Exploring Meditation Profiles and Predictors in Nursing Students.
Ann Hammack Johnson, Jennifer Wilson, Dionne Magner, Regina Wilder Urban, Shirley Martin, Yan Zhang
Journal of Holistic Nursing June 2023 DOI: 10.1177/08980101221102691 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional multi-site survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 417 |
| Population | Pre-licensure nursing students |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Educators Meditation/mindfulness Prayer Stress/coping Students |
| Key findings | Among 417 nursing students, 65% practiced some form of meditation, most often prayer or spiritual activities (almost 70%) and breathing exercises (41%). Meditators reported better health, more exercise, greater self-compassion, happiness, and life satisfaction, and less stress than non-meditators. Only engaging in exercise significantly predicted meditation practice (OR = 2.05, 95% CI 1.10–3.82). |
Abstract
Background: Nursing students face unique academic and clinical workloads linked to increased stress. Previous studies indicate formal and informal mindfulness meditation provide stress-reducing benefits. This practice aligns with holistic nursing core values of self-care and self-reflection; little is known about meditation practice in nursing students.
Objectives: Our study aimed to describe meditation practice and predictors in pre-licensure nursing students.
Design: Cross-sectional, multi-site.
Methods: Qualtrics surveys queried individual demographics, personal meditation and exercise habits, and indicators of wellbeing.
Results: Of 417 participants, 65% (n = 271) reported at least one type of meditation practice. Prayer/spiritual activities were most prevalent (almost 70%), followed by breathing exercises (41%). Meditators reported good or excellent self-rated health status or engaged in exercise (p < .05). Meditators also reported more self-compassion, happiness, and satisfaction with life, and perceived less stress than non-meditators (p < .05). Of all factors studied, only engaging in exercise significantly predicted practicing meditation (OR = 2.05, 95%CI 1.10-3.82).
Conclusion: Nursing students who engage in meditation report signs of health and well-being and utilize holistic methods such as prayer and breathing. The intrinsic motivation to engage in healthy habits such as exercise may also help students engage in mindfulness meditation and is an important finding for nursing educators.
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 11
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- An Exploration of Formal and Informal Mindfulness Practice and Associations with Wellbeing Mindfulness May 21, 2018
- A new micro-intervention to increase the enjoyment and continued practice of meditation. Emotion October 15, 2019
- Modulation of Event-related Potentials of Visual Discrimination by Meditation Training and Sustained Attention. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience August 1, 2019
- Mediational pathways of meditation and exercise on mental health and perceived stress: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Health Psychology October 2020
and 6 more in the library