Contemplative Training to Bolster University Employees' Mental Health, Well-Being, and Workplace Wellness: A Prospective Observational Study.
Matthew Fritts, Emma Lash, Genevieve R Lyons, Alyssa Villa, Pavel Chernyavskiy, Raquel G Tatar, Ruth Q. Wolever
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine October 27, 2025 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000003587 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 471 |
| Population | Employees and spouses at a large R1 university who self-selected into one or more online training programs |
| Intervention | online contemplative training programs |
| Duration | Baseline, 1-month and 1-year follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Prospective studies Mental health Universities Middle aged Occupational health Health promotion Female Young adult Stress Resilience Workplace wellness Employee well-being Contemplative training |
| Key findings | Among 471 participants, nearly all well-being and mental health outcomes improved significantly over time with small, consistent effect sizes. The authors conclude that online contemplative training programs can enhance mental health, well-being, and, to a small degree, workplace engagement among university employees. |
Abstract
Objective: This prospective, observational study examined the overall effectiveness of three online training programs to attenuate mental health concerns, enhance global well-being, and promote workplace wellness.
Methods: Employees and spouses at a large R1 university self-selected one or more of three interventions. Two included contemplative training and the comparison program did not, allowing us to evaluate the potential contribution of online contemplative training to well-being programming. Validated self-report measures were used to assess outcomes at baseline and 1-month and 1-year follow-up.
Results: Among 471 participants who provided baseline and follow-up data, a statistically significant time effect and small and consistent effect sizes were observed for almost all variables.
Conclusions: The findings of this real-world study clearly show that online contemplative training programs can enhance mental health, well-being, and, to a small degree, workplace engagement among university employees.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica April 28, 2011
- Toward the Integration of Meditation into Higher Education: A Review of Research Evidence Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education March 1, 2011
- Testing the Efficacy of a Multicomponent, Self-Guided, Smartphone-Based Meditation App: Three-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR Mental Health November 27, 2020
- Contemplative interventions and employee distress: A meta-analysis. Stress and Health March 15, 2019
- Deep rest: An integrative model of how contemplative practices combat stress and enhance the body's restorative capacity. Psychological Review December 25, 2023
and 7 more in the library