Effects of mindfulness meditation on mindfulness, mental well-being, and perceived stress.
Irene Zollars, Therese Poirier, J. Pailden
Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning August 7, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.cptl.2019.06.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 92 |
| Population | Professional year one, two, and three pharmacy students |
| Dose | at least 10 minutes per day |
| Duration | Four weeks |
| Measures | Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Mindfulness meditation using the Headspace app was associated with enhanced mindfulness and mental well-being and decreased perceived stress in pharmacy students. |
Abstract
Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of mindfulness meditation using the Headspace™ app on mindfulness, mental well-being, and perceived stress in pharmacy students.
Methods: Professional year one (P1), professional year two (P2,) and professional year 3 (P3) pharmacy students were recruited to participate. Students were instructed to meditate using the Headspace™ app for at least 10min per day for four weeks. Students at baseline completed the health promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP). Data was collected from the pre/post surveys using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS), and Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).
Results: Ninety-two pharmacy students enrolled in the study. Seventy-percent of the participants completed the study. Only one participant was excluded in the post data analysis due to non-adherence with the protocol. The data revealed that for all scales the intervention was associated with enhanced mindfulness and mental well-being and decreased perceived stress. Further analysis indicated that controlling for various health promoting lifestyle behaviors preserves the positive impact of mindfulness meditation as demonstrated.
Conclusions: Mindfulness meditation uniformly and independently improved the participants overall mental health. The data supports a feasible option for minimizing stress and maintaining mental well-being in a demanding professional program. This study encourages students in pharmacy schools to adopt these practices in their curriculum.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 54
- Psychological effects of psychedelics in adolescents. Front Child Adolesc Psychiatry June 7, 2024
- Experimental Mindfulness Intervention in an Emergency Department for Stress Management and Development of Positive Working Environment Healthcare March 17, 2023
- Mindfulness-based intervention for hypertension patients with depression and/or anxiety in the community: a randomized controlled trial. Trials May 2, 2024
- Meditation and Complexity: a Systematic Review June 28, 2023
- Meditation and complexity: a review and synthesis of evidence. Neuroscience of Consciousness 2025
and 49 more in the library
Cites 6
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Women Benefit More Than Men in Response to College-based Meditation Training. Frontiers in Psychology 2017
- Impact of a Yoga and Meditation Intervention on Students' Stress and Anxiety Levels American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education June 1, 2019
- The effects of mindfulness-based interventions for health and social care undergraduate students - a systematic review of the literature. Psychology, Health & Medicine August 2017
- A randomised controlled trial of the effects of mindfulness practice on medical student stress levels. Med Educ April 1, 2011
and 1 more in the library