Effectiveness of an Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Improving Mental Health in Undergraduate Students: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Fabiane Dolphine Fuentes Penachiotti, Mirian Yamaguchi, Bráulio Henrique Magnani Branco, Gabriela Alves, Felipe Rodrigues, Frederico Mariano, Adi Mana, Shifra Sagy, Rute Grossi Milani
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health June 30, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph23070853 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized clinical trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 317 |
| Population | Brazilian undergraduate pedagogy students enrolled in distance education |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Program for Undergraduate Students |
| Duration | Eight-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Mental health Randomized controlled trial Psychological intervention Context archaeology Intervention counseling Depression economics Clinical psychology Physical therapy Health education Clinical trial Brief intervention |
| Key findings | The online mindfulness intervention significantly improved positive mental health and reduced anxiety and depression compared with controls. |
Abstract
This randomized clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of an online mindfulness-based intervention in improving positive mental health and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression among undergraduate students, in the context of rising global mental health challenges and limited access to care, particularly in low- and middle-income settings. Brazilian undergraduate pedagogy students enrolled in distance education were randomly assigned (1:1) to an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Program for Undergraduate Students or a control group. Primary outcomes included positive mental health, anxiety, and depression, while secondary outcomes were sense of coherence, resilience, mindfulness, and perceived stress. Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle. A total of 317 students were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n = 157) or the control group (n = 160), and 215 (67.8%) completed the study, with comparable baseline characteristics across groups. Compared with controls, the intervention significantly improved positive mental health and reduced anxiety and depression (all p < 0.001), while also increasing sense of coherence, resilience, and mindfulness and reducing perceived stress (all p < 0.05). These findings suggest that scalable, low-cost, online mindfulness interventions can simultaneously enhance positive mental health and reduce psychological distress, supporting their potential as preventive mental health strategies in higher education settings.
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 21
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- A mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress in university students (the Mindful Student Study): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet Public Health December 18, 2017
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
and 16 more in the library