Among 190 first-year university students, the tendency to be mindful in daily life (dispositional mindfulness) predicted better mental health, but the amount of time spent in formal mindfulness practice did not. This suggests that cultivating a mindful disposition, rather than the frequency of practice, may be more important for supporting student wellbeing during the stressful transition to university.
A pilot program combining mindfulness training with education about brain fatigue reduced fatigue and anxiety in people with acquired brain injury or multiple sclerosis. Sixteen participants attended six biweekly group sessions that included meditation, fatigue-related knowledge, and group discussion, while 16 waitlisted controls completed only questionnaires. After the program, the treatment group showed significantly lower brain fatigue and anxiety than controls. Interviews with 13 participants indicated the program provided a space to share experiences, helped them feel more understood and less alone, and taught them to better understand and manage brain fatigue. The authors suggest the program may be a rehabilitation option but call for larger confirmatory studies.
Eight weeks of Body-Mind Axial Awareness (BMAA) training, involving weekly two-hour sessions and daily home practice, led to greater improvements in body awareness, mindfulness, positive embodiment, and mental health compared to a control group among healthcare students. After statistically adjusting for baseline differences due to non-random enrollment, the BMAA group showed significant pre-post gains across most measures, including enhanced emotional awareness and expression, reduced anxiety, and higher life satisfaction. The findings suggest BMAA may help healthcare students manage stress and build psychological resilience during professional training.