Journal of American college health : J of ACH
April 22, 2025
Laura García-pérez, Maria Elena Atencia-Rodriguez, Mar Cepero-González et al.
8 citations
Physical activity, mindfulness, and mind-body therapies such as yoga and Qigong-Baduanjin can reduce anxiety, depression, and stress among university students aged 18 to 25 without severe mental health conditions. A review of 18 randomized controlled trials involving 2,325 students found that in 89% of studies, these interventions led to significant improvements in mental health, regardless of the specific type or duration of the program. The evidence supports these approaches as effective strategies for enhancing well-being in this population, though the authors recommend more research with standardized methods and long-term follow-ups.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
January 15, 2025
Steve Haberlin, Terrie Bradshaw
4 citations
A review of 44 studies on meditation interventions for college students over the past decade found that meditation practice has inconsistent effects on academic performance but more conclusive evidence for improving attention (including reducing mind-wandering) and reducing stress and anxiety. Meditation interventions show promise as alternative mental health treatments on campuses, but more well-designed studies are needed to determine optimal dosage, specific techniques, and effects on diverse populations.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
July 23, 2025
Junfei Lu, Yi Chen, Dhikrullah Mudathir
3 citations
Among 204 U.S. undergraduates, mindfulness relates to lower stress through two distinct facets of decentering: cognitive defusion and self-as-context. Cognitive defusion alone mediated the link between mindfulness and stress. Additionally, mindfulness influenced stress through a sequential pathway: first increasing self-as-context, which then increased cognitive defusion. These findings suggest that mindfulness may aid stress coping by fostering both cognitive defusion and self-as-context awareness.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
May 22, 2025
Rebecca Block, Lisa Critchley, Annetta Snell et al.
3 citations
A mindful leadership training program for university faculty led to a 13.27% increase in mindfulness among participants, compared to a 3.13% increase in a control group. Faculty who completed the program reported greater presence, self-awareness, emotional regulation, and improved communication with students. They also adopted more mindfulness practices and discussed student well-being more often. Qualitative data from focus groups echoed these outcomes. The training may enhance faculty well-being and their ability to support student mental health, though further research is needed to explore long-term impacts and broader implementation.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
January 13, 2025
Katherine J Stefanelli
2 citations
College students who participated in an 8-week program of either meditation or guided imagery with progressive deep muscle relaxation showed decreases in chronic stress and increases in mental-health-related quality of life. These improvements were observed midway through the program and were maintained. The findings suggest that weekly mind-body classes can be a practical way for college students to reduce stress.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
June 25, 2025
Sophie R Kaufman, John Damiao, Esma D Paljevic et al.
1 citation
A hybrid mindfulness-based intervention was tested with 73 health profession students and faculty/staff at a Northeastern university. Self-compassion scores improved significantly after the program, while perceived stress showed no statistically significant change. Well-being improved significantly for faculty/staff. The pilot study suggests that a hybrid mindfulness approach may help boost self-compassion and well-being in demanding healthcare environments.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
July 23, 2025
Linda Yaron Weston
A university for-credit mindfulness course helped students gain confidence in navigating life challenges and improved their mental and emotional well-being. The course, offered over 15 weeks from 2019 to 2024, was evaluated using 522 student course evaluations, 64 surveys, and transcripts from two student panels. Data were analyzed through both qualitative and quantitative methods. The findings suggest that integrating well-being courses into the curriculum and faculty training is a promising practice for higher education institutions aiming to sustainably support student mental health.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
June 5, 2025
Emily Dunuwila, Elizabeth C Lockerby, Elizabeth R Mackenzie et al.
A for-credit undergraduate mindfulness course helped students develop a mindfulness practice and appeared to improve wellbeing and stress management. Six themes emerged from interviews and essays: learning to practice, self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-regulation, applying practices, and quality of life. The course structure effectively integrated mindfulness into a didactic curriculum, supporting guided practice. Findings suggest embedded contemplative education can make the college experience less stressful and more meaningful.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
March 28, 2025
Sarah Lee, Caroline Umeda, Gina Tucker-Roghi et al.
Embedding brief resilience exercises into college courses is feasible and well received by students and faculty. In a mixed-methods study at a small university, 12 faculty were randomly assigned to either implement or not implement curricular micro-interventions; 267 students completed surveys before, during, and after the term. Qualitative feedback from six faculty in the experimental group showed the interventions were practical to deliver, and students reported positive effects on their lives. The findings suggest that classroom-based resilience micro-interventions can support student well-being, though long-term impact and scalability remain to be tested.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
May 7, 2026
Shiva Jahani, Steve Haberlin, William Carter et al.
An 8-week randomized controlled trial compared neurofeedback-assisted meditation with traditional guided meditation and a passive control group among 137 undergraduates. At a single post-intervention assessment, no statistically significant differences emerged between the three groups on mindfulness or perceived stress scores. The findings suggest that neither active intervention produced meaningful group differences, and consumer-grade neurofeedback offered no measurable advantage over traditional guided meditation, despite high acceptability among participants who used it.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
December 1, 2023
Marie Loiselle, Frederick Travis
College students who studied at a Consciousness-Based Education institution showed significant improvements in physical, mental, and general health, self-esteem, and perceived health from freshman year to graduation, alongside significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and combined anxiety-depression. No significant changes were found for pain, disability, or social health. The authors argue that Consciousness-Based Education may buffer the effects of stress on mental and physical health, offering educators a tool to help students cope with college life.
Journal of American college health : J of ACH
July 1, 2022
Grant Benham
About 35% of college students at a large southwestern US university had experienced sleep paralysis at some point, and those who had reported higher stress and poorer sleep than those who had not. The differences were larger when comparing students who had experienced sleep paralysis within the past year. The sample was predominantly Hispanic (94%) and female (70%). The findings suggest that sleep paralysis is common among undergraduates and is linked to both stress and sleep problems, leading to a recommendation that college health services include assessment and education about the condition.