Effects of a brief mindfulness-based intervention on emotional regulation and levels of mindfulness in senior students

Abstract Mindfulness-based interventions have been applied in diverse populations and achieved mental health benefits. This study examined the effects of a brief mindfulness program for emotional regulation and levels of mindfulness on senior students in Brazil. The intervention consisted of six weekly meetings attended by 30 participants. It is a pre-experimental research, with pre- and post-test comparative and correlation measurements. The preliminary results, which relied on parametrical and non-parametrical tests, revealed a reduction in total emotional regulation difficulties (p = 0.0001; r = - 0.55). Also, there was an increase in the levels of mindfulness in the subtests for both dimensions under evaluation: "Awareness" (p = 0.0001; d =0.77) and "Acceptance" (p = 0.048; d =0.37). By associating the amount of meditative practices performed by students with the variables, a significant positive correlation was found with the mindfulness dimension "Awareness" (rP = 0.422; p = 0.020), and there was a significant negative correlation with Difficulties in emotion regulation (rS = - 0.478; p = 0.008) and with its respective subscales "Non-acceptance" (rS = - 0.654; p = 0.0001) and "Clarity" (rS = - 0.463; p = 0.010). In conclusion, the application of a brief mindfulness-based intervention is promising in Brazilian university contexts; moreover, it can bring benefits to students, e.g., an increase in emotion regulation as well as in levels of mindfulness. We suggest that further research should use an experimental design and follow-up.

Expectativas e adaptação acadêmica em estudantes universitários / Expectations and college adjustment in college students / Expectativas y adaptación académica en universitarios

O objetivo desse estudo foi identificar e comparar as expectativas e a adaptação acadêmica em iniciantes e concluintes e identificar o impacto das expectativas na adaptação. Participaram 400 universitários, sendo 151 homens e 249 mulheres, na faixa etária entre 18 e 59 anos, de instituições públicas e privadas do estado do Rio de Janeiro, que responderam o Questionário de Envolvimento Acadêmico, versão A e versão B, relativos às expectativas e comportamentos, e o Questionário de Vivências Acadêmicas, versão reduzida. Utilizou-se o teste t de Student para comparar os grupos e o teste d de Cohen para calcular o tamanho do efeito. Para avaliar o impacto das expectativas acadêmicas na adaptação à universidade, realizou-se análise de regressão linear. Os resultados apontaram diferenças, porém com baixa magnitude para as expectativas e para a adaptação dos iniciantes e concluintes e que as expectativas acadêmicas dos universitários são preditoras da adaptação acadêmica à universidade.

The aim of this study was to identify and compare expectations and the college adjustment among the freshmen and senior students and the impact of expectations on adaptation. The sample was 400 college students, being 151 men and 249 women, in the age range of 18 through 59 years old, from public and private universities in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who answered the Questionnaire on Academic Involvement, versions A and B, regarding expectations and behaviors, and the Questionnaire on Academic Experiences, abridged version. Student's t-test has been used to compare the groups and the Cohen's d test to calculate the effect size. In order to evaluate the impact of the academic expectative on the adaptation to the university, linear regression analysis has been performed. The results have indicated differences, but with low magnitude for the expectations and adaptation of freshmen and senior students, and also, that the academic expectations of college students are predictors of college students' adjustment to the University.

El objetivo de este estudio es identificar y comparar las expectativas y la adaptación académica de los principiantes y los concluyentes, y el impacto de estas expectativas en la adaptación. En este estudio, participaron 400 universitarios de ambos sexos, siendo 151 hombres y 249 mujeres, con edades comprehendidas entre 18 y 59 años, de instituciones públicas y privada del estado de Río de Janeiro, Brasil, que contestaron el Cuestionario Participación Académica, versión A y la versión B, relativos a las expectativas y los comportamientos, y el Cuestionario de Vivencias Académicas, versión reducida. Se utilizó la prueba t de Student para comparar los grupos y la prueba d Cohen para calcular el tamaño del efecto. Para evaluar el impacto de las expectativas académicas en la adaptación a la universidad celebrada el análisis de regresión lineal. Los resultados apuntaron diferencias, pero con baja magnitud de las expectativas y de la adaptación de los principiantes y los graduados y las expectativas académicas de los universitarios son predictores del ajuste académico a la universidad.