The impact of a Mindfulness meditation program on stress coping strategies in university students

Abstract

Academic stress is a significant concern among college students, affecting their emotional well-being and academic performance. Mindfulness meditation (MM) has emerged as a promising intervention to improve stress coping strategies. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week mindfulness meditation program in improving academic stress coping strategies in nursing students. A randomized experimental design was used with 86 nursing students, assigned to the experimental group (n=43) and the control group (n=43). The experimental group participated in a MM program based on the MBSR protocol for 12 weeks, with weekly 60-minute sessions and daily individual practices. Mindfulness levels and stress coping strategies were measured before and after the intervention using the MAAS Scale and the A-CEA Coping Strategies Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using t-tests and Pearson correlations. The results showed a significant increase in mindfulness levels in the experimental group (M pre = 3.20, M post = 4.50; t (42) = -15.34, p < .001, d = 2.34), compared to the control group, which did not show significant changes (p = .27). In addition, significant improvements were observed in the dimensions of positive reappraisal and planning (p < .05) in the experimental group, while seeking social support showed a tendency to increase without reaching statistical significance (p = .051). This study suggests that a 12-week mindfulness meditation program is effective in improving certain academic stress coping strategies, specifically positive reappraisal and planning. These findings support the incorporation of mindfulness interventions into the academic curriculum to promote emotional well-being and stress management among college students.