Mindfulness Training Can Improve College Students’ Mental Health

A new U.K. study discovers mindfulness training can improve the mental health of university students. The finding is important as recent evidence suggests university students are more likely to develop mental health problems when compared with the general population.The University of Bristol-led study investigated if mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) could be effective at improving mental health and well-being in medical students. This group is considered more at risk of developing a stress-related illness. Results of the study appear in the journal Education Research International. Investigators recruited 57 medical students, who had been referred to a mindfulness group either by their GP or student advisor, to take part in an eight-week mindfulness program. Students were required to attend the training for two hours each week and commit to 30-minute daily home practice in between sessions.The training, which took place between Autumn 2011 and Spring 2015, taught participants how the mind works, how stress impacts one’s life, an awareness of stress triggers and signs of stress symptoms, coping techniques, meditation practice, and the importance of self-care.

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