Article2008

Meditation Lowers Stress and Supports Forgiveness Among College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Doug Oman · Shauna L. Shapiro · Carl E. Thoresen · Thomas G. Plante · Tim Flinders

367 citations0/0 files storedJournal of American College Health

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Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction

Abstract

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.

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Cited by

2015Mindfulness-based meditation to decrease stress and anxiety in college students: A narrative synthesis of the research 2010Developing Mindfulness in College Students Through Movement-Based Courses: Effects on Self-Regulatory Self-Efficacy, Mood, Stress, and Sleep Quality 2011A randomised controlled trial of the effects of mindfulness practice on medical student stress levels 2012Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, and Zen Meditation for Depression, Anxiety, Pain, and Psychological Distress 2015Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention.

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