Mental and Physical Health Impacts of Mindfulness Training for College Undergraduates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Mindfulness – September 01, 2023
Source: PubMed
Summary
Mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) significantly enhance well-being among college students, particularly in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms. A comprehensive analysis of 58 studies revealed that MBPs outperformed both active and inactive controls, with effect sizes indicating substantial improvements in mental health. Specifically, clinical populations showed the greatest benefits. Notably, online MBPs were as effective as in-person sessions. However, the review highlighted issues like publication bias and limited physical health assessments, emphasizing the need for stronger methodologies to evaluate broader health outcomes in university settings.
Abstract
Universities increasingly offer mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) to improve student health and reduce their impact on overburdened psychological services. It is critical for evidence-based policy to determine for what health outcomes mindfulness programs are effective and under what conditions. Objectives were to: (a) perform a comprehensive analysis of the effects of mindfulness interventions on physical, mental, and behavioral health outcomes in college undergraduate students, and (b) examine moderators of intervention effects to identify factors that may help improve existing university mindfulness programs and guide the design of new programs. Systematic searches of five databases identified MBP randomized controlled trials for undergraduate students, measuring any health outcome. Analyses using robust variance estimation focused on standardized mean differences for outcomes between groups and modeled through coded study features. The 58 studies in the review primarily focused on mental health with fewer assessments of physical health or health behaviors. Overall, mindfulness interventions significantly outperformed both active and inactive controls (ps<.05), with the most marked effects on anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and mindfulness; greater success appeared for clinical populations. Online programs performed equivalent to in-person, and non-MBP programs were equivalent to MBP programs after controlling for other factors. Publication bias and other quality issues also emerged. Mindfulness programs improve well-being in college students, with the strongest evidence for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms. More studies utilizing stronger methods are needed to evaluate mindfulness programs' effects on additional health outcomes and online interventions in clinical populations.