Investigating the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on stress level and brain activity of college students
Anh An, Huy Hoang, Long Trang, Q. Vo, Luan Tran, Thao N. Le, A. Le, Ali N. McCormick, Kim Du Old, Nikolas S Williams, Geoffrey Mackellar, Emy Nguyen, T. Luong, V. Nguyen, Kien Nguyen, Huong Ha
IBRO Neuroscience Reports May 1, 2022 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.05.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | College students in a low-middle income country |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | An 8-week MBSR intervention led to sustained reductions in negative emotional states and increased frontal and occipital alpha power in college students. |
Abstract
Financial constraints usually hinder students, especially those in low-middle income countries (LMICs), from seeking mental health interventions. Hence, it is necessary to identify effective, affordable and sustainable counter-stress measures for college students in the LMICs context. This study examines the sustained effects of mindfulness practice on the psychological outcomes and brain activity of students, especially when they are exposed to stressful situations. Here, we combined psychological and electrophysiological methods (EEG) to investigate the sustained effects of an 8-week-long standardized Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention on the brain activity of college students. We found that the Test group showed a decrease in negative emotional states after the intervention, compared to the no statistically significant result of the Control group, as indicated by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (33% reduction in the negative score) and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-42) scores (nearly 40% reduction of three subscale scores). Spectral analysis of EEG data showed that this intervention is longitudinally associated with increased frontal and occipital lobe alpha band power. Additionally, the increase in alpha power is more prevalent when the Test group was being stress-induced by cognitive tasks, suggesting that practicing MBSR might enhance the practitioners’ tolerance of negative emotional states. In conclusion, MBSR intervention led to a sustained reduction of negative emotional states as measured by both psychological and electrophysiological metrics, which supports the adoption of MBSR as an effective and sustainable stress-countering approach for students in LMICs.
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
Cited by 18
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Mental Health and Psychological Quality of Life among University Students: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2024
- Chatbot-Based Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program for University Students With Depressive Symptoms: Intervention Development and Pilot Evaluation. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 2025
- Impact of Heartfulness meditation practice on anxiety, perceived stress, well-being, and telomere length. Frontiers in Psychology 2023
- Intermediate effects of mindfulness practice on the brain activity of college students: An EEG study IBRO Neuroscience Reports March 7, 2023
- A systematic review of mindfulness-based stress reduction in the management of anxiety disorders among adolescents and young adults aged 13-26. Asian Journal of Psychiatry June 1, 2025
and 13 more in the library
Cites 15
- A systematic review of the neurophysiology of mindfulness on EEG oscillations Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 2015
- 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
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Older Adults: Effects on Executive Function, Frontal Alpha Asymmetry and Immune Function Neuropsychobiology 2013
- Students and Teachers Benefit from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in a School-Embedded Pilot Study Frontiers in Psychology April 26, 2016
- Intensive training induces longitudinal changes in meditation state-related EEG oscillatory activity. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 10 more in the library