A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction on academic resilience and performance in college students
Jennifer N Baumgartner PhD, Tamera R Schneider PhD
Journal of American College Health August 16, 2021 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1950728 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 85 |
| Population | University students |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based stress reduction Study skills active control |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Education |
| Key findings | MBSR protected against depleted academic persistence and improved GPA compared to controls, though stressor appraisals did not vary by group. |
Abstract
Abstract Objective The transition into college can pose barriers for student success. We examined the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) compared to an active and no treatment control group, respectively, on stressor appraisals, academic persistence, and performance in unversity students.
Participants: Students were randomly assigned to receive MBSR (n = 29), study skills active control (n = 27), or no treatment (n = 29).
Method: Participants reported stressor appraisals and academic persistence pre- and post-intervention. Semester grade point average (GPA) and enrollment was also obtained.
Results: Academic stressor appraisals did not vary by group. MBSR was protective against depleted academic persistence, whereas academic persistence decreased in the control groups. Enrollment rates remained unchanged in the MBSR group, but increased in the active control relative to no treatment. Finally, GPA improved in the MBSR group, but not controls.
Conclusions: Findings suggest that MBSR confers some benefits for resilience in university students.
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 7
- Mindfulness and foreign language learners’ self-perceived proficiency: the mediating roles of anxiety and burnout Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development January 24, 2023
- 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
- Mindfulness-Based Art Interventions for Students: A Meta-Analysis Review of the Effect on Anxiety Behavioral Sciences August 7, 2025
- Mindfulness-Based Programmes for Work Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. Stress and Health December 1, 2025
- Mindfulness and stress-reduction programs' effectiveness on university student productivity in physical education. The Journal of general psychology 2026
and 2 more in the library
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- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
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- Conceptual and methodological issues in research on mindfulness and meditation. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. Emotion October 1, 2008
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