Reducing anxiety among teacher candidates: The efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction in higher education
Tri Cahyono, Nisa Ariantini, Nurul Fadilah, Zainal Abidin Muhja, Ika Yulianti
Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology July 7, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i7.8640 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pretest-posttest study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Undergraduate students in education programs (prospective teachers) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | Eight sessions |
| Measures | State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key findings | A modified eight-session MBSR program was associated with significant reductions in both state and trait anxiety in the intervention group, with state anxiety dropping 5.5 points and trait anxiety 5.08 points, while the waitlist control group showed little change. The authors report significant time-by-group interactions and large effect sizes, indicating MBSR had a substantial impact, particularly on state anxiety. |
Abstract
The high anxiety rate among students, especially prospective teachers, is a significant concern in higher education. Unmanaged anxiety can negatively affect quality of life, academic performance, and professional competence. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in reducing state and trait anxiety among undergraduate students in education programs. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest approach involving 24 participants divided into two groups: an intervention group and a waitlist control group. The intervention group participated in eight sessions of a modified MBSR program tailored for teacher training students, while the waitlist group studied the MBSR material independently. Measurements were taken before and after the intervention using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and data were analyzed using a 2x2 Repeated Measures ANOVA. Results indicated a significant decrease in both state and trait anxiety in the intervention group following the MBSR program. The average state anxiety score decreased from 55.33 to 49.83, a reduction of 5.5 points, while trait anxiety decreased from 55.33 to 50.25, a reduction of 5.08 points. Conversely, the waitlist group experienced only a slight decrease in state anxiety and a minor increase in trait anxiety. Statistical analysis revealed significant effects of time and group interactions (p < 0.05), with large effect sizes (η² = 0.558 for state anxiety and η² = 0.312 for trait anxiety), indicating that MBSR has a substantial impact on reducing anxiety, particularly in state anxiety.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A PILOT STUDY OF GROUP MINDFULNESS-BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY (MBCT) FOR COMBAT VETERANS WITH POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) Veterans with chronic combat posttraumatic stress disorder seeking treatment at a VA... | 2013 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual comparison group | n = 37 |
| Being present in the face of existential threat: The role of trait mindfulness in reducing defensive responses to mortality salience. | 2010 | Experimental study | |
| Neural correlates of mindfulness meditation-related anxiety relief Healthy adults with no prior meditation experience | 2013 | Within-subjects experimental study | n = 15 |
| Intensive mindfulness training-related changes in cognitive and emotional experience Community adults | 2009 | Quasi-experimental and longitudinal | n = 69 |
| Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment Volunteers | 2019 | Within-subjects experimental study | n = 11 |