Intervention Effect of 8-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Test Anxiety in College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Gentuya Ge
Academic Journal of Education May 26, 2026 DOI: 10.54097/bqw5vy98 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | College students with Test Anxiety Scale score ≥50 from a comprehensive university in China |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Dose | 90 minutes per week for 8 weeks |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 1-month follow-up |
| Measures | Test Anxiety Scale (TAS), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | MBSR significantly reduced test anxiety scores immediately after the 8-week intervention and at 1-month follow-up compared to no intervention, with mindfulness level partially mediating the effect (mediating effect value -0.32, accounting for 45.7% of total effect). |
Abstract
Objective: To explore the immediate intervention effect and 1-month short-term maintenance effect of 8-week standardized mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on test anxiety in college students, and to analyze the mediating role of mindfulness level.
Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial design was adopted. From March to April 2025, 60 college students with Test Anxiety Scale (TAS) score ≥50 were recruited from a comprehensive university in China, and randomly divided into intervention group and control group, with 30 students in each group. The intervention group received 8-week standard MBSR group training (90 minutes per week), while the control group received no intervention. All participants were assessed with TAS, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) before intervention (T1), immediately after intervention (T2) and 1 month after intervention (T3).
Results: Repeated measures ANOVA showed that the time× group interaction effect of TAS scores was significant (F=28.63, p<0.001). Immediately after intervention and at 1-month follow-up, the TAS scores of the intervention group [(42.5±5.8), (43.1±5.5)] were significantly lower than those of the control group [(56.8±6.0), (57.2±5.9)] (all p<0.01). Mediation effect analysis showed that mindfulness level played a partial mediating role between MBSR and test anxiety, with a mediating effect value of -0.32, accounting for 45.7% of the total effect.
Conclusion: The 8-week standardized MBSR can effectively alleviate test anxiety, improve mindfulness level and sleep quality in college students, and the intervention effect has good short-term stability. The improvement of mindfulness level is an important mechanism of MBSR in reducing test anxiety.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.