Mindfulness and stress among undergraduate students: Examining the mediation roles of self-as-context and cognitive defusion as decentering facets.
Junfei Lu, Yi Chen, Dhikrullah Mudathir
Journal of American College Health July 23, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2025.2533918 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 204 |
| Population | Undergraduate students from a U.S. university |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Decentering Cognitive defusion Self-as-context Stress |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | The relationship between mindfulness and stress was mediated by cognitive defusion, and mindfulness influenced stress through a sequential pathway involving self-as-context and cognitive defusion. |
Abstract
Objective: This study examines the mediating roles of two facets of decentering - self-as-context and cognitive defusion - in the relationship between mindfulness and stress among undergraduate students.
Participants: 204 undergraduate students from a U.S. university participated in the study.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, utilizing self-report measures to assess mindfulness, stress, self-as-context, and cognitive defusion. Mediation analyses were conducted to explore indirect pathways between mindfulness and stress through decentering facets.
Results: Two major findings are (a) the relationship between mindfulness and stress was mediated by cognitive defusion, and (b) mindfulness influenced stress through a sequential pathway involving self-as-context and cognitive defusion. These results suggest that mindfulness may help stress coping through increased cognitive defusion and self-as-context awareness.
Conclusions: This study highlights the distinct mediating roles of decentering facets in the mindfulness-stress relationship. Understanding these mechanisms may inform mindfulness-based interventions aimed at improving stress-coping strategies among undergraduate students.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cites 7
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Brief mindfulness-based training and mindfulness trait attenuate psychological stress in university students: a randomized controlled trial BMC Psychology February 1, 2021
- The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Stress and Burnout in Nurses Journal of Holistic Nursing May 17, 2021
- Mindfulness and Behavior Change Harvard Review of Psychiatry November 1, 2020
and 2 more in the library