The Relationship between Mindful Attention Awareness, Perceived Stress and Subjective Wellbeing.
Stevie-Jae Hepburn, Annemaree Carroll, Louise McCuaig
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health November 23, 2021 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312290 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 257 |
| Population | University students enrolled in initial teacher training (pre-service teachers) |
| Measures | Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Stress, psychological Awareness Attention Surveys and questionnaires Educational personnel Health Perceived stress Teacher stress Pre-service Teacher wellbeing |
| Key findings | Mindful attention awareness correlated negatively with perceived stress (r = -0.567) and positively with subjective wellbeing (r = 0.336), while wellbeing correlated negatively with stress (r = -0.550). Mean perceived stress (20.61) was above the reported norm of 14.2, which the authors interpret as indicating that pre-service teachers experience elevated stress regardless of training stage. |
Abstract
It has been suggested that mindfulness is a predictive factor in self-reported perceived stress. The present study aimed to investigate the link between mindful attention awareness, perceived stress and subjective wellbeing without the presence of a complementary intervention to promote mindfulness-based strategies.
Methods: The online survey participants (N = 257) were university students enrolled in initial teacher training. Self-report measures included the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI).
Results: PWI was negatively correlated with PSS (r = -0.550, p = .001), MAAS was negatively correlated with PSS (r = -0.567, p = .001) and positively correlated with PWI (r = 0.336, p = .001). The mean score for PSS (M = 20.61, SD = 6.62) was above the reported norm (14.2).
Conclusions: The findings suggest that higher levels of mindful attention awareness may be associated with lower levels of perceived stress and higher subjective wellbeing levels and lower levels of perceived stress may be associated with higher subjective wellbeing. The findings confirm that pre-service teachers are a demographic that experiences elevated levels of perceived stress regardless of the stage in initial teacher training programs.
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
Cited by 11
- The effects of mindfulness-based techniques on self-rumination, cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression among patients with major depression: a nursing perspective. Journal of Research in Nursing August 1, 2024
- Mindful practice for teachers: Relieving stress and enhancing positive mindsets Frontiers in Education August 30, 2022
- The Effect of Mindfulness Meditation on Academic Burnout and Perceived Stress among Muslim Students: A Quasi-experimental Approach Islamic Guidance and Counseling Journal May 20, 2023
- Mindfulness Matters: Untangling Entrapment and Mental Well-Being in Married Couples. Psychiatric Quarterly June 11, 2025
- Effects of a Brief Online Mindful Parenting Program on Parenting Stress and Parent-Reported Child Symptoms in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial Mindfulness September 16, 2026
and 6 more in the library
Cites 14
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- 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
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
and 9 more in the library