A pilot study on the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction combined with yoga on psychological well-being and self-related outcomes in university students
ROL Spor Bilimleri Dergisi January 28, 2026 DOI: 10.70736/jrolss.2243 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 32 |
| Population | Undergraduate students from multiple faculties of a foundation university in Türkiye |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction combined with yoga |
| Duration | Six sessions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mindfulness-based stress reduction Intervention counseling Cognition Happiness Randomized controlled trial Stress management Physical therapy Clinical psychology Psychological intervention |
| Key findings | A six-session mindfulness-based stress reduction program combined with yoga improved mindfulness, happiness, self-compassion, psychological well-being, and overall yoga self-efficacy in university students, but not the mind sub-dimension of yoga self-efficacy. |
Abstract
This research aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction combined with yoga on mindfulness, happiness, self-compassion, psychological well-being, and yoga self-efficacy among university students. A total of 32 undergraduate students from multiple faculties of a foundation university in Türkiye participated in the study; the intervention group comprised 15 students, and the remaining 17 constituted the control group. The participants, with a mean age of 21.68 years, were students from different academic departments and were enrolled at various year levels. This study employed a randomized controlled experimental design with pre- and post-test assessments. Measurement instruments included the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale–Short Form, the Yoga Self-Efficacy Scale, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire–Short Form, and the Psychological Well-Being Scale–Short Form. The intervention group participated in six sessions of a mindfulness-based stress reduction combined with a yoga program, while the control group received no intervention. Group differences were examined using independent samples t-tests and analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling for baseline scores. The results provided preliminary support for the intervention's effectiveness, indicating higher post-intervention levels of mindfulness, happiness, self-compassion, psychological well-being, and overall yoga self-efficacy in the intervention group compared to the control group. Improvements were particularly evident in body- and breath-related dimensions of yoga self-efficacy. In contrast, no statistically significant group difference emerged for the mind sub-dimension of yoga self-efficacy. The findings indicate that a short-term mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention combined with yoga exerts positive effects on well-being indicators and the somatic aspects of yoga self-efficacy among university students, whereas changes in the cognitive dimension appear less responsive to short-term interventions.
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
Cites 6
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Examining the Efficacy of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Brief MBSR) Program on Psychological Health Journal of American College Health June 24, 2013
- Emotional indicators of university students: a quasi-experimental pilot study with Hatha-Yoga. Revista latino-americana de enfermagem 2025
- Effects of Yoga and Mindfulness Programs on Self-Compassion in Medical Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Intervention Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health September 30, 2022
- Impact of a Yoga and Meditation Intervention on Students' Stress and Anxiety Levels American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education June 1, 2019
and 1 more in the library