Ten Minutes a Semester: Evaluation of a Short Wellness Intervention for Undergraduate Chemistry and Biology Courses

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many challenges undergraduate students face including their ability to manage stress. Poor stress management can contribute to poor academic performance and health outcomes; better wellness habits and stress reduction go hand-in-hand, as improved wellness habits reduce overall stress and expand positive stress management strategies. This article describes the design of a short wellness intervention for STEM classes and its evaluation after implementation in five chemistry and biology courses that span the four years of a biochemistry degree. This intervention, composed of a short, in-class presentation and an associated supplemental resource handout, presents students with information on five wellness areas: sleep, nutrition, water intake, exercise, and meditation and mindfulness. Students were surveyed at three points (once preintervention and twice postintervention) in one semester and asked to report their perceived stress, current wellness habits, and overall perception of the intervention. Notably, the majority of students (89%) thought the intervention should be included in other courses. The importance of completing the intervention in class was underscored by the small number of students (19%) who reported accessing the additional resources provided outside of class. Student wellness habits did not dramatically shift postintervention, but this study garnered insights into the barriers students face when attempting to change their wellness behavior. Overwhelmingly students reported that academic workload was the dominant factor hindering positive wellness change. The intervention materials, including a suggested script, are shared, and data-supported recommendations for implementation in other courses and institutions are provided.

Elevating Beyond the Content: The Integration of Mindfulness and Gratitude in the Chemistry Classroom

“…Most recently, Meadows et al implemented a wellness intervention in several STEM courses, including General Chemistry II, Organic Chemistry II, Quantitative Analysis, Genetics, and Molecular Genetics courses. 38 The wellness intervention targeted the topics of sleep, nutrition, water intake, exercise, and meditation/mindfulness through an in-class PowerPoint presentation and an instructor-led 1 min meditation during week six of the semester. Assessment of the intervention revealed several difficulties students reported in maintaining a wellness routine; students cited school responsibilities, lack of time, and too much stress as the top reasons.…”

“…The unique combination of mindfulness and visualization in chemistry courses may potentially benefit student well-being and learning, but formal assessment is required to investigate this link. Most recently, Meadows et al implemented a wellness intervention in several STEM courses, including General Chemistry II, Organic Chemistry II, Quantitative Analysis, Genetics, and Molecular Genetics courses . The wellness intervention targeted the topics of sleep, nutrition, water intake, exercise, and meditation/mindfulness through an in-class PowerPoint presentation and an instructor-led 1 min meditation during week six of the semester.…”