Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Post-secondary students between 18 to 29 years old (Emerging Adults; EAs) experience higher rates of depressive and anxious symptoms than other age groups. EAs are interested in mental health services, but there are limited available options and long-wait times on campuses. Brief mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have been suggested as an efficacious method for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. MBI treatment effects (improved mental health and wellbeing) may also be explained by augmented self-compassion. Although, there is limited research to support the intervention efficacy and the mechanisms of change in EA populations. The proposed randomized control trial study will consider the efficacy of a brief MBI for EAs at York University, by comparing self-report mental health and wellbeing outcomes of the intervention (55 brief mindfulness participants) to a placebo-control group (55 mindfulness app participants). Based off my masters brief MBI research, this study hypothesizes (1) that a 5-week, brief MBI reduces mental health difficulties, and improves well-being in the short-term (immediately before session 3 and immediately after session 5) and in the long-term (3-, 6- and 12-months following the intervention completion) and (2) that the intervention effects (reduction in depression, anxiety, and improved wellbeing) are explained by augmented self-compassion. If an efficacious intervention, the proposed research study (1) could lead to a brief, evidence-based solution to improve the mental health and wellbeing of post-secondary EAs, that aligns with York Universities goal of Building Healthy Lives, Communities and Environment, (2) provide support for cultivating self-compassion in mental health-focused interventions for EA populations and 3) could result in dissemination of EA post-secondary student mental health knowledge nationally and internationally.