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Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Physical and Psychological Well-Being of Young Adults.

Luca Tagliabue, Daniele Piscitelli, Francesco Cerroni, Giulia Purpura

Health Education & Behavior February 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/10901981251361963 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 78
Population Young adults
Intervention Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
Duration 8-week intervention, 3-month follow-up
Topics Meditation
Keywords Mindfulness-based stress reduction Health Posture awareness Well-being
Key findings MBSR intervention significantly improved sleep quality, psychological distress, physical symptoms, and postural control awareness in young adults compared to a control group, with some effects maintained at three-month follow-up.

Abstract

Mindfulness-based Interventions have expanded beyond the health care field over the past 30 years into numerous social and occupational contexts, although their underlying mechanisms are not so clear. The aim of this controlled trial was to examine the effects of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention on physical and psychological health in young adults. Eight sessions of MBSR intervention were applied in the experimental group (n = 38), while no interventions were used in the control group (n = 40). To evaluate the effects of MBSR intervention, participants completed the Psychological General Well-Being Index, the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test and the Postural Awareness Scale, the Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Questionnaire, the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire before the intervention (T0), after the intervention (T1) and after 3 months from the end of the intervention (T2). The authors developed an ad hoc questionnaire to monitor the subjects' mindfulness practice in the 3 months following the end of the mindfulness program. Independent and paired t-tests to analyze differences between and within groups were carried out, and correlation analyses were performed between the questionnaires' scores and the degree of self-practice of the MBSR group participants. Results showed significant improvement in sleep quality, psychological distress, physical symptoms, and postural control awareness in the MBSR group compared with the control group. Some effects were maintained at follow-up. In particular, postural awareness significantly correlated with the frequency of self-practice of the MBSR protocol. This suggests the MBSR intervention can positively impact young adults' stress-related symptoms and psychophysical health.

Comparable studies

Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients 2003 Pre-post intervention study n = 59
Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample 2010 Pre-post intervention study
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students 2003 Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study n = 302
Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls 2011 Controlled trial with wait-list control group n = 60
The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents 2011 Within-group waitlist controlled trial n = 22

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