Linking University Students’ Mindfulness to Positive Adjustment Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: a 6-month Cross-Lagged Panel Design

Abstract

Objectives In the face of a global pandemic, research on wellness-fostering resources is urgently needed, especially with longitudinal designs and diverse samples. According to the mindfulness-to-meaning theory and broaden-and-build theory, this study examined the reciprocal associations among a group of Chinese university students’ trait mindfulness, positive and negative affect, and use of positive coping strategies, including positive reappraisal, planning, and seeking of emotional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Participants were 247 Hong Kong university students ( M age = 20.96, SD = 2.38; female = 86%) who completed survey measures of mindfulness, positive and negative affect, and positive coping strategies at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Data were analysed using a cross-lagged panel design, controlling for participants’ age. Results The proposed reciprocal model exhibited an excellent fit with the data. There was a reciprocal association between trait mindfulness and positive affect over time. However, no significant reciprocal effect was found among mindfulness, negative affect, and positive coping strategies. Conclusions Theoretically, the current findings extended the two theories to a non-Western population during a critical time and suggested a long-term reciprocal association between positive affect and mindfulness. Our study provided important insight into university students’ positive well-being during COVID-19 and demonstrated the wellness-fostering effect of mindfulness.

Mental health and academic achievement among Chinese adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of self-regulation learning

“…The findings were in accordance with previous research exploring mental health and self-regulated learning (Bernstein et al, 2015 ; Cho et al, 2017 ; Smith et al, 2021 ). More specifically, the better adolescents felt about their mental health status, the easier it became to expand resources like mindfulness, self-acceptance, purpose in life, social support, and pathways thinking (Fredrickson et al, 2008 ; Lee et al, 2022 ). Such resources were beneficial to acquire information or skill, and helped adolescents possess the ability to plan, monitor, control, and sustain learning practices, which, in return, could allow them to engage more effectively in learning.…”

“…It postulates that positive emotions and optimal psychological states can broaden the scope of attention and thought-action repertoires, which are valuable in building enduring adaptive resources (e.g., mindfulness and resilience) and enhancing health (Fredrickson, 1998 , 2013 ). Supporting broaden-and-build model, positive psychological states can influence cognitive or self-regulatory processes/skills (Stifter et al, 2020 ), and build resources in cognitive (e.g., pathways thinking), psychological (e.g., self-acceptance) or social domain (e.g., perceived social support) (Fredrickson et al, 2008 ), especially during times of adversity and stress (Lee et al, 2022 ).…”

Leveraging technology for pre‐service teachers' well‐being: The effectiveness of a multicomponent positive psychology intervention in pre‐service preschool teachers in Hong Kong

“…The results suggested that a minimum sample size of 113 participants was needed. With an estimated attrition rate of 10% (Datu et al, 2022; Lee et al, 2023; Lee, Sun, & Chung, 2022), at least 124 participants were needed to implement this study. Finally, 128 pre‐service teachers ( M age = 21.50, SD = 3.14, n female = 96.1%) signed the consent form and agreed to participate in the study.…”