The effects of mindfulness-based interventions for health and social care undergraduate students – a systematic review of the literature

Health and social care undergraduate students experience stress due to high workloads and pressure to perform. Consequences include depression and burnout. Mindfulness may be a suitable way to reduce stress in health and social care degree courses. The objective of this systematic review is to identify and critically appraise the literature on the effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions for health and social care undergraduate students. PubMed, EMBASE, Psych Info, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library and Academic Search Complete were searched from inception to 21st November 2016. Studies that delivered Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, or an intervention modelled closely on these, to health or social care undergraduate students were included. Eleven studies, representing medicine, nursing and psychology students met the inclusion criteria. The most commonly used measurement tools were; the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire. Short term benefits relating to stress and mood were reported, despite all but one study condensing the curriculum. Gender and personality emerged as factors likely to affect intervention results. Further research with long-term follow-up is required to definitively conclude that mindfulness is an appropriate intervention to mentally prepare health and social care undergraduate students for their future careers.     

Mental health provision,religion, politics,and guns: college students express their concerns

The purpose of this study was to gather the opinions of college students regarding their concerns about guns and mental illness and how they differed by gender, race, religion, and political party. Four hundred and nineteen college students participated in an online survey. Eighty-one per cent believe increasing mental health services will prevent gun violence. A logistic regression analysis revealed that all agreed regardless of race, religion, gender, and political party that insurance companies should be required to offer benefits for mental health care that are similar to health care. Males were three times as likely to agree there should be laws prohibiting persons with a mental illness to carry a hand gun (3.8502 AOR). Overall, college students believe mental health care should be funded. It is less clear what the role of government should be in funding mental health services.     

The best teacher is like a famous mage everyone knows – Just not any of your favorites

This essay draws out the useful parallels between the best kind of teacher and the Good Witch of the North, Glinda, from The Wizard of Oz. Unappealing to many viewers or readers of the classic children's story, Glinda offers an inspiring reminder of four important pedagogical points: (1) the master teacher always treats her student as a peer; (2) the master teacher acknowledges and encourages her student's abilities but lets her learn how to exercise them on her own; (3) the master teacher is often not equivalent or even similar to anyone the student has encountered before; and (4) the master teacher is not a surrogate parent but a more distant figure.     

Association between tobacco use,depression, and anxiety: A cross-national study among university students from 30 low- and middle-income countries

This study aimed to investigate the association between tobacco use and depression and anxiety in a cross-national study among university students from 30 predominantly low- and middle-income countries. Self-report survey data were collected from 23 073 university students (58.0% female), with a mean age of 20.8 years (SD = 2.5). Following logistic regression analyses, tobacco using university students were more likely to have depressive symptoms and anxiety (posttraumatic stress symptoms = PTSS) than non-tobacco using students. Gender stratified analysis found associations between tobacco use and depressive symptoms were stronger among women than men. The associations between tobacco use and anxiety (PTSD) symptoms were stronger among men than women. In this large cross-national study, current tobacco use was significantly associated with depression and anxiety (PTSD) symptoms. Tobacco use prevention efforts can help alleviating mental health problems among university students.     

Meaning as a coping resource: Experiences of nursing students

This exploratory study examined conceptions of meaning as a coping resource among nursing students. A qualitative approach was used to explore the lived experiences of 13 nursing students (female = 85%; age range = 18–22 years). Four conceptions of meaning emerged from the qualitative analysis, namely occupational stress as an avenue to meaning, compassion satisfaction, relational meaning, and meaning through spirituality. The findings indicate that various conceptions of meaning could assist nursing students in enhancing coping abilities.     

Social Validity Assessment of Mindfulness Education and Practices Among High School Students

The authors describe social validity assessment of mindfulness education and practices among high school students (N = 84) participating in a 10-week instructional program. The participants rated their satisfaction with and acceptance of several program components, content areas, and outcomes, as well as their engagement in specific mindfulness practices. Nearly all of the participants rated the program favorably, reported many beneficial effects, and anticipated future use of mindfulness in their lives. They did not routinely perform voluntary formal guided meditations beyond the classroom but did engage in informal mindfulness practices preceding certain activities (e.g., preparing for a test, athletic competition, performance event) and going to sleep at night. The authors discuss these findings and the implications for designing school-based mindfulness education programs.     

社会支持对大学生希望的影响机制:自尊和自我效能感的中介作用

为了探讨社会支持各维度和大学生希望的关系及其自尊和自我效能感在其中的作用机制,采用社会支持评定量表、希望特质问卷、自尊量表和一般自我效能问卷对756名大学生进行调查。结果发现:(1)社会支持的主观支持维度对大学生的希望有着显著的正向预测作用,客观支持和支持利用度两个维度对希望的预测作用不显著;(2)自尊和自我效能感在主观社会支持对希望的预测关系中有非常显著的中介作用,而自我效能感的中介效应更显著。     

Implementing a teacher-student relationship program in a high-poverty urban school: Effects on social, emotional, and academic adjustment and lessons learned

The primary purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of a program designed to improve adolescents' relationships with at least one teacher in an urban high school. All participating students were nominated by teachers as having significant emotional and behavioral problems and approximately half of these youth were randomly assigned to an intervention that included increased positive involvement between each student and one teacher within the school. Teacher ratings of students' social, behavioral, emotional, and academic adjustment at pre- and post-intervention indicated that students in the intervention group had higher grade point averages than did students in the control group following the 5-month intervention but no differences were observed on other variables. Challenges associated with conducting school-based, relationship-focused interventions in high-poverty urban environments and several lessons that were learned in the process of initiating this project are discussed.     

中学生内隐自我价值感特征的实验研究

应用经过修订的内隐联想测验技术和青少年自我价值感量表对230名初中一年级至高中三年组中学生的内隐自我价值感与外显自我价值感的发展水平进行测试与分析。研究结果表明：经过修订的内隐联想测验的实验效果量良好;中学生的内隐自我价值感具有稳定性和一致性特征;内隐自我价值感与外显自我价值感是两个相对独立的结构。     

初中生友谊特征与攻击行为的关系研究

本研究运用社会测量提名法、友谊质量问卷、社会行为同伴提名法考察了586名初一至初三儿童的友谊特征与攻击行为的关系。研究表明,在男女初中生中,不论外部攻击还是关系攻击,一对友伴表现出的攻击行为越多,其同伴接纳程度越低。结果表明,同伴群体可能支持符合性别规范的攻击行为,反对不符合性别规范的攻击行为。友谊受欢迎程度这一外部指标比友谊质量等内部指标对攻击行为的预测更为稳定和可靠。