The integration of meditation into higher education: a systematic literature review.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to review empirical studies on meditation-related interventions for college and university students over the past decade, focusing on attention, academic performance, and mental health (stress/anxiety).
Results Summary
The review found that meditation had inconsistent impacts on academic performance but showed more conclusive evidence for improving attention (e.g., reducing mind-wandering) and reducing stress and anxiety. Meditation interventions appear promising as alternative mental health treatments, though further research is needed on dosage, techniques, and diverse populations.
Population
College and university students
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
meditation practice | no change | academic performance | college students | inconsistent impacts | appearing to have inconsistent impacts | #1 |
meditation practice | increase | attention including mind-wandering | college students | more conclusive evidence | demonstrates more conclusive evidence | #2 |
meditation practice | decrease | stress and anxiety | college students | more conclusive evidence | demonstrates more conclusive evidence in regard to the reduction | #3 |
Meditation interventions | increase | mental health | on campuses | show promise | continue to show promise as alternative treatments | #4 |
Objective: Reviewed empirical studies involving meditation-related interventions for college and university students during the past decade. Methods: Based on inclusion criteria, 44 studies were selected for the review and categorized into three major areas: attention, academic performance, and mental health (stress/anxiety). Areas were systemically reviewed and synthesized. Results: Review findings suggest that, while appearing to have inconsistent impacts on academic performance, meditation practice with college students demonstrates more conclusive evidence in regard to attention including mind-wandering and the reduction of stress and anxiety. Conclusion: Meditation interventions continue to show promise as alternative treatments for mental health on campuses. However, well-designed studies are still needed to answer questions on meditation practices with students, including dosage, specific techniques, and impact on diverse populations.