From mindfulness to flourishing: investigating the mediating role of student engagement
Mohamed Ali, Rasha Mohamed Abdelrahman, Dimah Saleh Abdulaziz Alyousef, Saeed A. Al‐Dossary
Humanities and Social Sciences Communications April 17, 2026 DOI: 10.1057/s41599-026-06960-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 618 |
| Population | University students across various academic disciplines |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Student engagement Perception Qualitative research Developmental psychology |
| Key findings | Student engagement mediates the relationship between mindfulness and flourishing among university students, with significant indirect effects through emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement. |
Abstract
This study examined the indirect effect of student engagement (behavioral, emotional, and cognitive) in the relationship between mindfulness and flourishing among university students. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with data collected from 618 students (Mage = 24.3, SD = 4.97) across various academic disciplines. Student engagement was measured using the Arabic version of the University Student Engagement Inventory (A-USEI). Mindfulness was assessed using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale – Arabic Version (MAAS), and flourishing was evaluated using the Arabic version of the Flourishing Scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to test direct and indirect effects. Results indicated that mindfulness significantly predicted behavioral engagement (β = 0.17, p < 0.001), emotional engagement (β = 0.19, p < 0.001), and cognitive engagement (β = 0.08, p < 0.001). In turn, emotional engagement (β = 0.33, p < 0.001), behavioral engagement (β = 0.21, p < 0.001), and cognitive engagement (β = .63, p < 0.001) significantly predicted flourishing. The direct effect of mindfulness on flourishing was non-significant (β = –0.002, p = 0.94). However, significant indirect effects emerged through emotional (β = 0.08), behavioral (β = 0.05), and cognitive engagement (β = 0.06), confirming engagement as a key mediating mechanism. These findings highlight the importance of fostering student engagement to translate mindfulness into enhanced well-being. The study contributes to mindfulness research by validating this mediational model within an Arab higher education context.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- 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
- Mindfulness, anxiety, and high-stakes mathematics performance in the laboratory and classroom. Consciousness and Cognition September 12, 2015
- Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychology June 30, 2014