From contemplation to serenity: how yoga meditation improves the mental health of female college students?
Lanjuan Liu, Cheng Liu, Lijun Tang, Xing Wang, Qiangming Feng
Frontiers in Psychology 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1545943 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Combination of quantitative assessment and qualitative analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Female college students |
| Intervention | Yoga meditation |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Emotional regulation Mental health Psychological resilience Stress relief Yoga meditation |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Yoga meditation significantly reduces anxiety, depression, and perceived stress while enhancing emotional regulation, self-awareness, and psychological resilience in female college students. |
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the impact of yoga meditation on the mental health of female college students, focusing on how meditation improves emotional regulation, alleviates stress and strengthens psychological resilience. Employing a combination of quantitative assessment and qualitative analysis, the study measured participants' emotional states, stress levels, and psychological resilience across multiple time points to track participants' mental health changes dynamically. In-depth interviews and analysis of meditation journals were also conducted. Yoga meditation significantly reduced anxiety, depression, and perceived stress while enhancing emotional regulation and self-awareness. Meditation positively influenced neuroplasticity, inducing beneficial changes in brain regions associated with emotional control and cognitive flexibility. Additionally, improved autonomic nervous system function was observed, with increased parasympathetic activity and reduced sympathetic response. Meditation strengthened psychological resilience in female college students, improved stress-coping strategies, and sustained positive mental health benefits even after the intervention. Yoga meditation is an effective mental health intervention, bolstering emotional regulation and reducing stress among female college students. Integrating yoga meditation into campus mental health programs is recommended to provide students with greater practice opportunities and personalized guidance.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Effects of a Course-Based Yoga Intervention on Perceived Stress and Mindfulness Among Nursing Students: A Quasi-Experimental Mixed-Methods Study Healthcare September 4, 2026
- Meditation and Yoga as Tools to Reduce Stress, Overthinking, and Anxiety among Youth. International Journal of Research & Technology April 3, 2026
- Yoga and the Mind-Body Connection Improving Mental Well-Being at the Intersection of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga April 16, 2026
- Therapeutic Evaluation of Mind Sound Resonance Technique (A Guided Yogic Meditative Technique) on Human Psychophysiology - A Narrative Review. International Journal of Yoga 2026
Cites 2
- Does Meditation Alter Brain Responses to Negative Stimuli? A Systematic Review Frontiers in Human Neuroscience November 13, 2018
- 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction induces brain changes similar to traditional long-term meditation practice - A systematic review. Brain and Cognition July 16, 2016