A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness: effects on university students’ mental health

Abstract

The development of mental health disorders is common in the university population, and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) seem to be effective in addressing them in different contexts. Thus, this study investigated the impact of MBIs on different symptoms related to mental health problems. University students (n = 136) were randomized into MBI group or wait-list group. All participants completed self-administered questionnaires before and after the intervention, and the experimental group answered questionnaires every week during intervention. Generalized mixed models were used to assess the effects of the intervention, which were improvements in symptoms of stress (B = 5.76,p < 0.001), depression (B = 1.55,p < 0.01) and insomnia (B = 1.35,p = 0.020). No effect was found in respect of trait anxiety. The MBI was found to be effective in reducing important symptoms related to university students’ mental health, grounding the use of this intervention to improve it, and suggesting that it may be used to prevent the development of mental disorders.