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The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Wellbeing in University Students

Received: 25 October 2023    Accepted: 9 November 2023    Published: 21 November 2023
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Abstract

Mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression are common among university students in Vietnam. While mindfulness interventions have demonstrated potential, there is a lack of research specifically focused on Vietnamese student populations. This study assessed the feasibility of a mindfulness program for students at one University in Vietnam. It also evaluated the program's impact on mental health, academic performance, and mindfulness awareness. Fifty students with anxiety/depression joined an 8-week mindfulness program. The program included meditation, yoga, and cognitive skill training. Depression, anxiety, grades, and mindfulness were measured before and after the program. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and focus groups to understand the experience and benefits. The program proved to be viable and well-received by the students. There was a noticeable decrease in symptoms of depression and anxiety, along with an improvement in academic performance and mindfulness following the program. Qualitative analysis revealed themes such as reduced stress, increased self-awareness, improved sleep quality, and enhanced concentration. This investigation found that mindfulness programs benefit university students in Vietnam, improving their well-being and academic performance. Students value the coping skills gained through these practices. It is recommended for universities to consider implementing such programs to address students' mental health needs. Further research on a larger scale is needed to validate these findings among Vietnamese students.

Published in International Journal of Psychological Science (Volume 3, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.12
Page(s) 6-11
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Mindfulness, Meditation, University Students, Depression, Anxiety

References
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[18] Shallcross, A. J., Gross, J. J., Visvanathan, P. D., Kumar, N., Palfrey, A., Ford, B. Q., Dimidjian, S., Shirk, S., Holm-Denoma, J., Goode, K. M., Cox, E., Chaplin, W., & Mauss, I. B. (2020). Relapse prevention in major depressive disorder: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy versus an active control condition. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 88 (10), 864–876. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000664
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  • APA Style

    Xuan Vu, H. (2023). The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Wellbeing in University Students. International Journal of Psychological Science, 3(1), 6-11. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.12

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    ACS Style

    Xuan Vu, H. The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Wellbeing in University Students. Int. J. Psychol. Sci. 2023, 3(1), 6-11. doi: 10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.12

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    AMA Style

    Xuan Vu H. The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Wellbeing in University Students. Int J Psychol Sci. 2023;3(1):6-11. doi: 10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.12,
      author = {Huong Xuan Vu},
      title = {The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Wellbeing in University Students},
      journal = {International Journal of Psychological Science},
      volume = {3},
      number = {1},
      pages = {6-11},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijps.20230301.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijps.20230301.12},
      abstract = {Mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression are common among university students in Vietnam. While mindfulness interventions have demonstrated potential, there is a lack of research specifically focused on Vietnamese student populations. This study assessed the feasibility of a mindfulness program for students at one University in Vietnam. It also evaluated the program's impact on mental health, academic performance, and mindfulness awareness. Fifty students with anxiety/depression joined an 8-week mindfulness program. The program included meditation, yoga, and cognitive skill training. Depression, anxiety, grades, and mindfulness were measured before and after the program. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and focus groups to understand the experience and benefits. The program proved to be viable and well-received by the students. There was a noticeable decrease in symptoms of depression and anxiety, along with an improvement in academic performance and mindfulness following the program. Qualitative analysis revealed themes such as reduced stress, increased self-awareness, improved sleep quality, and enhanced concentration. This investigation found that mindfulness programs benefit university students in Vietnam, improving their well-being and academic performance. Students value the coping skills gained through these practices. It is recommended for universities to consider implementing such programs to address students' mental health needs. Further research on a larger scale is needed to validate these findings among Vietnamese students.
    },
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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    AB  - Mental health issues such as anxiety, stress, and depression are common among university students in Vietnam. While mindfulness interventions have demonstrated potential, there is a lack of research specifically focused on Vietnamese student populations. This study assessed the feasibility of a mindfulness program for students at one University in Vietnam. It also evaluated the program's impact on mental health, academic performance, and mindfulness awareness. Fifty students with anxiety/depression joined an 8-week mindfulness program. The program included meditation, yoga, and cognitive skill training. Depression, anxiety, grades, and mindfulness were measured before and after the program. Qualitative data was collected through interviews and focus groups to understand the experience and benefits. The program proved to be viable and well-received by the students. There was a noticeable decrease in symptoms of depression and anxiety, along with an improvement in academic performance and mindfulness following the program. Qualitative analysis revealed themes such as reduced stress, increased self-awareness, improved sleep quality, and enhanced concentration. This investigation found that mindfulness programs benefit university students in Vietnam, improving their well-being and academic performance. Students value the coping skills gained through these practices. It is recommended for universities to consider implementing such programs to address students' mental health needs. Further research on a larger scale is needed to validate these findings among Vietnamese students.
    
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Author Information
  • Faculty of Foreign Languages, Social Sciences, Ba Ria - Vung Tau University, Vung Tau City, Vietnam

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