Let's Expand on How We Teach Mindfulness through an Online, Asynchronous Four-Week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course

A four-week asynchronous online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course reduced anxiety, depression, trauma, and alcohol misuse symptoms and increased dispositional mindfulness in 274 participants recruited from a southeastern U.S. university and the general public. Although participants self-reported growing engagement over the four weeks, actual access data showed declining engagement, indicating a need for adjustments. The findings suggest that an abbreviated, online MBSR format is feasible for improving mental health outcomes and may broaden access to mindfulness training.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a well-researched eight-week program initially developed for stress reduction; however, the in-person eight-week structure may not be feasible for all individuals who could benefit from mindfulness-based training. Previous researchers have found abbreviated MBSR courses to have similar efficacy in alleviating psychopathology symptoms; however, there is no standardized protocol for an abbreviated MBSR. Moreover, there is a need to examine the feasibility of the course hosted online and asynchronously to fully understand whether this adaptation can improve accessibility of the course. We recruited 274 participants from a southeastern university in the United States, and the general population was recruited through social media, email, and flyers. Participants completed a four-week asynchronous online MBSR course. Engagement was measured through both e-learning platform data and self-report questionnaires. Results showed statistically significant decreases in anxiety, depression, trauma, and alcohol misuse symptoms, and significant increases in dispositional mindfulness. Descriptive statistics on course engagement revealed that while participants self-reported increased engagement in the course as the weeks progressed, the access data from the course indicated a decrease in engagement, highlighting a need for adjustments to improve participant engagement. Overall, the findings suggest that a four-week online asynchronous MBSR course is feasible for reducing psychopathology symptoms and increasing dispositional mindfulness; however, implications of engagement data were discussed to improve future iterations of the course. This study demonstrates the potential of an abbreviated, flexible MBSR format to extend the benefits of mindfulness to a broader population.