Effects of an Online Mindfulness Program on Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Coping among Undergraduate Second-Year Nursing Students

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an online mindfulness intervention on second-year nursing students’ depression, anxiety, stress, and coping. Hypotheses: It was hypothesized that nursing students’ depression, anxiety, and stress scores would decrease, and coping abilities would increase in response to an online mindfulness module. Methods: Lazarus and Folkman’s Transactional Model of Stress and Coping was used to guide the proposed intervention using a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest one-group design. A convenience sample of 76 nursing students was utilized from three campuses at one nursing school. Pre- and post-tests on depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as the coping scale, were administered to all students enrolled in their second year (fourth semester) of nursing school. The mindfulness exercise intervention was administered before the posttests. Results: Student nurses who completed the four-week online mindfulness intervention reported decreased anxiety and stress. Open-ended questions revealed the intervention was beneficial, and the time spent practicing mindfulness was valuable. Conclusion: A four-week online mindfulness intervention was effective when used in nursing students, reducing anxiety and stress. The online mindfulness intervention resulted in lowered anxiety and stress in nursing students\u27 engaged in clinical courses and warrants further study