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. 2019 Nov 18;7(1):385-395.
doi: 10.1080/21642850.2019.1688154.

A naturalistic study of yoga, meditation, self-perceived stress, self-compassion, and mindfulness in college students

Margaret M Gorvine  1 , Nickolas D Zaller  1 , Heather K Hudson  2 , Denise Demers  2 , Lyndsay A Kennedy  3
Affiliations

A naturalistic study of yoga, meditation, self-perceived stress, self-compassion, and mindfulness in college students

Margaret M Gorvine et al. Health Psychol Behav Med. .

Abstract

Objective: This study compared the effects of yoga and mindfulness meditation on self-compassion, mindfulness, and perceived stress in college students; and explored mind-body mechanisms and predictors of stress reduction. Participants: Student participants (N = 92) were enrolled in either yoga or mindfulness meditation classes at a college in the southern United States from August through May of 2015-2016. Methods: Students participated in 50-minute classes twice a week for 10 weeks, completing self-report questionnaires during the 1st and 10th week. Results: Multiple-linear regression analysis found change in self-compassion was the strongest predictor of stress reduction. Conclusions: Increasing self-compassion may increase the efficacy of mind-body interventions. Research into mind-body mechanisms is needed to identify intervention components that most improve student well-being.

Keywords: Yoga; meditation; mindfulness; mind–body interventions; self-compassion; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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Figure 1.
Study flow chart.
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