Mindfulness‐based Coping with University Life: A Non‐randomized Wait‐list‐controlled Pilot Evaluation
Siobhan Lynch, Marie-Louise Gander, Niko Kohls, Brigitte Kudielka, Harald Walach
Stress and Health December 1, 2011 DOI: 10.1002/smi.1382 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Non-randomized wait-list-controlled pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | University students from the University of Northampton |
| Duration | 8-week programme; measures taken before and immediately after |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Within the MBCUL group, perceived stress and anxiety decreased significantly (d = 1.06 and 1.04, respectively), while depression did not change significantly; personally relevant change increased (d = 2.63) and mindfulness trended upward. No significant intergroup differences or changes in cortisol/alpha-amylase profiles were observed. |
Abstract
AbstractThe aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of implementing a new 8‐week mindfulness‐based programme, ‘Mindfulness‐Based Coping with University Life’ (MBCUL), specifically tailored to the needs and demand of students and to explore its impact in a pilot evaluation. Participants were drawn from the University of Northampton (MBCUL N = 10; control N = 6). A non‐randomized wait‐list‐controlled design was employed. Measures examined anxiety and depression, perceived stress, mindfulness and personally relevant change before and immediately after the programme. The diurnal profile of salivary cortisol and alpha‐amylase level was collected for two consecutive days. No significant intergroup differences were observed on any of the measures at either time point. However, significant change was observed for the MBCUL group in terms of perceived stress (d = 1.06; z = −2.25, p = 0.03), anxiety (d = 1.04; z = −2.14, p = 0.03), depression (d = 0.52; z = −0.69, p = 0.5) and personally relevant change (d = 2.63; z = −2.68, p = 0.01), along with an increase in mindfulness (d = 1.06; z = −1.89, p = 0.06). In contrast, no significant change was found in the daily profiles of cortisol and alpha‐amylase. The data from this pilot tentatively suggest that MBCUL appears to be a promising programme that warrants further evaluation using a randomized study with a larger sample size. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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 14
- Being Mindful at University: A Pilot Evaluation of the Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Support Program for Students Frontiers in Psychology January 11, 2021
- Teaching Mindfulness Online Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association March 6, 2018
- Effects of Mindfulness Therapy on Stress Biomarkers and Psychological Symptoms in Women With Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: A Randomized Clinical Trial Stress and Health October 1, 2026
- Examining the effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on social anxiety levels of university students: a mixed study Asia Pacific Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy July 3, 2025
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis: A Systematic Review. Neurology International November 20, 2024
and 9 more in the library
Cites 16
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2004
and 11 more in the library