Positive psychology instruction with embedded mindfulness exercises and associations with professional calling and self-concept clarity: a quasi-experimental study of chinese medical students.
Aamer Aldbyani, Zhang Chuanxia, Yanwen Li, Bereket Merkine Gebresilase
BMC Psychology July 25, 2026 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-026-05245-3 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 105 |
| Population | Medical students at Shandong Xiehe University |
| Intervention | Positive psychology instruction with embedded mindfulness exercises |
| Duration | 16 weeks |
| Measures | Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R), Calling and Vocation Questionnaire (CVQ), Self-Concept Clarity Scale (SCCS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Medical students Professional calling Quasi-experimental study Self-concept clarity |
| Key findings | The training group showed greater increases in mindfulness, professional calling, and self-concept clarity compared to the control group after a 16-week course integrating positive psychology and mindfulness exercises. The authors indicate that such instruction was associated with higher levels of these outcomes among medical students. |
Abstract
The effects of mindfulness on personal development and positive self-related outcomes in learning and professional contexts have been studied extensively. However, the associations of positive psychology instruction with embedded mindfulness exercises with professional calling and self-concept clarity remain underexplored among medical students. The present study examined whether participation in such instruction was associated with changes in professional calling and self-concept clarity among 105 medical students at Shandong Xiehe University. The participants were divided into two groups: a training group (n = 51) and a control group (n = 54). Both groups completed the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R), the Calling and Vocation Questionnaire (CVQ), and the Self-Concept Clarity Scale (SCCS). Over 16 weeks of study, the training group received a course that incorporated positive psychology and mindfulness exercises, while the control group received no training or intervention in these areas. The results indicated that the training group showed greater increases in mindfulness, professional calling, and self-concept clarity compared to the control group. These findings indicate that integrating mindfulness-related practices into positive psychology instruction was associated with higher levels of mindfulness, professional calling, and self-concept clarity among medical students in this study.
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 8
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Effectiveness of Neurofeedback-Assisted and Conventional 6-Week Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions on Mental Health of Chinese Nursing Students: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research May 23, 2025
- Effect of a mindfulness-integrated positive psychology course on digital detox and smartphone addiction in nursing students Acta Psychologica May 14, 2026
- The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on alleviating academic burnout in medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health May 27, 2024
and 3 more in the library