A brief online mindfulness intervention: study protocol for Indonesian undergraduate students, a randomized controlled trial.
Ka Yan, Nessa Ikani, Cleoputri Yusainy, Cilia Witteman, Jan Spijker
Trials May 13, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-025-08858-y (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Indonesian undergraduate students |
| Intervention | Online mindfulness intervention |
| Duration | 14-day intervention, 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Rct Rnt Stress |
| Citations | 1 |
| Registration | NCT05882565 |
| Key findings | The trial will test whether a brief online mindfulness intervention reduces stress, anxiety, depression, and repetitive negative thinking, and whether RNT mediates these effects. |
Abstract
Elevated levels of stress, anxiety, and depression persist among undergraduate students in Eastern countries, including Indonesia. Access to mental healthcare resources, however, remains difficult and costly for most young people. Furthermore, there is a strong tendency to avoid seeking professional help. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a brief 14-day online mindfulness intervention in reducing stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) among a representative sample of Indonesian undergraduate students. Given the mixed empirical evidence on the role of RNT in mindfulness, the secondary aim is to investigate the mediating role of RNT in the effects of mindfulness on stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Within this study, participants assigned to the mindfulness intervention will be compared to those allocated to psychoeducational and waitlist conditions. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaires (FFMQ), and the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ) will be assessed at baseline, post-condition evaluation, and a subsequent follow-up assessment 3 months following the intervention period. Throughout the intervention phase, participants will complete daily questionnaires and have the option to maintain a daily journal. The findings from this randomized controlled trial will provide evidence for the possible effectiveness of a brief online mindfulness intervention on stress, anxiety, depression, and RNT. This online intervention could serve as an easily accessible and low-threshold strategy conducive to enhancing mental health and well-being of the Indonesian population. NCT05882565 (ClinicalTrials.gov), retrospectively registered on May 21, 2023.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 18
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- The moderation of Mindfulness‐based stress reduction effects by trait mindfulness: Results from a randomized controlled trial Journal of Clinical Psychology December 22, 2010
- Effects of a Focused Breathing Mindfulness Exercise on Attention, Memory, and Mood: The Importance of Task Characteristics Behaviour Change April 1, 2018
- Rumination and Self-Compassion Moderate Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Patients With Recurrent and Persistent Major Depressive Disorder: A Controlled Trial. Depression and Anxiety 2024
and 13 more in the library