The goal of this study is to look at the effects of a four-week yoga and meditation intervention on college students' stress perception, anxiety levels, and mindfulness abilities.
Methods. Students at the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy participated in a six-week trial program that comprised a one-hour vinyasa flow yoga class once a week, followed by guided meditation taught by staff members who had received training in the topic. Students completed questionnaires before and after the intervention to see how their stress and anxiety levels, as well as their mindfulness abilities, had changed. The questionnaire consisted of three self-reporting instruments: the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (FFMQ). To establish whether or not there had been any changes from the initial baseline, the numerical and categorical scales (low, medium, and high) for each instrument were utilized to analyze the students' scores on each. bing maps
Results. Seventeen individuals, ranging in age from 19 to 23, participated in the study. There were thirteen female and four male contestants. There were a total of twenty-one students, with nine pursuing the Doctor of Pharmacy degree and the remaining eight pursuing other academic degrees. Students' levels of stress and tension decreased significantly, while their total mindfulness scores increased tremendously. The BAI and PSS indicated significant improvements in categorical data from pre- to post-intervention, with no students rating "high" on the post-intervention questionnaire for stress or anxiety. These data suggest that the intervention was effective.
Conclusion. Students who completed a six-week yoga and meditation program prior to their final exams reported decreased levels of tension and anxiety after the program. According to the findings, even a brief session of mindfulness meditation once a week may help college students feel less worried and agitated. Administrators should consider including non-pharmacologic stress and anxiety reduction approaches into the curriculum in order to better support students' abilities to care for themselves.