Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Group Intervention for Chinese University Students with Sleep Problems
Lin Fu, Shuang Wei, Jin Cheng, Xueqi Wang, Yueyue Zhou, Yi Li, Hao Zheng
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health January 10, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020755 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Nonrandomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 45 |
| Population | Chinese university students with high sleep problems (intervention group) and a control group of university students without such selection |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based group intervention |
| Duration | 8-week intervention (two-hour sessions weekly), with postintervention and one-month follow-up assessments |
| Measures | mindfulness, sleep quality, anxiety, depressive symptoms (self-reported questionnaires) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | The mindfulness-based group intervention significantly improved mindfulness and sleep quality compared with the control group, with effects maintained at one-month follow-up. No significant intervention effect was found on anxiety or depressive symptoms. |
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of sleep disorders among university students should be taken seriously. Group counseling involving a mindfulness-based strategy may help prevent students from developing insomnia and subsequent mental health disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the ameliorating effects of a mindfulness-based group intervention on sleep problems and emotional symptoms in university students in China. Twenty-one university students (16 females, 22.71 ± 4.28 years) who were not on medication were recruited and assigned to the intervention group based on the criterion of high levels of sleep problems. Additionally, twenty-four university students (19 females, 24.50 ± 0.93 years) were included as a nonrandomized control group. Individuals in the intervention group participated in a two-hour group intervention once a week for eight sessions. All participants completed self-reported questionnaire baseline tests, postintervention tests, and one-month follow-ups on mindfulness, sleep quality, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Repeated-measures ANOVA was performed. The results revealed significant intervention effects, with significant differences observed between the two groups in mindfulness and sleep quality. However, there was no significant effect of the intervention on anxiety and depressive symptoms. This study contributes to a better understanding of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based intervention in addressing sleep problems in university students.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Effect of a mindfulness program on stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, social support, and life satisfaction: a quasi-experimental study in college students. Frontiers in Psychology 2025
- Autonomic and psychophysiological effects of a 13-week mindfulness-based intervention in university students Frontiers in Psychology February 4, 2026
Cites 14
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects Psychological Inquiry October 19, 2007
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances JAMA Internal Medicine February 16, 2015
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Insomnia Sleep August 29, 2014
and 9 more in the library