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.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychological flexibility mediates the relations between acute psychedelic effects and subjective decreases in depression and anxiety. International sample of people who reported having used a psychedelic | 2020 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 985 |
| The Challenging Experience Questionnaire: Characterization of challenging experiences with psilocybin mushrooms Internet survey respondents reporting challenging experiences with psilocybin | 2016 | Questionnaire development and validation | |
| Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Population Study Adult population in the United States | 2013 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 130,152 |
| Ecstasy/MDMA attributed problems reported by novice, moderate and heavy recreational users Ecstasy users who participated in a WWW study of recreational drug use | 2002 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 282 |
| 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) used in a naturalistic group setting is associated with unintended improvements in depression and anxiety. Adults who used 5-MeO-DMT in a group setting with structured procedures | 2019 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 362 |
Citations in the library
Cites 27
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- The Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory: Extensions, Applications, and Challenges at the Attention–Appraisal–Emotion Interface Psychological Inquiry October 2, 2015
and 22 more in the library