Title: The effect of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program on students' test performance

Authors: Matthias Dressler; Rune Ellemose Gulev

Addresses: Kiel University of Applied Sciences, Sokratesplatz 2, 24149 Kiel, Germany ' Kiel University of Applied Sciences, Sokratesplatz 2, 24149 Kiel, Germany

Abstract: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), one of the most widely used mental training programs, has been reported to produce positive effects on psychological well-being and to ameliorate symptoms of a number of disorders. The current article seeks to explore if it can be scientifically determined that through mental training people can be led to act in a more sustainable manner with their mental forces and, at the same time, be significantly more efficient. The study sought to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on bachelor-level students' weekly test results. The results showed that there are significant differences between the experimental and the control group. Mindfulness-based stress reduction was influential in achieving higher scores and grades thus supporting our research hypothesis. Accordingly, the current article demonstrates that training of mindfulness-based stress reduction can be successful in coping effectively with testing conditions that are conducted under time constraints.

Keywords: mindfulness; sustainability; mindfulness-based stress reduction; MBSR; test; time constrain; effectiveness; students.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSE.2021.118617

International Journal of Sustainable Economy, 2021 Vol.13 No.4, pp.389 - 401

Received: 11 Feb 2021
Accepted: 06 Apr 2021
Published online: 29 Oct 2021 *

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