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Enhancing psychological health and cognitive inhibition in college students: insights from mindfulness training and high-intensity interval training.

Yintu Bao, Jianqian Sun, Xiaochuan Zhang

Frontiers in Psychology 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1528049 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Sample size 132
Population College students
Interventions Mindfulness training High-intensity interval training
Duration 6-week intervention, 6-week follow-up
Topics Meditation
Keywords Cognitive inhibition College students High-intensity interval training Mindfulness training Psychological health Psychological well-being well-being Emotional well-being Reducing anxiety Reducing depression Interference control Approaches
Citations 1
Key findings Both mindfulness training and high-intensity interval training reduced depression and anxiety and improved response inhibition accuracy in college students, with mindfulness training showing a greater effect on interference inhibition accuracy.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness training (MT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on enhancing psychological health and cognitive inhibition in college students. A total of 132 undergraduates were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: MT group, HIIT group, and control group. Both the MT and HIIT groups received training twice a week for 6 weeks, with each session lasting 1 h. The control group did not undergo MT or HIIT training during the experimental period. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Stop Signal tasks, and Flanker tasks were assessed at baseline, at 6 weeks (post-test), and 6 weeks after the end of the intervention (follow-up). Both MT and HIIT were effective in alleviating depression and anxiety in college students, with MT showing a significant improvement in psychological health after intervention. Both MT and HIIT effectively improved the response inhibition accuracy of college students, with similar effects. However, neither MT nor HIIT affected the response inhibition reaction time. MT was more effective than HIIT in improving interference inhibition accuracy, but neither MT nor HIIT had an effect on the interference inhibition reaction time. Within-group analyses demonstrated significant pre-post reductions in depression and anxiety scores following both MT and HIIT interventions. While between-group comparisons suggested a trend toward greater symptom improvement in the MT group at post-test, the differences did not reach statistical significance at follow-up, possibly due to the limited sample size and intervention duration. These preliminary findings warrant replication in larger-scale trials with extended observation periods.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment 2003 Randomized controlled trial n = 41
Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2000 Randomized controlled trial n = 145
Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults 2008 Randomized controlled trial n = 139
Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students 2007 Randomized controlled trial n = 40
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2004 Randomized controlled trial n = 73

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Meditation Anxiety Depression