Abstract
ObjectivesLoving-kindness meditation (LKM) has been shown to improve wellbeing and positive emotions in clinical and non-clinical populations. The main goal of the present study was to examine whether LKM might be an effective intervention to promote positive mental health using the Positive Mental Health Scale (PMH) and to decrease depression, anxiety, and stress in university students.MethodsThe sample (n = 110) consisted of university students in Germany. One half of them (n = 55) underwent LKM intervention. They were compared with a matched control group (n = 55) which did not receive treatment. All participants completed positive and negative mental health measures at baseline and 1-year follow-up assessments. LKM participants additionally completed the same measures before and after treatment. Multiple analyses of variance were conducted to test for short- and long-term effects of LKM on positive and negative mental health measures.ResultsA significant short-term effect of LKM on anxiety and PMH was found. Long-term analyses revealed a significant decrease of depression, anxiety, and stress for LKM completers, and a significant increase of depression, anxiety, and stress for the control group.ConclusionsThe results suggest that LKM enhances mental health in university students.
Highlights
Because the purpose of the program was a low-threshold intervention for university students rather than psychotherapy for clinical populations, no exclusion criteria were used and the students were not screened for mental disorders
The DASS scores were slightly higher and the Positive Mental Health Scale (PMH) and SHS scores were slightly lower in the Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) group as compared with the control group
The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) using the two groups as between-subject variables and DASS, PMH, and SHS as dependent variables resulted in no significant differences
Summary
Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) has been shown to improve wellbeing and positive emotions in clinical and nonclinical populations. The main goal of the present study was to examine whether LKM might be an effective intervention to promote positive mental health using the Positive Mental Health Scale (PMH) and to decrease depression, anxiety, and stress in university students. One half of them (n = 55) underwent LKM intervention They were compared with a matched control group (n = 55) which did not receive treatment. All participants completed positive and negative mental health measures at baseline and 1-year follow-up assessments. Multiple analyses of variance were conducted to test for short- and long-term effects of LKM on positive and negative mental health measures. Long-term analyses revealed a significant decrease of depression, anxiety, and stress for LKM completers, and a significant increase of depression, anxiety, and stress for the control group
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
