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A College Freshman Mindfulness Seminar to Enhance Psychological Well-being and Cognitive Function

Mindfulness training has shown promise in improving psychological health and cognitive function. Mindfulness skills may be particularly beneficial in helping first-year students’ transition to college, as this can be a time period of considerable lifestyle changes and increased stress. Previous research has demonstrated positive effects of mindfulness training in college populations, but primarily by providing standardized mindfulness programs that are distinct from the college curriculum. Such programs may pose greater challenges for student participation, as they require a strong extracurricular time commitment. The present study examined the effects of mindfulness training incorporated into a semester-long college seminar dedicated to both practical learning of mindfulness skills and scientific understanding of mindfulness theory, based on the evidence-based Learning to BREATHE (L2B) curriculum. In a quasi-experimental design, first-year undergraduate students in the mindfulness seminar were compared with a control group enrolled in a positive psychology and study skills seminar. Students in the mindfulness seminar exhibited more improvement in satisfaction with life and trait mindfulness, as well as less anxiety; in contrast, no differences were observed in cognitive function. These results demonstrate the feasibility and potential psychological benefits of integrating mindfulness training into standard college curriculum.