Using Meditation to Reduce Stress, Anxiety, and Depression in Nursing Students.
The Journal of nursing education – August 01, 2023
Source: PubMed
Summary
Nursing students face significant mental health challenges, with higher rates of depression, stress, and anxiety compared to their peers. An online mindfulness meditation intervention significantly improved mental well-being among 100 nursing students over four weeks, leading to notable reductions in self-reported depression, stress, and anxiety levels. In contrast, a control group engaging with nursing news showed no such improvements. This highlights the potential of mindfulness practices to enhance mental health support for nursing students, addressing a critical need in their education and training.
Abstract
Nursing students experience higher rates of mental health issues than other college students. This study examined the effect of a mindfulness meditation intervention on nursing students' levels of self-reported depression, stress, and anxiety. This randomized, experimental study implemented an online mindfulness meditation intervention for an experimental group of nursing students and provided nursing news modules for a control group of nursing students. Participants in experimental and control groups completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale online before and after completing 4 weeks of audio modules. Results showed a statistically significant decrease in reported scores for depression, stress, and anxiety in the experimental group. This study demonstrated the potential benefits of implementing an online mindfulness meditation intervention to support and improve mental health for nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(8):443-449.].