Metacognitive reading strategies represent a goal-driven system that plays a role in critical thinking verbal tasks in students. Research reveals that greater attentional focus and use of executive functions is associated with lower trait anxiety, and better verbal reasoning. However, high verbal reasoning is also positively associated with trait…

Objective: To explore differences in mindfulness, happiness, and perceived anxiety in a sample of college students before and after taking a meditation course. Participants: Participants were college students at a primarily undergraduate institution enrolled in an experiential meditation class (n = 74) and a non-meditation class comparison group…

Medical students report high levels of psychological distress compared to the general population, yet they also underutilize mental health services. Our Mindfulness-Based Art Workshops (MBAW) combine two established, formal interventions: (a) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, an 8-week group series teaching mindfulness practices, shown to reduce…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of an online self-compassion intervention for transgender adolescents, with the aim of improving mental health. Participants identified as transgender or gender expansive, were between the ages of 13 and 17, and lived in the U.S. or Canada. The…

The research study involved the introduction of the Transcendental Meditation Program® to nursing students as a strategy of self-care to reduce anxiety and stress. Nursing students are at risk for developing anxiety and stress in their academic and clinical program due to the intense learning environment that requires the integration of…

This randomized controlled study examined the effects of creating open circle mandalas with divergent instruction type (distraction and reflection) and medium type (resistive and fluid) on state anxiety, mood, and mindfulness. The design followed a 2 (instruction type) x 2 (medium type) x 3 (time) mixed experimental design. Reflective writing…

Objectives: University students experience heightened levels of stress and are seeking mental health services with increasing frequency. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may be an effective resource for managing stress. The present study examined the effectiveness of an MBI in reducing stress, anxiety, and rumination compared to active and…

According to Russian researchers, university studies is among the most stressful activities for a person. First-year university students are particularly vulnerable to stress. The use of mindfulness-based programs to help students reduce and manage stress is gaining popularity around the world. Previous research has shown that such programs can…

This study examined the development of caregiver mind-mindedness--defined as the propensity to see one's child as an agent with an independent mind--across the first 1,000 days of life. At four timepoints (i.e., third trimester of pregnancy, 4, 14, and 24 months postpartum), 384 first-time mothers (M[subscript age] = 32.55, SD = 3.63 years) and…

The psychological well-being of university students is a growing concern, both in the UK and globally. In light of emerging research on the benefits of therapy dogs for student well-being, this study compared the use of therapy dogs to more conventional methods for improving students' well-being. Ninety-four university students were randomly…

Objective: To identify the effects of guided mindfulness meditation on anxiety and stress in pre-healthcare college students. Participants: Students (n = 33, age 19-22 years) were tested between September and November of 2017. Methods: Students completed 5-12 minutes of meditation 6 days/week for 8 weeks. We examined differences in pre- and…

Strategy instruction during reading can aid metacomprehension producing higher judgement of learning (JOL) and prediction of performance (POP). In contrast, verbal working memory (WM) limitations cause metacognitive deficits and lengthy expository texts impose greater cognitive load. However, impact of cognitive factors and reading lengthy…

Background: Few cessation studies have examined their recruitment methods to determine the most effective methods for enrollment and retention. Purpose: Data from a randomized controlled trial of yoga for smoking cessation was used to evaluate recruitment methods (e.g., radio, referral) and their relationship to enrollment, participant…

Objective: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces anxiety among undergraduate students; however, there is limited evidence demonstrating mechanistic underpinnings. Theoretical models implicate cognitive self-regulation as a mechanism. This study explored whether an adapted MBSR embedded in a college course reduced anxiety and if…

Objective: This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of "The Mindfulness App" with college students and the utility of daily text-message reminders for increasing adherence. Participants: Students from a mid-sized Midwestern University (N = 59) during the spring and fall of 2016. Methods: Using a pretest-posttest…