A campus-based spiritual-mind-body prevention intervention against symptoms of depression and trauma; an open trial of Awakened Awareness

Abstract

Increasing prevalence and severity of undergraduate psychopathology alongside evidence linking spiritual well-being to the prevention of psychopathology has led to the development of campus-supported spiritual-mind-body (SMB) wellness interventions, which have yet to be formally tested in either open or controlled clinical trials. The primary aim of this open trial was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an eight-session SMB wellness intervention, Awakened Awareness for Adolescents (AA-A), to support the developmental task of spiritual development and individuation. Undergraduates aged 18–24 (N = 77) from two sister universities participated in an open trial study. Clinical and spiritual well-being variables were assessed before and after delivery of the AA-A intervention. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to examine pre-to-post-intervention differences. Multiple regression models were conducted to estimate if post-intervention psychopathology symptoms were predicted by a change in spiritual well-being across the intervention. Analyses of student self-reported psychopathology indicated significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms as well as spiritual well-being variables from pre-to-post-intervention. Furthermore, improvements in spiritual well-being predicted improvements in depression, anxiety, and PTS. AA-A appears feasible and acceptable within a culturally, racially, and religiously diverse sample of college students in a secular university. Additionally, this study suggests that AA-A may initiate recovery from moderate forms of psychological distress by addressing pre-existing spiritual distress. SMB interventions may offer novel targeted prevention approaches by providing support for the developmental tasks of identity development and spiritual individuation within the college environment.