Immediate effects of meditation in college students: A pilot study examining the role of baseline attention performance and trait mindfulness

Abstract

Objective Determine feasibility of a procedure to identify relationships between preexisting traits and immediate mindfulness meditation (MM) responses in novice college students. Participants Twenty-four novice college students participated between September 2016 and April 2017. Methods We measured trait mindfulness, attention and executive function performance, and immediate MM-related changes in self-reported state mindfulness and state anxiety following a 13-min MM. Results The procedure appeared to be feasible and acceptable to college students. Preliminary findings included increases in state mindfulness and decreases in state anxiety, which appeared to vary by level of trait mindfulness. Better attention performance correlated with greater increases in state mindfulness of body. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated feasibility of investigating the relationship between baseline traits and college students’ immediate MM responses. Using these methods, future studies can provide a unique examination of MM effects stratified by validated facets of state mindfulness of body and mind.