Abstract
IntroductionThis study describes the implementation of a mind–body intervention to reduce the perceived level of stress in a nonclinical group of university students. We used a novel approach including a single session of a mind–body technique known as the brain wave modulation (BWM) as an adjunct to a single information session on stress management.MethodsThree hundred and six students participated in the study. A quasi‐experimental design was adopted: Students in the experimental group were exposed to an information session on stress management followed by a single session of the BWM, while the other students were exposed to the information session alone.ResultsA 2 × 2 mixed factor analysis of variance demonstrated that the single session of the BWM was effective in reducing the perceived level of stress in the experimental group as compared to the control group.ConclusionThe BWM is a very easy‐to‐learn technique that presents certain advantages over traditional mind–body methods.
Highlights
This study describes the implementation of a mind–body intervention to reduce the perceived level of stress in a nonclinical group of university students
We evaluated the effectiveness of the brain wave modulation (BWM) as an adjunct to an information session on stress management in reducing part of the negative psychological perceived stress in a population of first-year university students
This study shows the positive effect that the BWM application can have in reducing the perceived level of stress as compared to a single information session on stress management
Summary
Mind–body therapies can be defined as interventions that are based on several practices designed to facilitate the mind's positive impact on the body (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016). A recent line of research (Cozzolino, Guarino, Castiglione, Cicatelli, & Celia, 2017; Hsieh & Eisch, 2010; Lloyd & Rossi, 2008; Niles, Mehta, Corrigan, Bhasin, & Denninger, 2014; Rossi, Cozzolino, Mortimer, Atkinson, & Rossi, 2011; Rossi, Rossi, Yount, Cozzolino, & Iannotti, 2006) has demonstrated that the cause of many disease conditions, including inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases, is a complex interaction among distressful life experiences, genome, mind, and behavioral factors These studies provide new insights into the pathophysiology of stress-related disorders and have identified the gene sets involved in several biological pathways, including stress response, inflammation, and physical health. Other studies (Finkelstein-Fox, Park, & Riley, 2018; Gallego, Aguilar-Parra, Cangas, Rosado, & Langer, 2016; Meier & Welch, 2016; Running & Hildreth, 2017; Saoji, Mohanty, & Vinchurkar, 2017) supported the effectiveness of a number of mind–body interventions in reducing stress in university students These interventions include bioenergy, biofeedback, mindfulness, autogenous training, cognitive-behavioral therapy, yoga, and tai chi. The study aimed at understanding whether a stress management program for university students based on the BWM as an adjunct to an information session on stress management would be effective and sustainable
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