The Effect of a Mindfulness-Based Education Program on Brain Waves and the Autonomic Nervous System in University Students

Abstract

Background: Mindfulness, defined as the awareness emerging from purposefully paying attention to the present moment, has been shown to be effective in reducing stress and, thus, promoting psychological well-being. This study investigated the effects of a mindfulness-based education program on mindfulness, brain waves, and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in university students in Korea. Methods: This study is a quantitative and experimental research with a single-group pre-post design. Six sessions of mindfulness-based intervention were applied. In total, 42 students completed a mindfulness questionnaire before and after the intervention, and 28 among them completed pre-intervention and post-intervention measures of brain waves and ANS. Results: The level of mindfulness increased in the participants after intervention. Regarding brain waves, the alpha and theta waves increased, but the beta waves decreased. There was no significant difference in the ANS, presenting no change in heart rate variability. Conclusions: We identified the positive effects of the mindfulness-based education program for university students. The findings indicate that this program may help students not only relax, but also generate a mindfulness state in stressful situations, potentially leading to a successful university life. This study can be used as a basis for quality improvement and sustainability of mindfulness-based education programs for university students.

Emotion Self-Regulation in Neurotic Students: A Pilot Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Assess Its Effectiveness through Brain Signals and Behavioral Data

“…Moreover, the EEG analysis showed that there were significant differences between the students before and after BMI ( p -values < 0.05) in resting states (e.g., eyes-closed and eyes-opened) and tasks (e.g., video stimulation and the Stroop task). These results support the EEG studies that reported significant differences between university students before and after mindfulness, represented by an increase in the alpha and theta and a decrease in the beta rhythms [ 34 ]. However, our study accounted for neuroticism, which has been suggested as a significant factor for studying the impact of mindfulness [ 23 ].…”

“…The attempt to identify an EEG channel to evaluate the effect of mindfulness is an ever-growing interesting research area. There are EEG devices that have been used to improve education through mindfulness with one [ 33 ] or more channels [ 34 ]. Using simple, relatively low-cost equipment may help neurotic students to evaluate the effect of mindfulness and encourage them to keep consistent practice, and therefore facilitate healthy life-style monitoring.…”

Brain-computer interfaces in digital mindfulness training for metacognitive, emotional and attention regulation skills: a literature review

“…These results reveal that mindfulness training elevated the brain waves that signify a state of relaxed awareness. Jung et al (2021) examined the effects of a mindfulness-based education program on mindfulness, brain waves, and the autonomic nervous system in university students. After six sessions of mindfulness-based interventions, measures of brain waves indicated an increase in the alpha and theta waves and a decrease in the beta waves.…”

The Voice of Identity: The Power of Mindfulness-Based Approach in EFL Poetry Classroom

“…The mindfulness process could make the students more open and honest about themselves, relaxed and flexible. In general, mindfulness researches show that mindfulness could improve learning because the students' behavior toward learning is different, making them more relaxed and peaceful (Bazzano et al, 2018;Jung & Lee, 2021;Semple et al, 2017). The researchers do not show how mindfulness happens to build the inner voice of the learners.…”