Measuring Facets of Mindfulness Among Selected Undergraduate Students

Mindfulness is usually defined as bringing one's complete attention to the experiences occurring in the present moment, in a nonjudgmental or accepting way. Since the 1980s, increasing evidence has demonstrated that mindfulness techniques can enhance individuals' mental and emotional health. More recent studies, in other disciplines, have shown that mindfulness techniques can increase a person's health in all six dimensions (physical, mental, spiritual, social, emotional, and environmental). Research in other disciplines has shown that, when incorporated into daily life, mindfulness techniques can lower levels of depression, anxiety, and stress; be used to help with eating disorders and obesity, lower levels of BMI, prevent diabetes; and improve self-esteem, attention, life satisfaction, and self-regulation. These are all health concerns typically discussed in personal health courses. Since many universities offer a personal health course to undergraduates, this course could offer an opportunity for discussion and practice of mindfulness strategies and explore the impact on health-risk behaviors and overall health. The construct of mindfulness includes capacity to: observe, describe, and act with awareness of present moment experience, with a nonjudgmental and nonreactive attitude. The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) by Baer et. al. is a valid and reliable instrument to use to measure mindfulness in individuals. The purpose of this study was to assess levels of mindfulness among undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university to determine if students who had taken a personal health course (with a negligible focus on spirituality/mindfulness) would be more mindful that those who had not. The sample of 423 participants (163 males; 259 females) included 157 students who had taken a personal health course and 264 who had not. Independent t-test based on gender and course enrollment revealed no statistically significant differences in mean scores within the five facets of mindfulness. Students' mindfulness scores were slightly higher in all facets of mindfulness except nonjudgmental attitude compared to a University of Kentucky study by Bear, et. al. Differences were statistically significant for act with awareness (p<.001) and nonjudgmental attitude (p<.001). Since results from several other disciplines have substantiated the connection between mindfulness with health, increased focus on mindfulness in personal health courses and follow-up research is essential. In addition to study findings and recommendations, this presentation will explore strategies to integrate the five facets of mindfulness within undergraduate personal health classes.