Effects of mindfulness training on daily stress response in college students: Ecological momentary assessment of a randomized controlled trial

Integrating mindful self-hypnosis with resistance training to reduce stress: a case study

This case study explores the effects of a combined intervention involving Mindful Self-Hypnosis (MSH) and Resistance Training (RT) on perceived stress levels and well-being in a university student. The participant, Ms. P, engaged in a 12-week program comprised of two weekly RT sessions accompanied by MSH inductions. Perceived stress levels were evaluated using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and well-being was assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Intervention sessions were designed to enhance focus and calmness, along with imagery of performing the workout. Results from the case study reveal a notable reduction in Ms. P's perceived stress levels over the intervention period as indicated by a 30.8% decrease in PSS scores. Additionally, Ms. P demonstrated an improved strength in leg press 1-repetition maximum by an increased weight of 153.9%. This case study suggests that integrating MSH and RT may offer a beneficial strategy for stress reduction and enhancing well-being in university students. The findings underscore the potential applicability of this intervention to address stress-related challenges in this population. Future research with a larger sample size is needed to determine general efficacy of an MSH + RT intervention for stress reduction.

Mindfulness messages on napkins: The efficacy of dining hall napkins as a messaging channel

OBJECTIVE

To assess the efficacy of utilizing dining hall napkins as a novel health messaging strategy to promote mindfulness.

PARTICIPANTS

Undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university.

Methods: Utilizing a place-based promotional strategy, mindfulness messages were printed on over 8-million napkins at dining halls. Surveys (N = 573) were used to measure message viewership, and attitudes toward mindfulness.

RESULTS

While only a few small significant effects for students who read the messaging were found (e.g., increases in self-efficacy for keeping ones phone out of sight while speaking with someone), napkins appeared to be a successful channel for reaching students. About 97% of students who dined in-person indicated they saw the napkin messaging. Additionally, students were more likely to read the napkin messaging when dining in-person rather than when they took their food "to-go."

CONCLUSION

Future research should continue to test napkins' efficacy as a messaging channel for health messaging for college students.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Mental Health and Psychological Quality of Life among University Students: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review

Background

Psychological distress is a progressive health problem that has been linked to decreased quality of life among university students. This meta-analysis reviews existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have examined the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the relief of psychosomatic stress-related outcomes and quality of life among university students.

Methods

The PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO (formerly PsychLit), Ovid MEDLINE, ERIC, Scopus, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and Cochrane Library databases were searched in November 2023 to identify the RCTs for analysis. Data on pathology (anxiety, depression, and perceived stress), physical capacity (sleep quality and physical health), and well-being (mindfulness, self-kindness, social function, and subjective well-being) were analyzed.

Results

Of the 276 articles retrieved, 29 met the inclusion criteria. Compared with control therapies, the pooled results suggested that MBSR had significant effects, reducing anxiety (SMD = -0.29; 95% CI: -0.49 to -0.09), depression (SMD = -0.32; 95% CI: -0.62 to -0.02), and perceived stress (SMD = -0.41; 95% CI: -0.60 to -0.29) and improving mindfulness (SMD = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.59), self-kindness (SMD = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.30 to 1.12), and physical health (SMD = -0.59; 95% CI: -1.14 to -0.04). No significant differences were observed in sleep quality (SMD = -0.20; 95% CI: -0.06 to 0.20), social function (SMD = -0.71; 95% CI: -2.40 to 0.97), or subjective well-being (SMD = 0.07; 95% CI: -0.18 to 0.32). The quality of the evidence regarding sleep quality and physical health outcomes was low.

Conclusions

MBSR therapy appears to be potentially useful in relieving functional emotional disorders. However, additional evidence-based large-sample trials are required to definitively determine the forms of mindfulness-based therapy that may be effective in this context and ensure that the benefits obtained are ongoing. Future studies should investigate more personalized approaches involving interventions that are tailored to various barriers and students' clinical characteristics. To optimize the effects of such interventions, they should be developed and evaluated using various designs such as the multiphase optimization strategy, which allows for the identification and tailoring of the most valuable intervention components.

Effects of Online Mindful Somatic Psychoeducation Program on Mental Health During the COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine the effects of online mindful somatic psychoeducation program (o-MSP) on mental health in female university students during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

METHODS

Thirty-eight female university students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG, n=19) or a control group (CG, n=19). IG received o-MSP for 2-hours per session, twice weekly for 4-weeks; CG maintained their usual daily routine for 4-weeks. Measurements were performed pre- and post-intervention to assess stress, anxiety, and social connectedness using Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Social Connectedness Scale. A qualitative analysis of changes in soma and social connectedness, subjectification of the soma, and mind-body integration was conducted through online interviews.

RESULTS

Regarding stress and social connectedness, there were no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). However, significant differences were observed in the main effect of time of measurement and time×group interaction, with IG showing significant improvement post-intervention, unlike CG (p<0.05). Regarding anxiety, there were significant differences in the main effect of time of measurement, time×group interaction, and group factor (p<0.05). Post-intervention, CG did not show a significant change, while IG showed a significant decrease (p<0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed that participants experienced "changes in soma and social connectedness," "subjectification of soma-body," and "embodiment of mind-body integration," and reported improved mental health.

CONCLUSION

The o-MSP effectively reduced stress and anxiety in female university students and improved social connectedness. This suggests that o-MSP can be used to manage the mental health of university students in various settings.

Daily self-weighing compared with an active control causes greater negative affective lability in emerging adult women: A randomized trial

Age-related weight gain prevention may reduce population overweight/obesity. Emerging adulthood is a crucial time to act, as rate of gain accelerates and health habits develop. Evidence supports self-weighing (SW) for preventing weight gain; however, how SW impacts psychological states and behaviors in vulnerable groups is unclear. This study assessed daily SW effects on affective lability, stress, weight-related stress, body satisfaction, and weight-control behaviors. Sixty-nine university females (aged 18-22) were randomized to daily SW or temperature-taking (TT) control. Over 2 weeks, participants completed five daily ecological momentary assessments with their intervention behavior. A graph of their data with a trendline was emailed daily, with no other intervention components. Multilevel mixed models with random effect for day assessed variability in positive/negative affect. Generalized linear mixed models assessed outcomes pre- and post-SW or TT and generalized estimating equations assessed weight-control behaviors. Negative affective lability was significantly greater for SW versus TT. While general stress did not differ between groups, weight-related stress was significantly higher and body satisfaction was significantly lower post-behavior for SW but not TT. Groups did not significantly differ in the number or probability of weight-control behaviors. Caution is advised when recommending self-weighing to prevent weight gain for emerging adults.

Affective reactions to real-life stressors and the role of physical activity in sports students - An Ambulatory Assessment study

Students are exposed to a variety of stressors that can negatively affect their health and performance. Using an Ambulatory Assessment approach, this study investigated whether and how positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) changed in response to real-life stressors in sports students. In addition, the study investigated how physical activity (PhyA) moderated affective reactions to stressors. 62 participants of a German university (m = 23, f = 38, d = 1; age: M = 21.55 years, SD = 2.47) reported their daily stressors, affective states and PhyA (context, intensity and duration) six times per day via smartphone over five days (30 prompts per participants). To test the hypotheses multilevel models were calculated. Stressor context predicted affective reactions. PA was lower and NA was higher when general (financial problems) or academic (exam periods) stressors were reported. General PhyA had a positive effect on sports students affect (higher PA, lower NA). However, when PhyA was performed in exercise classes within their study program and a stressor was reported, PA decreased. The results showed that certain stressors interact negatively with affective states. Furthermore, the results suggested that PhyA, depending on the context where it occurred, may also induce negative affective changes in this target group of sport students. More studies need to examine how PhyA moderates affective reactions to stressors and examine the influences of context specific PhyA (e.g., type of PhyA) in more detail.

Evaluating the Effects of Rewards and Schedule Length on Response Rates to Ecological Momentary Assessment Surveys: Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) are short, repeated surveys designed to collect information on experiences in real-time, real-life contexts. Embedding periodic bursts of EMAs within cohort studies enables the study of experiences on multiple timescales and could greatly enhance the accuracy of self-reported information. However, the burden on participants may be high and should be minimized to optimize EMA response rates.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the effects of study design features on EMA response rates.

METHODS

Embedded within an ongoing cohort study (Health@NUS), 3 bursts of EMAs were implemented over a 7-month period (April to October 2021). The response rate (percentage of completed EMA surveys from all sent EMA surveys; 30-42 individual EMA surveys sent/burst) for each burst was examined. Following a low response rate in burst 1, changes were made to the subsequent implementation strategy (SMS text message announcements instead of emails). In addition, 2 consecutive randomized controlled trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of 4 different reward structures (with fixed and bonus components) and 2 different schedule lengths (7 or 14 d) on changes to the EMA response rate. Analyses were conducted from 2021 to 2022 using ANOVA and analysis of covariance to examine group differences and mixed models to assess changes across all 3 bursts.

RESULTS

Participants (N=384) were university students (n=232, 60.4% female; mean age 23, SD 1.3 y) in Singapore. Changing the reward structure did not significantly change the response rate (F3,380=1.75; P=.16). Changing the schedule length did significantly change the response rate (F1,382=6.23; P=.01); the response rate was higher for the longer schedule (14 d; mean 48.34%, SD 33.17%) than the shorter schedule (7 d; mean 38.52%, SD 33.44%). The average response rate was higher in burst 2 and burst 3 (mean 50.56, SD 33.61 and mean 48.34, SD 33.17, respectively) than in burst 1 (mean 25.78, SD 30.12), and the difference was statistically significant (F2,766=93.83; P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Small changes to the implementation strategy (SMS text messages instead of emails) may have contributed to increasing the response rate over time. Changing the available rewards did not lead to a significant difference in the response rate, whereas changing the schedule length did lead to a significant difference in the response rate. Our study provides novel insights on how to implement EMA surveys in ongoing cohort studies. This knowledge is essential for conducting high-quality studies using EMA surveys.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05154227; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05154227.

The Effectiveness of a Mindfulness Induction as a Buffer Against Stress Among University Students With and Without a History of Self-Injury

Stressful experiences are abundant in university and students with a history of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) may be hyper-reactive to stress. While brief mindfulness inductions have been proposed as a buffer against acute stress, whether they function differently in students with a history of NSSI remains in question. This study sought to explore the impact of an online mindfulness induction on (a) two facets of state mindfulness (i.e., mind and body) and (b) state stress, following a stress induction task, in university students with versus without a history of NSSI. Participants were Canadian university students with (n = 82; Mage = 21.30 years, SD = 2.92; 87.8% female) and without (n = 82; Mage = 21.71 years, SD = 3.18; 87.8% female) a history of NSSI, matched on gender, age, and faculty, who completed baseline (T1) measures of state stress and state mindfulness. Participants were randomly assigned to complete a mindfulness induction or an active control task. All participants then underwent a stress induction, and again completed measures of state stress and state mindfulness (T2). Results from three-way mixed ANOVAs revealed that state stress increased from T1 to T2 for all participants, regardless of group or condition. Among those assigned to the control condition, state mindfulness of the body was lower at T2 for participants with a history of NSSI compared to those without such a history. However, participants with a history of NSSI who completed the mindfulness induction reported greater state mindfulness of the body at T2 than students with a history of NSSI who completed an active control task. Findings highlight the unique response of university students with a history of NSSI to a brief mindfulness induction. Implications are discussed in the context of future research and clinical applications.

The Effects of Dose, Practice Habits, and Objects of Focus on Digital Meditation Effectiveness and Adherence: Longitudinal Study of 280,000 Digital Meditation Sessions Across 103 Countries

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of digital meditation is well established. However, the extent to which the benefits remain after 12 weeks in real-world settings remains unknown. Additionally, findings related to dosage and practice habits have been mixed, and the studies were conducted on small and homogeneous samples and used a limited range of analytical procedures and meditation techniques. Findings related to the predictors of adherence are also lacking and may help inform future meditators and meditation programs on how to best structure healthy sustainable practices.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to measure outcome change across a large and globally diverse population of meditators and meditations in their naturalistic practice environments, assess the dose-response relationships between practice habits and outcome change, and identify predictors of adherence.

METHODS

We used ecological momentary assessment to assess participants' well-being over a 14-month period. We engineered outcomes related to the variability of change over time (equanimity) and recovery following a drop in mood (resilience) and established the convergent and divergent validity of these outcomes using a validated scale. Using linear mixed-effects and generalized additive mixed-effects models, we modeled outcome changes and patterns of dose-response across outcomes. We then used logistic regression to study the practice habits of participants in their first 30 sessions to derive odds ratios of long-term adherence.

RESULTS

Significant improvements were observed in all outcomes (P<.001). Generalized additive mixed models revealed rapid improvements over the first 50-100 sessions, with further improvements observed until the end of the study period. Outcome change corresponded to 1 extra day of improved mood for every 5 days meditated and half-a-day-faster mood recovery compared with baseline. Overall, consistency of practice was associated with the largest outcome change (4-7 d/wk). No significant differences were observed across session lengths in linear models (mood: P=.19; equanimity: P=.10; resilience: P=.29); however, generalized additive models revealed significant differences over time (P<.001). Longer sessions (21-30 min) were associated with the largest magnitude of change in mood from the 20th session onward and fewer sessions to recovery (increased resilience); midlength sessions (11-20 min) were associated with the largest decreases in recovery; and mood stability was similar across session lengths (equanimity). Completing a greater variety of practice types was associated with significantly greater improvements across all outcomes. Adhering to a long-term practice was best predicted by practice consistency (4-7 d/wk), a morning routine, and maintaining an equal balance between interoceptive and exteroceptive meditations.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term real-world digital meditation practice is effective and associated with improvements in mood, equanimity, and resilience. Practice consistency and variety rather than length best predict improvement. Long-term sustainable practices are best predicted by consistency, a morning routine, and a practice balanced across objects of focus that are internal and external to the body.

Evaluating the relationship of empathic concern to college students' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: Empathic concern (EC) for others may be related to COVID-19 pandemic responses. Participants and methods: The purpose of this survey study was to examine differences in pandemic responses in 1,778 college students rated as low (LE) versus high (HE) on the EC subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Results: HE participants reported greater concerns in numerous pandemic-related domains, including acquiring COVID-19; access to COVID-19 treatment; number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths reported; staying employed; and being isolated for long periods of time. Generalized anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and perceived stress scores were significantly higher for individuals in the HE group compared to the LE group. The HE group reported being significantly more adherent to health and safety recommendations than the LE group. Conclusions: Empathic concern for others is important for promoting college student prosocial behavior but is associated with anxiety and depression symptomatology during times of traumatic stress.

Emotional change in its "natural habitat": Measuring everyday emotion regulation with passive and active ambulatory assessment methods

Ambulatory assessment methods have made it possible to study psychological phenomena in real-time, with translational potential for psychotherapy process research. This article uses case example data to demonstrate applications of ambulatory assessment to measuring emotion regulation, a process with relevance across diagnoses and treatment modalities that may be particularly important to measure in situ. Two methods are reviewed: Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), which enables self-reported momentary assessments as people go about their days, and the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR), an unobtrusive naturalistic observation methodology that collects short audio recordings from participants' moment-to-moment environments, capturing an acoustic diary of their social interactions, daily behaviors, and natural daily language use. Using case example data from research applying EMA and EAR methods in the context of adolescent self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, we illustrate how EMA can be used to measure emotion regulation over time and across contexts, and how EAR can assess the behaviors and social-environmental factors that interact with emotion regulation in clinically important ways. We suggest applications of this measurement approach for investigations of clients' emotional change over the course of psychotherapy, as well as potential clinical applications of these methods.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for ruminative thinking: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

OBJECTIVE

To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for ruminative thinking.

METHODS

Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, PubMed and Science Direct databases were searched to include randomized controlled trials of mindfulness-based interventions for rumination that met the criteria. The Rumination scale was used as the primary outcome indicator, and the secondary outcome indicator included the Mindfulness scale. An evaluation of bias risk was conducted to identify possible sources of bias based on methodological and clinical factors. Stata 16.0 software was used to perform meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression analysis and publication bias detection of the extracted data.

RESULTS

A total of 61 studies with 4229 patients were included. Meta-analysis results revealed a significant intervention effect on ruminative thinking (SMD = -0.534, 95 % CI = [-0.675, -0.394], z = -7.449, P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between mindfulness-based interventions and CBT (SMD = 0.009, 95%CI = [-0.239, 0.258], z = 0.073, P = 0.941). Meta-analysis showed that mindfulness-based interventions significantly enhanced the level of mindfulness (SMD = 0.495, 95 % CI = [0.343, 0.647], z = 6.388, P < 0.001), while it was not significant compared to CBT (SMD = 0.158, 95%CI = [-0.087, 0.403], z = 1.266, P = 0.205). The two subgroups with >65 % (SMD = -0.534, 95%CI = [-0.681, -0.386], z = -7.081, P < 0.001) and 80 % (SMD = -0.462, 95%CI = [-0.590, -0.334], z = -7.071, P < 0.001) of females showed significant improvement in ruminative thinking. There were significant intervention effects for depression, students, cancer, healthy adults, and clinical patients. Significant intervention effects were demonstrated for various participant ages and intervention periods.

CONCLUSION

This study confirmed the feasibility of mindfulness-based interventions in improving ruminative thinking and enhancing the level of mindfulness. However, the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions was not significant compared to CBT. The two subgroups with a higher proportion of females showed a more significant improvement in ruminative thinking, whereas there were no significant differences in participant characteristics, age, and the duration of intervention.

The efficacy of online mindfulness-based interventions in a university student sample: Videoconference- or podcast-delivered intervention

The increasing mental health issues among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges of delivering face-to-face interventions during lockdowns have increased the demand for online interventions. The report presents results from a randomized controlled trial investigating the benefits of online mindfulness interventions delivered by videoconference or podcast during the early phase of the pandemic in Germany. Fifty university students were randomized to a mindfulness intervention conducted by videoconference (n = 25) or to an unguided training provided by podcasts (n = 25). All students participated in a 7-week mindfulness intervention. Outcome measures included mindfulness, depression, anxiety, and life satisfaction preintervention and postintervention. The study showed a larger reduction in depression in the videoconferencing group than in the podcast group across per protocol (PP) and intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses. There was a significant increase in mindfulness (PP and ITT samples) and life satisfaction (ITT sample) in both groups. The frequency of home practice was related to positive changes in outcomes but only for the videoconferencing group. The results suggest that mindfulness training delivered via videoconferencing can be a viable option to address depressive symptoms among students. However, both interventions were effective in increasing mindfulness and life satisfaction.

Emotion Management for College Students: Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Emotion Management Intervention on Emotional Regulation and Resilience of College Students

ABSTRACT

The discovery of psychological healing methods that are easy to master and can be developed by the individual as a means of improving students' self-psychological adjustment ability is of great practical value. This study is a randomized control trial intended to investigate the effectiveness of mindfulness-based emotion management interventions and to test their effects on the mood state and resilience of college students. A total of 72 students were recruited and randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group. Thirty-six students in the intervention group received a modified mindfulness-based emotion management intervention once per week for 4 weeks, with each intervention having a duration of 80 minutes. Participants were assessed by questionnaires to measure mindfulness level, emotion, and resilience before and after intervention. There were significant interaction effects on mindfulness level (F = 97.76, p < 0.00), mood state (F = 353.52, p < 0.00), and resilience (F = 178.99, p < 0.00) scores. A modified 4-week mindfulness-based emotion management intervention can improve the mindfulness level and resilience of college students and is an innovative and feasible strategy for enhancing mental health in college students.

Trajectory Analysis of Suicidal Ideation in Spanish College Students Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

Introduction

Suicide is a preventable death in young people. It is well known that suicide behavior is a multicausal phenomenon. However, suicidal ideation (SI) commonly underlies suicide, and Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) can help us to better characterize it and its risk and protective factors in the short term. We aimed, first, to investigate the estimated prevalence and trajectories of SI in a community sample of Spanish college students using an EMA methodology and, second, explore the associations between risk and protective factors and SI categorized as moderate or low.

Materials and Methods

A total of 737 participants followed the EMA during a period of 6 months. We estimated the prevalence and trajectories of SI and the associations between depressive symptoms, positive and negative affect, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, cognitive reappraisal, emotional suppression, and purpose in life with the MEmind smartphone App. SI was assessed 14 times during this period.

Results

Twenty-eight participants referred to SI at least once in longitudinal assessments. We found a lack of curvature and, thus, a relatively stable trajectory of SI. Two groups of latent dimensions were observed related to risk and protective factors of SI. One latent dimension of the risk factors (higher levels of thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, depressive symptoms, negative affect, and emotional suppression) best represented the group with moderate levels of SI, and a second latent dimension of protective variables (positive affect, cognitive reappraisal, and purpose in life) best represented the group with lower levels of SI.

Discussion

These findings may indicate that students with a sense of having a life worth living, in addition to having the ability to reevaluate their negative beliefs, are less likely to experience high levels of SI. Therefore, purpose in life would be a protective factor against the presence of SI.

Randomized clinical trial of a brief, scalable intervention for mental health sequelae in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic

This randomized clinical trial aimed to determine feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of brief Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills videos in reducing psychological distress among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over six weeks, 153 undergraduates at a large, public American university completed pre-assessment, intervention, and post-assessment periods. During the intervention, participants were randomized to receive animated DBT skills videos for 14 successive days (n = 99) or continue assessment (n = 54). All participants received 4x daily ecological momentary assessments on affect, self-efficacy of managing emotions, and unbearableness of emotions. The study was feasible and the intervention was acceptable, as demonstrated by moderate to high compliance rates and video ratings. There were significant pre-post video reductions in negative affect and increases in positive affect. There was a significant time × condition interaction on unbearableness of emotions; control participants rated their emotions as more unbearable in the last four vs. first two weeks, whereas the intervention participants did not rate their emotions as any more unbearable. Main effects of condition on negative affect and self-efficacy were not significant. DBT skills videos may help college students avoid worsening mental health. This brief, highly scalable intervention could extend the reach of mental health treatment.

Social climate in university classrooms: A mindfulness-based educational intervention

There is a limited number of studies on the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on university students and their positive effect on collective experiences of shared flow. The aim of the present study was to explore the effectiveness of mindfulness training in terms of reducing stress and enhancing well-being, experiences of shared flow and classroom climate (engagement and affiliation). The intervention and control groups were matched by age and sex (n = 125; M = 20.71, SD = 4.60, 68% women). The intervention group comprised mindfulness exercises performed in the classroom over the course of 7 weeks. The principal variables were measured at pretest and posttest, and shared flow was also measured in the intervention group. In comparison with the control group, statistically significant differences were observed in the intervention group in relation to mindfulness, perceived stress, and classroom climate (affiliation). Furthermore, the perception of shared flow among students increased from the beginning to the end of the program. Mindfulness skills were found to mediate improvements in perceived well-being and stress. It is concluded that mindfulness practice can turn learning into a challenging and shared task. The study highlights the importance of fostering programs that enhance the development of competencies related to mindfulness among university students.

Sleep problems and emotional dysregulation mediate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and suicidal behaviors: A three-wave longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a major public health safety concern among youth. Childhood emotional abuse is one of the most widely recognized risk factors for suicidal behaviors. However, little is known about the role of sleep problems and emotion dysregulation in this relationship.

METHODS

This study is part of a large-scale health-related cohort among Chinese college students. A total of 7434 participants who completed the first three waves of data collection were used for data analysis. All participants completed questionnaires regarding childhood emotional abuse (Wave 1), sleep problems and emotional dysregulation (Wave 2), and suicidal behaviors (Wave 3). Mediation analyses with bootstrapping were conducted to investigate the mediating role of sleep problems and emotional dysregulation in the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and suicidal behaviors.

RESULTS

The results showed that the prevalence of childhood emotional abuse and suicidal behaviors were 8.7% and 5.9%, respectively. Findings from mediation analysis showed that sleep problems and emotional dysregulation served both parallel and sequential mediating roles in the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and suicidal behaviors.

LIMITATIONS

All measures were based on self-report instead of objective assessments or clinical diagnostic evaluations.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological interventions aimed at developing healthy sleep habits and emotion regulation skills may be helpful in decreasing the risk of suicidal behaviors, especially for suicide ideators with childhood emotional abuse.

Measuring parent-adolescent interactions in natural habitats. The potential, status, and challenges of ecological momentary assessment

Few people are as important for an adolescent's development as their parents. However, most research on parent-adolescent relationships describes long-term population-wide effects. Therefore, little is known about everyday interactions between adolescents and parents in individual families. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measures families several times a day as they go through daily life. This approach provides ecologically valid insights into which interactions took place and how they were experienced. State-of-the-art EMA studies suggest that within-family fluctuations in parenting may trigger changes in an adolescent's well-being and behaviors. In practice, moreover, EMA may strengthen family support and intervention research. This article reviews recent empirical work, highlights the (un)used theoretical and practical promise of EMA and identifies key-challenges to unlock this full potential.

Relationships Between Mindfulness Facets and Mental and Physical Health in Meditating and Nonmeditating University Students

Abstract. Background: Little is known about the relations of the mindfulness facets to mental and physical health among meditators and nonmeditators. Aim: The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the mindfulness facets and mental as well as physical health of university students with and without meditation experience using attentional control, body awareness, nonattachment, and emotion regulation as mediators. Method: Data were collected from a sample of 508 university students (meditators: n = 195, nonmeditators n = 313). Path analysis models were used to examine the associations between the mindfulness facets, all candidate mediators and the outcome variables mental and physical health complaints. Additionally, a bootstrapping procedure was used to test the significance of the indirect effects. Results: Results showed that the associations between the mindfulness facets, the proposed mediators, and mental and physical health complaints were similar between students with and without meditation experience. Nonattachment and body awareness were the most important mediators. Limitations: Only self-report questionnaires were used in the study, and the majority of the sample was women and enrolled in health and social science studies. Conclusion: The results indicated that the investigation of mindfulness at the facet level is worthwhile. The study helps to clarify the associations between the mindfulness facets and mental as well as physical health among students with and without meditation experience. Further, mindfulness mediators should be examined in intervention studies.

Effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on mindfulness, stress, salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol in everyday life

A large body of literature has shown the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) on stress-reduction. However, little is known about their effects on psychobiological stress-markers in daily life through an ecological momentary assessment approach. Our study examines the effects of MBI on state mindfulness, perceived stress, and indicators of sympathetic-nervous-system (saliva alpha-amylase, sAA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis (saliva cortisol, sCort) activation in daily life. Twenty-eight individuals participated in a three-month MBI (IG) and were compared to 46 controls (CG). An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) was used to assess mindfulness, stress, sAA and sCort at six measurements per day on two days each before and after the MBI. Multilevel-modeling was used to analyze the data on a moment-to-moment and averaged day-level. The IG showed decreased sAA levels (AUCg) from pre to post, while the CG showed increases. Furthermore, diurnal decreases in sCort (AUCi) were pronounced in the IG compared to the CG. On a momentary basis, mindfulness was associated with lower stress and sAA levels, but not sCort. As such, we show that MBI can reduce sympathetic and to a lesser extent hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activation in daily life. Increased mindfulness can momentarily decrease stress and stress-related autonomic activation with implications for health. Our results emphasize the importance of brief interventions that can be easily integrated into everyday life.

Prevention and early intervention of depression in young people: an integrated narrative review of affective awareness and Ecological Momentary Assessment

Depression has a devastating impact on young people around the world. This impact is pervasive and long-long lasting, still causing havoc as young people transition into adulthood. Prevention and timely early intervention efforts are necessary to lessen the disease burden of depression in young people. There is some evidence for the effectiveness of existing prevention and early intervention programs when delivered early. However, there is no consensus on what the active ingredients of these programs are. Identifying these ingredients is important because focusing on those that have maximal benefit will help to minimise the costs and resourcing of (already intensive) therapeutic approaches. We explored whether, and in what circumstances, affective awareness (i.e., knowing how one feels) is a candidate for protecting against and decreasing vulnerability to depression in young people. We specifically looked at how Ecological Momentary Assessment methods (EMA) were used to measure and/or increase affective awareness. We integrated three streams of data, including narrative review findings, perspectives from young people and psychologists, and publicly available information online (e.g., discussion forums). Across data sources, we found converging evidence that affective awareness is important in the prevention and early intervention of depression although there were considerable gaps in knowledge. More work needs to be done with young people and their health care teams to build affective awareness in the right way, at the right time, with individual differences in mind. The identification of how EMA can be best incorporated into young people's lives to facilitate these outcomes is also needed.

Differential Effects of Ethical Education, Physical Hatha Yoga, and Mantra Meditation on Well-Being and Stress in Healthy Participants-An Experimental Single-Case Study

Traditionally, yoga is a multicomponent practice consisting of postures, breathing techniques, meditation, mantras, and ethics. To date, only a few studies have tried to dismantle the effects of each of these components and their combinations. To fill this gap, we examined the incremental effects of ethical education and physical Hatha yoga on mantra meditation using a single-case multiple-baseline design. This study was part of a project evaluating the new mind-body program Meditation-Based Lifestyle Modification. Fifty-seven healthy participants with no regular yoga or meditation practice were randomly assigned to three baselines (7, 14, and 21 days) and four conditions using a random number generator. The conditions were mantra meditation alone (MA), meditation plus physical yoga (MY), meditation plus ethical education (ME), and meditation plus yoga and ethical education (MYE). All the interventions lasted for 8 weeks and were run consecutively according to baseline length. During the baseline and treatment phases, participants received daily questionnaires measuring their well-being (WHO-5 Well-Being Index), stress (Perceived Stress Scale), and subjective experiences. Forty-two participants completed the treatment and were entered in the analyses. We analyzed our data using visual inspection, effect size estimation (Tau-U), and multilevel modeling. Almost all participants showed a longitudinal increase in well-being. Regarding between-group differences, participants who received ethical education exhibited the largest increases in well-being (Tau-U = 0.30/0.23 for ME/MYE), followed by participants in the MY condition (Tau-U = 0.12). Conversely, participants in the MA condition showed no change (Tau-U = 0.07). There was a tendency for the combined treatments to decrease stress. This tendency was strongest in the MY condition (Tau-U = -0.40) and reversed in the MA condition (Tau-U = 0.17). These results emphasize the incremental and differential effects of practicing meditation in combination with other practices from the eight-fold yoga path. This approach is valuable for better understanding the multifaceted practice of yoga. Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04252976.

Prevalence and predictors of anxiety, depression and stress among university students during the period of the first lockdown in Germany

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates the risk for mental health issues of university students. The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress among university students during the period of the first lockdown in Germany, and the associations of possible risk and protective factors with all three outcome variables.

METHODS

A total of 2.548 university students were included in the study. The study took place during the period of the first lockdown in Germany. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to explore the role of demographic variables, personality traits, psychological capital variables, mindfulness, COVID-19 related variables, and coping strategies on anxiety, depression and stress.

RESULTS

Results showed on average mild depressive and anxiety symptoms, and moderate perceived stress among the students. Alarmingly, 35.9% of the students showed a moderate-to-severe level of depression, 27.7% reported moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety, and 25.1% perceived high stress. Mindfulness and optimism were the most relevant protective factors against depression, anxiety and stress, whereas COVID-related stressors (e.g., worries about study and financial problems, being stressed by the Corona-pandemic and media reporting, quarantine experience) as well as personal characteristics (e.g., neuroticism, older age, being female) were risk factors for increasing mental health issues and/ or stress.

CONCLUSION

The pandemic has negatively affected the mental health of students. The results emphasize the importance of both professional help for students with mental health problems and effective prevention programs on university campuses that promote coping skills, and mental health during the current pandemic.