Digital mindfulness, trait anxiety, and psychological wellbeing: the chain mediating roles of emotion regulation and self-compassion
Abdulnaser Algaralleh, Ahmed Jibreel Matarneh, Salwa Al Majali, Marwan Ibrahim Abdel-Fattah Salameh, Mamdouh Baniah Lafee Al Zaben, Heba Fathy Farag Selim
Frontiers in Education March 16, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1764971 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 468 |
| Population | Jordanian undergraduates who had previously participated in university-organized digital mindfulness sessions |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | Higher digital mindfulness engagement was associated with lower trait anxiety and higher psychological wellbeing. Emotion regulation and self-compassion sequentially mediated these associations, indicating that digital mindfulness relates to better outcomes through these psychological mechanisms. |
Abstract
The increasing prevalence of anxiety among university students highlights the importance of understanding psychological resources associated with wellbeing in digitally mediated contexts. Digital mindfulness has attracted growing attention, but the mechanisms linking individuals’ engagement in digital mindfulness activities to psychological outcomes remain insufficiently examined. Guided by Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory (MMT), this study examined the relationships between digital mindfulness, trait anxiety, and psychological wellbeing, with emotion regulation and self-compassion modeled as sequential mediators. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 468 Jordanian undergraduates who had previously participated in university-organized digital mindfulness sessions. The study did not evaluate the effectiveness of the mindfulness program itself; rather, it focused on students’ subsequent engagement in digital mindfulness practices and their associations with psychological outcomes. Participants completed validated measures of digital mindfulness, emotion regulation, self-compassion, trait anxiety, and psychological wellbeing. The results indicated that higher levels of digital mindfulness engagement were associated with lower trait anxiety and higher psychological wellbeing. Digital mindfulness was positively associated with emotion regulation and self-compassion, which together mediated the association between digital mindfulness and lower trait anxiety and higher psychological wellbeing. These findings clarify the relational mechanisms through which digital mindfulness engagement is associated with students’ psychological functioning and contribute to a better understanding of mindfulness processes in higher education contexts.