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Mindfulness-based coping with university life: a non-randomized wait-list-controlled pilot evaluation

Mindfulness-based coping with university life: a non-randomized wait-list-controlled pilot evaluation
Mindfulness-based coping with university life: a non-randomized wait-list-controlled pilot evaluation
The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of implementing a new 8-week mindfulness-based programme, ‘Mindfulness-Based Coping with University Life’ (MBCUL), specifically tailored to the needs and demand of students and to explore its impact in a pilot evaluation. Participants were drawn from the University of Northampton (MBCUL N?=?10; control N?=?6). A non-randomized wait-list-controlled design was employed. Measures examined anxiety and depression, perceived stress, mindfulness and personally relevant change before and immediately after the programme. The diurnal profile of salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase level was collected for two consecutive days. No significant intergroup differences were observed on any of the measures at either time point. However, significant change was observed for the MBCUL group in terms of perceived stress (d?=?1.06; z?=??2.25, p?=?0.03), anxiety (d?=?1.04; z?=??2.14, p?=?0.03), depression (d?=?0.52; z?=??0.69, p?=?0.5) and personally relevant change (d?=?2.63; z?=??2.68, p?=?0.01), along with an increase in mindfulness (d?=?1.06; z?=??1.89, p?=?0.06). In contrast, no significant change was found in the daily profiles of cortisol and alpha-amylase. The data from this pilot tentatively suggest that MBCUL appears to be a promising programme that warrants further evaluation using a randomized study with a larger sample size.
mindfulness, meditation, student mental health, salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase
1532-3005
365-375
Lynch, Siobhan
1432be4a-0a45-4bf1-b2df-d9ad3a064b73
Gander, Marie-Louise
bf356bd1-d53d-4088-9086-312d125495e3
Kohls, Niko
b0b7fdf1-8ca9-4d9f-878b-322f402b4b1d
Kudielka, Brigitte
b27dd05d-ca0a-496d-811f-85458696f21b
Walach, Harald
b6c1f873-105c-4825-9b9b-2a3cf9dc4fb2
Lynch, Siobhan
1432be4a-0a45-4bf1-b2df-d9ad3a064b73
Gander, Marie-Louise
bf356bd1-d53d-4088-9086-312d125495e3
Kohls, Niko
b0b7fdf1-8ca9-4d9f-878b-322f402b4b1d
Kudielka, Brigitte
b27dd05d-ca0a-496d-811f-85458696f21b
Walach, Harald
b6c1f873-105c-4825-9b9b-2a3cf9dc4fb2

Lynch, Siobhan, Gander, Marie-Louise, Kohls, Niko, Kudielka, Brigitte and Walach, Harald (2011) Mindfulness-based coping with university life: a non-randomized wait-list-controlled pilot evaluation. Stress and Health, 27 (5), 365-375. (doi:10.1002/smi.1382).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility of implementing a new 8-week mindfulness-based programme, ‘Mindfulness-Based Coping with University Life’ (MBCUL), specifically tailored to the needs and demand of students and to explore its impact in a pilot evaluation. Participants were drawn from the University of Northampton (MBCUL N?=?10; control N?=?6). A non-randomized wait-list-controlled design was employed. Measures examined anxiety and depression, perceived stress, mindfulness and personally relevant change before and immediately after the programme. The diurnal profile of salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase level was collected for two consecutive days. No significant intergroup differences were observed on any of the measures at either time point. However, significant change was observed for the MBCUL group in terms of perceived stress (d?=?1.06; z?=??2.25, p?=?0.03), anxiety (d?=?1.04; z?=??2.14, p?=?0.03), depression (d?=?0.52; z?=??0.69, p?=?0.5) and personally relevant change (d?=?2.63; z?=??2.68, p?=?0.01), along with an increase in mindfulness (d?=?1.06; z?=??1.89, p?=?0.06). In contrast, no significant change was found in the daily profiles of cortisol and alpha-amylase. The data from this pilot tentatively suggest that MBCUL appears to be a promising programme that warrants further evaluation using a randomized study with a larger sample size.

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More information

e-pub ahead of print date: 21 March 2011
Published date: December 2011
Keywords: mindfulness, meditation, student mental health, salivary cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase
Organisations: Medical Education

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 370077
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/370077
ISSN: 1532-3005
PURE UUID: 6f3442dd-f91c-4875-b033-eb5e2bda48e0

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Date deposited: 14 Oct 2014 12:58
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 18:12

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Contributors

Author: Siobhan Lynch
Author: Marie-Louise Gander
Author: Niko Kohls
Author: Brigitte Kudielka
Author: Harald Walach

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