Web-Based Physical Activity Interventions to Promote Resilience and Mindfulness Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study
Michele Wolf Marenus, Ana Cahuas, Dianna Hammoud, Andy Murray, Kathryn B. Friedman, Haley Ottensoser, Julia Sanowski, Varun Kumavarel, Weiyun Chen
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health April 11, 2023 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20085463 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Two-arm experimental study Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 72 |
| Population | College students at a major public university in the Midwest |
| Duration | 8-week interventions, with assessments one week before and after (10 weeks total) |
| Measures | Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15), Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), demographic and background questionnaire |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Both the aerobic–strength and mindful exercise programs, combined with reflective journaling, were followed by small increases in total mindfulness and in the Acting with Awareness and Non-Judging of Inner Experience facets, with no significant difference between the two groups. Resilience and the remaining mindfulness facets did not change significantly over time. |
Abstract
College students faced unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementing a physical activity intervention can help support the physical and mental health of college students. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an aerobic–strength training exercise intervention (WeActive) and a mindful exercise intervention (WeMindful) in improving resilience and mindfulness among college students. Seventy-two students from a major public university in the Midwest participated in a two-arm experimental study over the course of ten weeks. One week before and after the 8-week interventions, participants completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15), Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and demographic and background questionnaire via Qualtrics. Both groups also participated in bi-weekly Peer Coaching sessions, which utilized reflective journaling and goal-setting exercises. ANCOVA showed a significant main effect of time for total mindfulness score (F = 5.177, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.070), mindfulness Acting with Awareness (F = 7.321, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.096), and mindfulness Non-Judging of Inner Experience (F = 5.467, p < 0.05, η2 = 0.073). No significant main effect of group and interaction effects of time with group were observed for the total mindfulness and the five facets of mindfulness as well as resilience. In addition, no significant main effect of time for resilience was found. We conclude that aerobic–strength exercises and mindful yoga exercises, together with reflective journaling, may be effective in increasing mindfulness in the college population.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation Perspectives on Psychological Science October 10, 2017
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- 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
- Yoga Breathing, Meditation, and Longevity Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences August 1, 2009
and 8 more in the library