vitality

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Abstract

This study investigated the effects of a 6-week adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention on the psychological health and well-being of college students. The experimental group participants were students and faculty (N = 19) who signed up for the mindfulness-based class, and the control group participants (N = 25) were interested in the class but were unable to sign up in time to enroll. Participants were surveyed three times on a range of self-report psychological variables including symptoms of psychological distress, emotional awareness, self-control, day-to-day mindfulness, and subjective vitality. A control group took the same surveys but did not receive any treatment. The adapted-MBSR intervention significantly reduced psychological distress in the experimental group participants as compared to the control group (p = .027, η 2 = .161) and significantly increased self reported mindful awareness (p = .028, η 2 = .160), self-control (p = .007, η 2 = .216), and subjective vitality (p = .001, η 2 = .293), while meta-mood was not affected (p = .314, η 2 = .055). We concluded that MBSR has wide-ranging positive effects on college students, and would be beneficial as a campus stress reduction and preventative mental health intervention.

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Acknowledgments

In memory of Ian Cameron, a powerful light and inspiration for us all, who tragically passed away on June 29th, 2013. Many thanks to Willoughby Britton and her lab for encouraging and supporting the creation of this publication and offering feedback. Many thanks to Gregory Buchanan, who consistently offered his expert guidance to this project from the start, and to William Conover for his practical training and vision. Thank you to all of the participants in the study, who willingly donated their time in filling out the surveys. Thank you to the Beloit College Psychology department for providing an excellent education and for supporting this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 20 Munroe St., Northampton, MA, USA

    Nicholas K. Canby

  2. 121 Spencer Ave., East Greenwich, RI, 02818, USA

    Ian M. Cameron

  3. 790 E. 37th Ave., Eugene, OR, 97405, USA

    Amrit T. Calhoun

  4. Department of Psychology, Beloit College, 700 College St., Beloit, WI, USA

    Gregory M. Buchanan

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  1. Nicholas K. Canby
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  2. Ian M. Cameron
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Correspondence to Nicholas K. Canby.

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Ian M. Cameron is deceased.

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Canby, N.K., Cameron, I.M., Calhoun, A.T. et al. A Brief Mindfulness Intervention for Healthy College Students and Its Effects on Psychological Distress, Self-Control, Meta-Mood, and Subjective Vitality. Mindfulness 6, 1071–1081 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-014-0356-5

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