Objective: This study aimed to provide a snapshot of the current landscape, drawing upon existing research to evaluate the extent to which online mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been integrated into mainstream treatment paradigms and their observed outcomes.
Methods: The initial month of the full mindfulness virtual community (F-MVC) intervention included 12 video modules focusing on students’ known stressors and mindfulness exercises; private online forums for peer discussions; and 20-minute live video conferences led by professionals in anonymous groups. During the next four weeks of F-MVC, participants were limited to watching modules in video format. The online surveys were conducted at T1, T2, and T3 - 4 weeks and 8 weeks, respectively.
Results: Out of the 113 students who gave T1 data, there were 28 male and 85 female students, with an average age of 24.8 years. At the T3 follow-up, after making adjustments for comparison purposes, there were notable decreases in depression scores for F-MVC (change in score of −4.03; p < 0.001) and partial mindfulness virtual community (P-MVC) (change in score of −4.82; p < 0.001) compared to waitlist control (WLC). At T3, there was a significant decrease in anxiety scores specifically for P-MVC (with a score change of −7.35 and a p value of .01) while both F-MVC and P-MVC showed a noteworthy decrease in perceived stress scores compared to WLC, −5.32 (p < 0.001) and −5.61 (p = 0.005) respectively.
Conclusion: Online mindfulness cognitive behavioral therapy-based programs like F-MVC and P-MVC can lead to considerable decreases in depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms among patients with mental health disorders.
Key words: Effectiveness, mindfulness-based interventions, mental health, addiction, treatment
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