Meditation lowers stress and supports forgiveness among college students: a randomized controlled trial
Journal of American college health: J of ACH
Short Title:
J Am Coll HealthMeditation lowers stress and supports forgiveness among college students
Format:
Journal Article
Publication Date:
2008/04//Mar- undefined
Pages:
569 - 578
Sources ID:
85691
Collection:
Contemplative Practices and Breath Research
Visibility:
Public (group default)
Abstract:
(Show)
OBJECTIVE AND PARTICIPANTS: The authors evaluated the effects on stress, rumination, forgiveness, and hope of two 8-week, 90-min/wk training programs for college undergraduates in meditation-based stress-management tools.METHODS: After a pretest, the authors randomly allocated college undergraduates to training in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR; n = 15), Easwaran's Eight-Point Program (EPP; n = 14), or wait-list control (n = 15). The authors gathered pretest, posttest, and 8-week follow-up data on self-report outcome measures.
RESULTS: The authors observed no post-treatment differences between MBSR and EPP or between posttest and 8-week follow-up (p > .10). Compared with controls, treated participants (n = 29) demonstrated significant benefits for stress (p < .05, Cohen's d = -.45) and forgiveness (p < .05, d = .34) and marginal benefits for rumination (p < .10, d = -.34).
CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that meditation-based stress-management practices reduce stress and enhance forgiveness among college undergraduates. Such programs merit further study as potential health-promotion tools for college populations.