The impact of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program on university students' mental health: A mixed-methods evaluation

Objective: To evaluate an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program's impact on university students' mental health. Participants: Undergraduate and graduate students. Methods: Ninety participants completed pre-, mid-, and post-program surveys. Mindfulness, Satisfaction with Life, Psychological Distress, and Perceived Stress scores were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and pairwise comparisons. Additionally, 115 participants completed post-survey open-ended responses addressing their subjective experiences, which were thematically examined. Results: Participants showed significant improvements in all outcome measures from pre- to post- [p < 0.001] and mid- to post-program [p < 0.05]. All measures, except Satisfaction with Life, showed significant improvement from pre- to mid-program. Participants reported high program satisfaction. Facilitators of the participants' practice included program structure, perception of outcomes, and group setting; however, busy schedules posed a prominent barrier. Conclusion: This evaluation supports MBSR as a public health, group-based approach to improving students' mental health and building a more positive campus community.