In Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health, Nova Scholar Jeff Greeson and coauthors evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, four-session Mindfulness Skills Course (MSC) designed for university employees.
Of the 164 individuals who attended the first class and completed the pre-course survey packet, 82% attended at least three of the four class sessions and 75% completed the post-course survey packet. The majority of participants who provided post-course evaluation data reported improvements across several outcome measures including experiencing a decrease in stress, an increase in mindfulness, and an increase in positive emotions towards the self.
The authors determined the MSC was feasible for university employees, as evidenced by maximum enrollment rates for each class and an 82% completion rate. In addition, participants rated the program as highly acceptable and valued—agreeing that the course was useful to them in their work and personal lives, it helped in managing stress, and that they would recommend the program to others.
These results support the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief, four-week, employer-sponsored mindfulness skills course, which may be most helpful for individuals with higher stress and lower trait mindfulness.
