Abstract:

Background:
Mindfulness has been linked to health and performance related outcomes in student populations such as reduced anxiety, stress, and burnout. Despite this, there is little empirical evidence on the positive effects of mindfulness practice beyond the reduction and elimination of negative outcomes. The lack of empirical evidence on the positive outcomes of mindfulness related practices in student populations leads us to the aim of this study.

Aim:
The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of mindfulness practice on well-being, satisfaction, and performance of 147 students of the degree of Psychology at the University of Barcelona (Spain) who coursed the subject Organizational Psychology.

Method:
The students answered a brief two-part questionnaire; the first part consisted of two items measuring their level of satisfaction with mindfulness practices taken during the semester, and their level of satisfaction with the course. The second part consisted in an open-ended question about how mindfulness affected their well-being during the semester. Additionally, academic performance was measured through course grades as an objective measure.

Results:
The results confirmed that students who attended mindfulness practices more regularly through the whole semester experienced more well-being and satisfaction, and had a better academic performance compared to those who attended fewer practice sessions.

Conclusions:
The study’s findings suggest that mindfulness is a successful strategy to promote satisfaction and academic performance in undergraduate students. It is an innovative and easy practice to implement that has a positive impact on overall student learning experience.

Keywords:

Mindfulness, organizational psychology, academic performance, student satisfaction, well-being.