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The confidence to cope: Building well-being tools in a university mindfulness course.

Linda Yaron Weston

Journal of American College Health July 23, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2025.2530528 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Mixed-methods study Qualitative Peer reviewed
Sample size 522
Population University students who completed a 15-week Introduction to Mindfulness course
Intervention Introduction to Mindfulness course
Duration 15-week intervention
Topics Meditation
Keywords Higher education Mental health Self-efficacy Well-being
Key points The course contributed to student confidence in navigating life challenges and enhancing mental and emotional well-being.

Abstract

Objective: This study explores the impact of a university for-credit mindfulness course on student well-being beliefs and behaviors, and the extent to which the course contributed to student self-efficacy in managing their well-being. Participants include university students who completed a 15-week Introduction to Mindfulness course during the years 2019-2024.

Methods: Data were drawn from 522 student course evaluations, 64 surveys, and transcripts from two student panels. Utilizing a qualitative and quantitative approach, data were triangulated across sources, analyzed, and thematically coded.

Results: Findings indicate the course contributed to student confidence in navigating life challenges and enhancing mental and emotional well-being.

Conclusions: As institutions of higher education seek to sustainably integrate well-being and mental health into the student experience, these findings indicate a promising practice for including well-being courses in the curriculum and in faculty training.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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