Autonomic and psychophysiological effects of a 13-week mindfulness-based intervention in university students

A 13-week mindfulness-based intervention for Colombian university students produced selective improvements in emotional and autonomic regulation but did not significantly affect stress, sleep, physical activity, or academic performance. After adjusting for covariates, no between-group effects remained significant after correction for multiple testing. Within the intervention group, participants showed increased conscientiousness, psychological flexibility, and reduced loneliness, while anxiety and depressive symptoms remained stable compared to increases in the control group, suggesting a protective effect. The findings support a psychobiological model linking mindfulness to enhanced self-regulation and adaptive autonomic modulation, though broader effects were limited.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Introduction Academic stress represents a multifactorial psychophysiological phenomenon that can disrupt emotional well-being and autonomic balance in university students. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown promise in enhancing emotional regulation and physiological balance. This study aimed to evaluate the autonomic and psychophysiological effects of a 13-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in university students. Methods A quasi-experimental longitudinal study was conducted with 93 Colombian university students (86% female; mean age = 18.8 ± 2.35 years). Participants were assigned to an intervention group ( n = 31) or a control group ( n = 62). The intervention consisted of weekly 60-min mindfulness sessions over 13 weeks. Psychological (stress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, personality traits, psychological flexibility), behavioral (sleep, physical activity), and autonomic (heart rate and heart rate variability) measures were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA adjusted for baseline values and relevant covariates (sex, age, sleep), Wilcoxon tests for within-group changes, and effect sizes estimated with Cliff’s delta ( δ ) and rank-biserial correlations (rb). False discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied to control for multiple testing. Results After adjusting for covariates, no between-group effects remained significant after FDR correction, although small beneficial trends were observed in conscientiousness and HRV indices. Within-group analyses showed that participants in the intervention group exhibited significant increases in conscientiousness ( p = 0.039, rb = 0.46), psychological flexibility ( p < 0.01, rb = −0.51), and reduced loneliness ( p = 0.006, rb = −0.53). Anxiety and depressive symptoms remained stable in this group but increased in controls, indicating a potential protective effect. No significant changes were observed in perceived stress, sleep, physical activity, or academic performance. Conclusion The 13-week mindfulness intervention yielded selective improvements in emotional and autonomic regulation but limited effects on broader psychological and academic outcomes. These findings support a psychobiological model linking mindfulness to enhanced self-regulation and adaptive autonomic modulation. Mindfulness programs may benefit emotional resilience in university settings, though complementary strategies are recommended to enhance broader effects. Clinical trial registration https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=389898 , ACTRN12625000984493.