Measuring the impact of a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention on perceived stress and study skills of social work graduate students
Margot Hasha
June 24, 2009 DOI: 10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.1239 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Multi-component study with pretest-posttest group designs and cross-sectional survey Randomized |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | MSW students at Louisiana State University School of Social Work |
| Measures | Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Psychological Stress Measure (PSM-9), Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Strong positive association between Perceived Stress Scale and Psychological Stress Measure scores; negative association between Perceived Stress Scale and Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire scores. Two of three subjects showed increased meditation time and decreased stress during intervention. Survey identified field internship, lack of interest, and commitment difficulties as participation barriers. |
Abstract
This multi-component study incorporated the following: (1) an integrated study measuring the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention (MBSR) on potential stressors, appraised stress levels and adaptation to stress of MSW students enrolled in the Louisiana State University School of Social Work through a pretest posttest group design using time-series data to evaluate meditation practice; (2) a pretest posttest group design which examined changes in self-regulated learning skills; and (3) a cross-sectional survey which explored students self-reported reasons for not participating in the MBSR randomized control group study offered prior to the current study. Sample size for the integrated study was 12 females at pretest and 3 at posttest. Sample size for the survey was 56 male and female MSW students. Descriptive univariate statistics were used to summarize data addressing subjects’ potential stressors, appraised stressful situations, and adaptation to stress. Univariate statistics were used to summarize data collected about subjects’ implementation of self-reported, self-regulated learning skills. Time-series data for the pretest posttest group design were plotted on graphs for visual analysis of Psychological Stress measure (PSM-9) stress scores and subjects’ time spent meditating. A strong association emerged between Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and PSM-9 scores, indicating that high levels of appraised stress were associated with high levels of adaptation to stress. A negative association emerged between PSS and Motivational Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) scores, indicating that higher stress levels were related to lower self-regulated learning skills. In spite of extreme data, results of the group study implementing a pretest posttest group design suggested increases in meditation time and decreases in stress levels during the intervention phase for two of three subjects. Associations emerged between enrollment in field internship and lack of interest in the study, lack of interest in participation in the study, and the inability to commit to daily meditation time. Low annual income and having dependent children in the home were associated with students’ inability to commit to daily meditation time.
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 14
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition Choice Reviews Online July 1, 2005
and 9 more in the library