Mindfulness-based programs improve psychological flexibility, mental health, well-being and time management in academics
Gabriel Marais, Sophie Lantheaume, Robin Fiault, Rebecca Shankland
June 10, 2020 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/9w4zp (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractOccupational stress is high in academia, partly due to time pressure. A mindfulness-based program offered to academics in a French research department improved psychological flexibility, mental health (stress, anxiety, depression symptoms), well-being, and effective time use compared to a wait-list control group. The intervention group (n = 21) showed significant increases in these self-reported measures after the 8-week program relative to the control group (n = 22). The results suggest that mindfulness-based programs can improve adaptive functioning, well-being, and optimal time use in academia, offering a useful perspective for helping academics improve mental health and time management.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Controlled trial with wait-list control |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 43 |
| Population | Academics in a French research department |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based program |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Mental health Flexibility engineering Well-being |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key finding | Psychological flexibility, mental health, well-being, and effective time use significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control condition. |
Abstract
Background: Occupational stress is high in academia, and partly related to time pressure. Mindfulness-based programs are known to be effective in reducing stress and increasing well-being. Recent work suggested that these programs may also improve time management. This study tested the effects of a mindfulness-based program on academics’ psychological flexibility, mental health, well-being and time management.Methods: The study was conducted in a French research department. Participants were offered to join a mindfulness-based program (n = 21) or to be on a wait-list control group (n = 22). Self-reported measures of psychological flexibility, mental health (stress, anxiety and depression symptoms), well-being and time use were collected before and after the 8 weeks program.Results: Results showed that psychological flexibility, mental health, well-being and effective time use significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control condition.Conclusions: The results suggested that the mindfulness-based programs were effective in improving adaptive functioning, well-being, and optimal time use in academia, thus underlining potential useful perspectives to help academics improve mental health and time management.