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Mindfulness and Coaching to Improve Learning Abilities in University Students: A Pilot Study

L. Corti, Carmen Gelati

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health March 16, 2020 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17061935 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pilot study Peer reviewed
Sample size 45
Population University students
Interventions MEL (Mindful Effective Learning) coaching and training on study strategies
Measures AMOS (Abilities and Motivation to Study), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)
Topics Meditation
Citations 47
Key points The authors report that students who completed the MEL intervention improved self-regulation in study (self-awareness, self-evaluation, metacognition, organizational and elaborative ability), anxiety control, and motivation (incremental theory of Self and confidence in their own intelligence), and gave positive assessments of MEL in two follow-up surveys. They suggest a short mindfulness- and coaching-based intervention may improve effective learning.

Abstract

This pilot study investigated the effects of a short 10-module intervention called MEL (Mindful Effective Learning), which integrates mindfulness, coaching, and training on study strategies, to improve learning abilities among university students. Inspired by ample research on the learning topics that points out how effective learning and good academic results depend simultaneously on self-regulation while studying combined with emotional and motivational factors, the intervention aimed to train students simultaneously in these three aspects. The intervention group participants (N = 21) and the control group participants (N = 24) were surveyed pre- and post-intervention with the Italian questionnaire AMOS (Abilities and Motivation to Study) and the Italian version of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). The results showed that, regarding self-regulation in study, trained students improved their self-awareness, self-evaluation ability, metacognition skills, and organizational and elaborative ability to manage study materials; regarding emotional aspects, they improved their anxiety control; regarding motivation they developed an incremental theory of Self and improved their confidence in their own intelligence. Moreover, two follow-up self-report surveys were conducted, and trained students reported positive assessments of the MEL intervention. Findings suggest that a short intervention based on mindfulness and coaching and training on study strategies may improve students’ effective learning.

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

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