Brief meditation and acute stress in undergraduate nursing students: a pre-post study of an embedded wellness intervention.
Bianca Doczi, Anusha Vissapragada
Journal of American College Health September 24, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2026.2730592 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single-group pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 84 |
| Population | First- and second-semester undergraduate nursing students at a private U.S. health sciences university |
| Intervention | Sahaja Yoga Meditation (SYM) |
| Duration | 20-minute sessions; study period January-May 2026 |
| Measures | Brief Resilience Scale, single-item 0-10 perceived stress scale |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Nursing students Resilience Stress |
| Key points | Brief 20-minute Sahaja Yoga Meditation sessions were associated with a sharp within-session decline in perceived stress (mean reduction 2.33 points on a 0-10 scale; d = -1.42, p < .001) across 84 participants and 99 sessions, with consistent results across nested samples and demographic subgroups. Trait resilience was unchanged (d = +0.12, p = .281). The authors state that controlled trials are needed to establish causal efficacy. |
Abstract
This study examined whether brief Sahaja Yoga Meditation (SYM) was associated with changes in perceived stress and resilience, and whether observed changes were robust across analytic samples. First- and second-semester undergraduate nursing students at a private U.S. health sciences university (January-May 2026). Single-group pre-post intervention study. Twenty-minute SYM sessions were delivered in-person and virtually. Resilience was measured via the Brief Resilience Scale and perceived stress via a single-item 0-10 scale. Across 84 participants (99 sessions), perceived stress declined sharply (mean reduction 2.33 points; d = -1.42, p < .001), while trait resilience was unchanged (d = +0.12, p = .281). The stress reduction was consistent across nested samples and demographic subgroups. Brief, embedded SYM was associated with substantial within-session reductions in acute perceived stress, though trait resilience was unchanged over a single session. Controlled trials are needed to establish causal efficacy.
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
Cites 9
- A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Meditation for Work Stress, Anxiety and Depressed Mood in Full‐Time Workers Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2011
- Effects of a mindfulness-based interventions on stress, burnout in nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry August 3, 2023
- Short‐term Sahaja Yoga meditation training modulates brain structure and spontaneous activity in the executive control network Brain and Behavior November 28, 2018
- The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Nursing Students' Stress and Anxiety Levels. Nursing Education Perspectives
- Larger whole brain grey matter associated with long-term Sahaja Yoga Meditation: A detailed area by area comparison PLoS One December 28, 2020
and 4 more in the library