Facets of dispositional mindfulness versus sources of social support predicting college students' psychological adjustment

Effectiveness and mediators of change of an online CBT intervention for students with adjustment disorder-study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Adjustment problems and disorders are highly prevalent among university students worldwide. These problems can cause significant interference in academic and social functioning and increase vulnerability to other mental health disorders. Unfortunately, only half of students in need receive psychological help. Furthermore, few studies have evaluated psychological interventions for adjustment disorders in students. New, more scalable forms of treatment for students with an adjustment disorder need to be developed, evaluated, and implemented. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of an online transdiagnostic cognitive behavioural intervention for students experiencing adjustment disorder and to assess mediators of change.

METHOD/DESIGN

In this three-arm randomized controlled trial, we plan to recruit 214 Polish students diagnosed with an adjustment disorder. Participants who meet initial eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned to one of three 6-week conditions: (1) online cognitive behavioural therapy intervention based on an existing, empirically supported transdiagnostic protocol, the unified protocol; (2) online progressive muscle relaxation training as an active control group; or (3) waiting-list control group. Both interventions are asynchronous, interactive, and include minimal amount of therapist support. Assessments will consist of self-report questionnaires, daily diary measures, and neurocognitive tasks for evaluating cognitive functioning. These will be conducted at baseline, post-treatment, and 1-month follow-up. Daily diary measures will be taken during the first and last week of treatment (or waitlist period). Primary outcome measures will include adjustment disorder severity; secondary outcome measures will consist of other negative (psychopathology: depression, anxiety, and stress) and positive (life satisfaction) indexes of mental health as well as process measures (e.g. mindfulness, experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion).

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, the current study is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychological intervention for students with adjustment disorder. Therefore, it may have important practical implications for students with this disorder. It can potentially guide the development of a scalable, validated treatment option.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials, NCT05768308, registered 14 March 2023, https://www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov/ct2/show/NCT05768308.

Associations among internalized and perceived stigma, state mindfulness, self-efficacy, and depression symptoms among men who have sex with men in China: A serial mediation model

Previous research has demonstrated that stigma is strongly related to depressive symptoms among men who have sex with men (MSM). However, data are limited regarding the associations between stigma, state mindfulness, self-efficacy, and depression symptoms. The current study aimed to analyze state mindfulness and self-efficacy as possible mediators between internalized and perceived stigma and depression symptoms. A sample of 2610 Chinese MSM (Mage = 23.99, SD = 6.09, age range: 18-68 years) was recruited from an online survey platform and completed the HIV and Homosexuality Related Stigma Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the short version of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and the Chinese General Self-Efficacy Scale. Results indicated that state mindfulness significantly mediated the linkage between internalized and perceived stigma and depressive symptoms, and self-efficacy significantly mediated the relation between state mindfulness and depression symptoms. Furthermore, internalized and perceived stigma were associated with depression symptoms through a serial mediation of state mindfulness and self-efficacy. This study highlights that state mindfulness and self-efficacy might play important roles in the psychological response of MSM to stigmatization and psychopathology symptoms.

Dispositional mindfulness predicting psychological adjustment among college students: the role of rumination and gender

OBJECTIVE

This study examined rumination as a mediator of the relationship between dispositional mindfulness (DM) and depression, loneliness, and anxiety, while considering gender as a moderator of these mediation models.

PARTICIPANTS

Three hundred and nineteen undergraduate students (49.5% female; M = 18.90 years) participated with data collected from January 2018 to April 2019.

METHODS

Self-report measures of DM, rumination, symptoms of anxiety and depression, loneliness, and social support were completed.

RESULTS

Males scored significantly higher than females on DM, while females scored significantly higher than males on rumination and psychological distress. Rumination mediated the relationship between DM and all adjustment variables. The mediation model predicting depression was moderated by gender, showing stronger effects for females than males.

CONCLUSION

Results support rumination as a mechanism underlying the association between DM and psychological adjustment and suggest that targeting both DM and rumination could maximize the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for college students' well-being.

Associations between psychological distress and facets of mindfulness: Implications for campus-based university wellness services

OBJECTIVES

To investigate associations between components of psychological distress and five facets of mindfulness (i.e. observing; describing; acting with awareness; non-reactivity; non-judging).

PARTICIPANTS

Students from a university in South Africa (n = 174).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study assessed psychological distress and mindfulness using the K10 and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire. Multivariate regression analysis identified associations between psychological distress and facets of mindfulness, controlling for demographics.

RESULTS

Prevalence of psychological distress was 56.9% (95% CI 49.2%-64.4%). Acting with awareness, non-reactivity, and non-judging predicted significantly lower psychological distress, whereas observing and describing did not. Acting with awareness was the only facet of mindfulness that consistently predicted lower levels of negative affect, fatigue, nervousness, and agitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Acting with awareness appears to be a key component of psychological wellbeing. To advance theory and practice, future research should consider why and how various facets of mindfulness predict lower psychological distress and its components among university students.

Trait mindfulness and mind-body health in students: The role of gender, race, and ethnicity

Objective: Trait mindfulness is associated with well-being in college students, yet it is unclear whether these associations are consistent across demographics. Participants: Undergraduate students (n = 534; 33% nonwhite; Apr2018-Sep2019). Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was performed. Pearson correlations tested the relationship between specific facets of trait mindfulness and four domains of mind-body health: stress, well-being, cognitive functioning, and health behaviors. Gender, race, and ethnicity were tested as moderators. Results: In general, higher trait mindfulness is consistently associated with better mind-body health across demographics. However, in men, some health behavior variables correlated more strongly with mindfulness. Among Black students, the relationship between Non-Reactivity and some outcome variables was null or counterintuitive. In Asian students, several predicted associations were significantly stronger. Conclusion: Trait mindfulness corresponds to mind-body health in college students, but relationships may not be universal. Future research is needed to replicate these findings and to examine possible demographic differences in response to mindfulness training.

Relationship satisfaction and sleep problems among college students: Serial indirect effects via relationship mindfulness and negative emotional symptoms

ObjectiveThis study examined relationship mindfulness and negative emotional symptoms as serial mediators between relationship satisfaction and sleep problems. Participants: Participants were 242 college students currently in a romantic relationship recruited from a large southeastern university. Methods: Participants completed self-report measures of relationship satisfaction, relationship mindfulness, negative emotional symptoms and sleep disturbances. Serial mediation analyses were conducted, covarying age and attachment orientations. Results: Students who reported higher relationship satisfaction experienced lower sleep problems. Helping explain this association a significant serial mediation model was supported by which relationship mindfulness and subsequent negative emotional symptoms mediated relationship satisfaction and sleep problems. Conclusions: The degree to which a person is more mindful during interactions with a romantic partner appears to play a key role in how relationship satisfaction and negative emotional symptoms are linked to sleep problems.

The effect of mindfulness levels on the life satisfaction of nursing students

PURPOSE

This study was carried out to determine the effect of mindfulness levels on the life satisfaction of nursing students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A descriptive correlational study was conducted on 333 nursing students enrolled at a state university in Turkey.

FINDINGS

The statistical analysis of the data indicated that students' mindfulness levels had a significantly positive impact on their satisfaction with life.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Activities that include exercises, meditation and training geared to raise the level of mindfulness can also be beneficial in terms of increasing satisfaction with life.

Effects of Facets of Mindfulness on College Adjustment Among First-Year Chinese College Students: The Mediating Role of Resilience

Introduction

College life is a challenging stage for students to transition from adolescence to early adulthood. College students need to adjust to various problems, including those related to learning, campus life, interpersonal relationships, career selection, emotions, and self. The aim of this study was to test the associations between different facets of mindfulness, resilience, and college adjustment, as well as the mediation effect of resilience between mindfulness and college adjustment among first-year college students.

Methods

This survey study recruited 765 first-year college students in China. The psychological variables were assessed by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Chinese College Student Adjustment Scale.

Results

It has been showed in the current study that mindfulness and resilience were positively correlated with college adjustment. Resilience significantly mediated the associations between four dimensions of mindfulness (ie, describing, acting with awareness, observing and non-reactivity) and college adjustment.

Conclusion

The findings support the potential importance of enhancing mindfulness and resilience to facilitate adjustment among first-year college students. Limitations and implications are discussed.

Naturalistic development of trait mindfulness: A longitudinal examination of victimization and supportive relationships in early adolescence

Scholars have only just begun to examine elements of young adolescents' social ecologies that explain naturalistic variation in trait mindfulness and its development over time. We argue that trait mindfulness develops as a function of chronically encountered ecologies that are likely to foster or thwart the repeated enactment of mindful states over time. Using data from 4,593 fourth and seventh grade students (50% female; MageG4 = 9.02; 71% English first language) from 32 public school districts in British Columbia (BC), Canada, we examined links from peer belonging, connectedness with adults at home, and peer victimization to mindfulness over time. Variable-centered analyses indicated that young adolescents with lower victimization in fourth grade reported higher mindfulness in seventh grade, and that cross-sectionally within seventh grade victimization, peer belonging, and connectedness with adults at home were each associated with mindfulness. Contrary to our hypothesis, connectedness with adults at home moderated the longitudinal association between victimization and mindfulness such that the negative association was stronger among young adolescents with high (vs. low) levels of connectedness with adults at home. Person-centered analysis of the fourth graders' data confirmed our variable-centered findings, yielding four latent classes of social ecology whose mindfulness levels in seventh grade largely tracked with their victimization levels (from highest to lowest mindfulness): (1) flourishing relationships, (2) unvictimized but weak relationships with adults, (3) moderately victimized but strong relationships, and (4) victimized but strong relationships. Overall, our findings contribute to a growing body of evidence indicating that trait mindfulness may develop as a function of ecologically normative experiences in young adolescents' everyday lives.

Suicidality Among College Students in Spain: Prevalence and Associations With Substance Use, Social Support, and Resilience

Few studies have examined protective factors associated with reduced risk of suicidality among college students. We sought to address gaps in the literature by conducting a cross-sectional survey of 636 college students from a public university in Spain. We assessed substance use, social support, resilience, severity of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Twenty percent of students reported low severity and 27% reported high severity suicidal ideation, while 5% reported attempting suicide during the past year. Higher levels of social support represented a protective factor associated with reduced risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.