Confinement: meditation to improve mental health

Student volunteers

The study involved student volunteers from various parts of Aix-Marseille University (Faculty of Sports Science, Polytech Marseille, Inspé, Faculty of Science) pursuing their studies from L3 to M2 level via distance learning, as imposed by the health measures in force during the 2nd COVID-19-related containment, in December 2020.

Firstly, the researchers assessed the impact of the health crisis context on students' mental health (stress, anxiety, depression, well-being) and attentional performance, using questionnaires and an online cognitive test. A significant proportion of the students surveyed showed worrying psychological scores, falling into the severe to extremely severe category (respectively 24% for stress, 20% for anxiety and 18% for depression). What's more, 70% of them had a well-being score below the average for French students outside the COVID-19 period. These results confirmed the presence of unprecedented psychological distress among the students, who had to cope with restrictions impacting their personal, social and academic lives. However, no deficit in their attentional capacities was observed, these having been potentially preserved thanks to the cognitive stimulation provided by the pedagogical continuity plan, implemented in the form of distance learning.

Online meditation to cope with the crisis

The researchers then investigated the effectiveness of an online mindfulness meditation (MBM) intervention in countering the psychological difficulties observed among students in this restrictive and anxiety-inducing context. MBM is a secular mental practice within the realm of alternative, non-drug therapies. It involves focusing attention on the present moment (thoughts, sensations, emotions), without expectation, filter or judgment. Half of the students included in the study were randomly assigned to an online GPA program, developed in collaboration with an online guided meditation specialist, while the other half continued their normal daily activities. The program consisted of 17 days of daily sessions, accessible via a secure digital space, lasting 20 minutes during the week and 10 minutes at weekends. They included exercises focusing on breathing, acceptance and positive emotions. At the end of the 17 days, only the students who had undergone the MPC intervention had significantly reduced their levels of stress, depression and anxiety, and improved their level of well-being, relative to their baseline levels.

Promising results

This study raises awareness of the psychological distress of students in a pandemic context where this population was not considered at risk from the virus itself. It also offers promising prospects in terms of the management and prevention of psychological risks, by demonstrating the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation (MBM) in coping with stressful periods such as the COVID-19 health crisis.