Effects of guided mindfulness meditation on anxiety and stress in a pre-healthcare college student population: a pilot study
Matthew S Burgstahler, M. Stenson
Journal of American College Health August 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1590371 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 33 |
| Population | Pre-healthcare college students aged 19–22 |
| Intervention | Guided mindfulness meditation |
| Dose | 5–12 minutes per day, 6 days per week for 8 weeks |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Measures | stress, anxiety, mindfulness, heart rate variability |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key points | Five to twelve minutes of daily mindfulness meditation for eight weeks reduced stress and anxiety and increased mindfulness, with greater improvements in those who meditated more. |
Abstract
Abstract
Objective: To identify the effects of guided mindfulness meditation on anxiety and stress in pre-healthcare college students.
Participants: Students (n = 33, age 19–22 years) were tested between September and November of 2017.
Methods: Students completed 5–12 minutes of meditation 6 days/week for 8 weeks. We examined differences in pre- and post-intervention stress, anxiety, mindfulness, and heart rate variability.
Results: All variables significantly improved after the intervention. When broken into quartiles based on minutes of meditation, groups 1 (0–184 min, p = 0.044) and 2 (184.1–268 min, p = 0.042) significantly increased mindfulness after the intervention. Group 3 (268–350 min) significantly decreased state anxiety (p = 0.015) and increased mindfulness (p = 0.029). Group 4 (350.24–424.05 min) decreased stress (p = 0.003), state anxiety (p = 0.007), trait anxiety (p = 0.003), and increased mindfulness (p = 0.007).
Conclusion: Five to twelve minutes of daily mindfulness meditation is associated with decreased stress and anxiety, and increased mindfulness with greater changes observed following more minutes of meditation.