Examining the impact of web-based mindfulness on undergraduate student's quality of life: a randomized controlled trial

Background Evidence shows that mindfulness-based programs reduce levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Yet, web-based mindfulness has been less studied, especially among university students. We developed a student-centered web-based mindfulness virtual community (MVC) intervention informed by cognitive-behavioral-therapy constructs. MVC comprised of (1) 12 online video-based modules (psychoeducation and practice), (2) anonymous peer-to-peer discussion forums, and (3) anonymous, group-based, 20-min live video conferences by a trained moderator. While the intervention was found effective in reducing anxiety and depression in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), the impact on students' quality of life remained to be examined. The reported study examined the impact of 8-week long web-based MVC intervention on the quality of life of undergraduate students compared to those in the control group. Participants were recruited from a large Canadian university into a two-arm RCT (N = 160) and randomly allocated to the web-based MVC intervention (n = 80) or to the control (n = 80) group. Participants completed online survey at baseline (T1) and at 8-week (T2). The outcome of quality of life was measured by 16-item Quality of Life Scale (QOLS). The generalized estimation equation (GEE) method with AR(1) covariance structures was used, adjusting for potential covariates. Results At the baseline 159 students completed the survey. Participants (32 males, 125 females, 2 other gender) had a mean age of 22.6 years, 57.2% were born in Canada. Participants in MVC (n = 79) and control (n = 80) groups were similar in sociodemographic characteristics except hours of volunteer work. At T2 that coincided with students' exam period, QOLS score for the control group declined while MVC group had a slight increase. Between-group analysis for QOLS score-change showed a significantly higher score at T2 for MVC group compared to the control (81.64, SD = 14.63 vs. 72.9, SD = 17.26, P < 0.001). Per adjusted GEE analysis, the higher QOLS score in MVC compared to the control group was statistically significant (beta = -2.24, P = .03). Conclusions Web-based MVC intervention helped the students to have better quality of life, compared to the control group, at 8-week follow-up despite exam stress. Future research with a longer follow-up would advance understanding.