The impact of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program on university students' mental health: A mixed-methods evaluation.
Ami G Deshpande, Jill R Johnson, Aurora M Casta, Marilia S Marien, Marian Reiff
Journal of American College Health December 2024 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2023.2198028 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post program evaluation with repeated measures and thematic analysis of open-ended responses Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | Undergraduate and graduate university students |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week program with pre-, mid-, and post-program surveys |
| Measures | Mindfulness, Satisfaction with Life, Psychological Distress, Perceived Stress |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | College students Mental health Mindfulness-based intervention Stress management Well-being |
| Key points | Participants showed significant improvements in mindfulness, psychological distress, perceived stress, and satisfaction with life from pre- to post-program, and in all measures except satisfaction with life from pre- to mid-program. Participants reported high satisfaction; program structure, perceived outcomes, and group setting facilitated practice, while busy schedules were a prominent barrier. |
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program's impact on university students' mental health.
Participants: Undergraduate and graduate students.
Methods: Ninety participants completed pre-, mid-, and post-program surveys. Mindfulness, Satisfaction with Life, Psychological Distress, and Perceived Stress scores were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and pairwise comparisons. Additionally, 115 participants completed post-survey open-ended responses addressing their subjective experiences, which were thematically examined.
Results: Participants showed significant improvements in all outcome measures from pre- to post- [p < 0.001] and mid- to post-program [p < 0.05]. All measures, except Satisfaction with Life, showed significant improvement from pre- to mid-program. Participants reported high program satisfaction. Facilitators of the participants' practice included program structure, perception of outcomes, and group setting; however, busy schedules posed a prominent barrier.
Conclusion: This evaluation supports MBSR as a public health, group-based approach to improving students' mental health and building a more positive campus community.
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 8
- Mindfulness to improve the mental health of university students. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Public Health 2023
- Chatbot-Based Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program for University Students With Depressive Symptoms: Intervention Development and Pilot Evaluation. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association 2025
- The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in People with Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clinical Gerontologist 2025
- "It's a Really Big Privilege to be Able to Take Care of Ourselves": A Mixed Methods Study of Integrating Mindfulness for Mental Health into a Job Training Program for Low-Income Emerging Adults. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2025
- Mindfulness exercise and mental health among university students: the sequential mediating roles of sleep regularity and self-control Frontiers in Psychology March 27, 2026
and 3 more in the library
Cites 8
- Cultivating mindfulness: effects on well‐being Journal of Clinical Psychology May 16, 2008
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- 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
- Beyond the individual: Group effects in mindfulness-based stress reduction Psychotherapy Research September 12, 2008
- Promoting college students’ mindfulness, mental health, and self-compassion in the time of COVID-19: feasibility and efficacy of an online, interactive mindfulness-based stress reduction randomized trial Journal of College Student Psychotherapy April 10, 2022
and 3 more in the library