The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Academic Performance and Mental Health in University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Gideon Ngi Nganyu, Julius Esunge
December 22, 2025 DOI: 10.15580/nsij.2025.1.120725017 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Population | Undergraduate university students in an African higher education setting |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Preliminary findings suggest that students receiving an eight-week mindfulness-based intervention showed significant improvements in psychological well-being and academic achievement compared with a control group. The authors argue that mindfulness resonates with biblical contemplative traditions and call for holistic higher education integrating mental, academic, and spiritual well-being. |
Abstract
University students worldwide are experiencing a growing mental health crisis, with anxiety, depression, and academic stress undermining well-being and learning outcomes (Auerbach et al., 2018). Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have gained empirical support for reducing psychological distress and enhancing cognitive performance in diverse populations (Kabat-Zinn, 2013; Khoury et al., 2015). Yet, little is known about their impact on both academic performance and mental health within African higher education settings, nor have these interventions been consistently examined through a theological lens. This study employs a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of an eight-week MBI program on the mental health and academic performance of undergraduate students. Preliminary findings suggest that participants receiving MBIs demonstrated significant improvements in psychological well-being and academic achievement compared to a control group. Theologically, the practice of mindfulness resonates with biblical contemplative traditions that emphasize meditation, renewal of the mind, and holistic flourishing (Ps. 1:2; Rom. 12:2). This research contributes to psychology by confirming MBIs’ effectiveness in student development and to theology by situating contemplative practices within a biblical worldview. The results underscore the need for holistic approaches in higher education that integrate mental, academic, and spiritual well-being.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 8
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- A mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress in university students (the Mindful Student Study): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial The Lancet Public Health December 18, 2017
- Toward the Integration of Meditation into Higher Education: A Review of Research Evidence Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education March 1, 2011
- Promoting healthy transition to college through mindfulness training with first-year college students: Pilot randomized controlled trial Journal of American College Health January 11, 2017
- Mindfulness-based interventions in schools—a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychology June 30, 2014
and 3 more in the library