Self-regulation mediates effects of adapted mindfulness-based stress reduction on anxiety among college students.
E L Cary, D Bergen-Cico, S Sinegar, M K A Schutt, E C Helminen, J C Felver
Journal of American College Health December 2024 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2201843 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental longitudinal study with matched control group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 144 |
| Population | Undergraduate college students |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | pre-MBSR, post-MBSR, and 1-month follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Classroom College Early adulthood Mediation Mindfulness-based stress reduction Self-regulation |
| Key findings | An adapted MBSR course embedded in a college class significantly affected self-regulation and anxiety, and self-regulation significantly mediated the effect on anxiety at post-intervention and one-month follow-up. The authors argue that MBSR can be implemented within a college course to indirectly reduce anxiety mechanistically via self-regulation. |
Abstract
Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces anxiety among undergraduate students; however, there is limited evidence demonstrating mechanistic underpinnings. Theoretical models implicate cognitive self-regulation as a mechanism. This study explored whether an adapted MBSR embedded in a college course reduced anxiety and if self-regulation mediated any intervention effects.
Participants: 144 undergraduate students participated in the study; 34 completed a MBSR course and 110 served as a matched control group.
Methods: Mindfulness, self-regulation, and anxiety were measured at pre-MBSR, post-MBSR, and 1-month follow-up.
Results: Repeated-measure ANOVAs indicated significant effects of MBSR for self-regulation and anxiety. Longitudinal mediation models indicated significant mediation effects of self-regulation on anxiety at post-intervention and 1-month follow-up.
Conclusions: MBSR can be implemented within a college course to indirectly affect anxiety mechanistically via self-regulation. Given increasing rates of anxiety in college students and reduced capacity for counseling centers to meet need, MBSR holds promise for future clinical study.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- A systematic review of mindfulness-based stress reduction in the management of anxiety disorders among adolescents and young adults aged 13-26. Asian Journal of Psychiatry June 1, 2025
- Cultivating Adolescents’ Self-Compassion Through Mindfulness: The Role of Self-Regulation at Both the Individual- and Classroom-Level Contemporary School Psychology May 21, 2025
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Apps in Mitigating Psychological Distress Among Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Mindfulness June 19, 2026
- Mediators of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Children and Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Mindfulness May 16, 2026
- Comparison Of the Effect of Mindfulness and Self-Differentiation Trainings on The Level of Assertiveness of Anxious Educational Students Journal of Population Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology 2023
Cites 14
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
and 9 more in the library