Understanding the role of mindfulness practices in fostering student wellbeing

There is an increasing interest in the role of contemplative practices such as mindfulness in higher education, and how these practices might alleviate stress as well as enhancing learning and achievement in the student population. 11 undergraduate students opted to take a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course which was run by Solent Health as part of the Southampton HeadStart Mindfulness in Schools programme. Students were asked to complete baseline measures before undertaking the MBSR (Time 1), on completion of the course (Time 2), and at a 12+ month post-course follow up (Time 3). Mindfulness, perceived stress, and mental well-being were measured using validated measures. Additional data on mindfulness and personal growth was collected and compared to a control group of 20 students who did not receive mindfulness instruction as part of a student research project. Findings indicated that participating in the MBSR course had a significant positive impact on the psychological health of students, suggesting mindfulness may play a role in fostering wellbeing within a university setting.