A nonrandomised trial of a five-week brief mindfulness-based intervention for emerging adults experiencing anxious and depressive symptoms

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective We tested the effectiveness of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (bMBI) for emerging adults (EAs) experiencing anxious and depressive symptoms. Specifically, we examined: (1) whether there are improvements in mental health outcomes among participants at post-intervention and in a one-month follow-up, and (2) whether initial health variables predict overall mental health improvement over the intervention. Method Forty-five undergraduate students who were experiencing mood and/or anxiety symptoms participated in a five-session, in-person mindfulness group. Data on anxious symptoms (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire–9), mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale), perceived stress (10-item Perceived Stress Scale), and self-compassion (12-item Self-Compassion Scale – Short Form) were collected at baseline, immediately prior to the beginning of the intervention, at the beginning of session three, immediately following the intervention and at one-month follow-up. Results The preliminary analysis indicated that this five-session bMBI for EAs was: (1) effective in decreasing psychological distress and increasing well-being, with improvements continuing at the follow-up; and (2) that pre-bMBI self-compassion moderated anxious, depressive and well-being scores at mid-bMBI, post-bMBI, and one-month follow-up. Discussion The current findings lend support for an effective intervention for EAs and provide direction for increased services and preventative strategies for EAs in post-secondary education. This study is one of the few studies on such therapeutic interventions for mood and anxiety within EA research.