The effect of mindfulness on academic self-efficacy: a randomised controlled trial

Menges, Jack R.;Caltabiano, Marie L.

Abstract

This study examined the effect of a brief mindfulness intervention on academic self-efficacy. Twenty-six university students were randomised to a four day brief mindfulness intervention or a wait-listed control condition. The brief mindfulness intervention took the form of four 30 minute sessions of mindfulness meditation over four consecutive days. Measures of mindfulness, emotional wellbeing and academic self-efficacy were obtained via a self-report survey prior to the intervention, post-intervention and at one month follow-up. Both groups had comparable baseline measures on all three scales. Data analysis revealed that both academic self-efficacy and mindfulness increased between pre- and post-intervention with a medium effect size (d = 0.472 and 0.415 respectively). Emotional wellbeing significantly increased following the intervention with a large effect size (d = 0.652) and remained at this level after one month. Academic self-efficacy also stayed at elevated post-intervention levels after one month while mindfulness continued to increase following the intervention and was significantly higher at follow-up than at baseline (d = 0.564). There were no significant changes in the measured variables for the control group. Regression analysis revealed that increases in emotional wellbeing significantly predicted increases in academic self-efficacy for participants in the experimental group, both increases in mindfulness and emotional wellbeing were significantly correlated with increases in academic self-efficacy. These findings suggest that a brief mindfulness intervention is an effective and practical means to improve academic self-efficacy and emotional wellbeing in university students. Implications, limitations and future directions for research are discussed.

Journal

International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling

Publication Name

International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling

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0128-164X

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Publisher

Global Academic Excellence

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DOI

10.35631/IJEPC.4310015