An Effectiveness Study of a Digital Mindfulness-Based Program for Upper Secondary Education Students
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ORIGINAL PAPER
An Effectiveness Study of a Digital Mindfulness-Based Program for Upper Secondary Education Students Oskari Lahtinen 1
&
Christina Salmivalli 1,2
# The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Objectives Mindfulness-based programs/interventions (MBPs) are emerging as treatments for anxiety and stress for adults and adolescents. MBPs can also be helpful as universal interventions for healthy subjects. Few studies have looked at how beneficial MBP effects transfer to digital MBPs. Methods The study was a randomized controlled trial with 1349 participants aged mostly 16–19. We compared a digital MBP vs. a waitlist condition. Online questionnaire data were collected pre-program, post-program, and at 3-month follow-up. Results Completing the MBP resulted in a small-to-moderate reduction in anxiety (F1,681 = 13.71, p < .01, d = .26), a small reduction in depression (F1,686 = 8.54, p < .01, d = .15), and a small increase in psychological quality of life (F1,708 = 3.94, p = .05, d = .16). Attrition rate for the MBP was 41.5%. Conclusions The results suggest that digital MBPs can be successful in delivering at least some of the benefits characteristic of face-to-face MBPs. Keywords Mindfulness . Mindfulness-based program (MBP) . Digital . Depression . Anxiety
The effects of mindfulness-based programs and mindfulnessbased interventions (hereafter both are referred to as MBPs) on mental and physical suffering have been a focus of intense interest in recent years. Best available evidence in the field now indicates that MBPs are effective in treating recurrent depression and possibly effective in alleviating anxiety and stress (e.g., de Vibe et al. 2017; Goyal et al. 2014; Kuyken et al. 2015). In addition to combating adversity, MBPs can also enhance well-being, e.g., via improving meditators’ overall quality of life and physical functioning (de Vibe et al. 2017; Goyal et al. 2014). MBPs can thus be studied both as treatments for specific mental health issues (e.g., depression, anxiety) and as universal well-being interventions. MBPs can benefit participants when delivered face-to-face. However, less evidence exists for the efficacy of online or digital MBPs. A particularly underrepresented group in digital
* Oskari Lahtinen [email protected] 1
Department of Psychology and Speech-Language Pathology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
2
Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
MBP studies are children and adolescents. Researchers have also recently argued that MBPs for adolescents would benefit from being supplemented with smartphone-based ecological momentary intervention (EMI) components (LucasThompson et al. 2019). The most common group MBPs are the MBSR and the MBCT (mindfulness-based stress reduction and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy; Kabat-Zinn 1990; Teasdale et al. 2000). The duration of these interventions is 8 weeks and they involve daily home practice. Recently, smartphone apps and online resources have played an ever greater role as an entry point to mindfulness practice (Mani et al. 2015). Ever m
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