Evaluating the effectiveness of a specific intervention (self-comforting behaviors, including mindfulness and meditation) in improving emotional regulation and academic resilience in students facing academic failure. Other
Conditions
Interventions
Participants will be randomized into two arms: the intervention group and the control group. A randomized sampling procedure will be used to assign participants to each group to ensure an unbiased all
Sponsors
Global Banking School Birmingham
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: 1. Age: Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 50+ years. 2. Enrollment in Academic Program: Participants must be currently enrolled as students at the Global Banking School in Birmingham. 3. Experience of Academic Failure: Participants must have experienced academic challenges or failures (e.g., poor grades, academic probation) in the past year, as the study aims to explore coping strategies in the context of academic stress. 4. Willingness to Participate: Participants must provide informed consent and be willing to engage in the intervention for the full duration of the study (4 weeks). 5. Fluency in English: Participants must have a sufficient level of English proficiency to understand and engage with the intervention materials and assessments. 6. Ability to Commit to Study: Participants must be available to attend all scheduled sessions of the intervention group and complete post-intervention surveys and follow-up assessments. 7. No Severe Mental Health Issues: Participants must not be currently undergoing clinical treatment for mental health disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders) that would interfere with their participation in the study. 8. Physical and Cognitive Ability: Participants must be able to engage in mindfulness practices that involve physical posture, breathing exercises, and cognitive reflection, as long as there are no physical or cognitive impairments that would prevent participation.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: 1. Severe Mental Health Conditions: Participants currently undergoing treatment for severe mental health disorders (e.g., major depressive disorder, severe anxiety disorders, schizophrenia) or those with a history of such conditions that might interfere with their ability to engage in the intervention. 2. Current Participation in Other Psychological Interventions: Participants who are currently engaged in other psychological interventions, including therapy, counselling, or similar programmes, that may overlap with or confound the effects of the self-comforting intervention being studied. 3. Substance Abuse: Participants who have a history of or are currently struggling with substance abuse or dependency that may affect their ability to engage in or benefit from the intervention. 4. Pregnancy or Postpartum: Pregnant or postpartum participants who may have specific health considerations that could interfere with the participation in meditation and mindfulness activities. 5. Significant Cognitive Impairment: Participants with significant cognitive impairments that would prevent them from engaging fully in the mindfulness and meditation practices, such as severe dementia, brain injury, or other cognitive disorders. 6. Non-English Speakers: Participants who are non-English speakers or have insufficient proficiency in English to comprehend the instructions, intervention materials, or assessments. 7. Physical Disabilities Preventing Participation: Participants with physical disabilities that prevent them from engaging in the physical aspects of the mindfulness and meditation programme, such as those that require specific postures or breathing exercises, unless reasonable accommodations are available. 8. Unwillingness to Commit: Participants who are unwilling or unable to commit to attending all required intervention sessions and completing the necessary assessments throughout the study period. 9. Previous Extensive Mindfulness or Meditation Experience: Participants who have extensive prior experience with mindfulness, meditation, or similar self-comforting behaviours that may already provide them with coping strategies that could confound the results of the intervention.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Students’ self-comforting behaviours, assessed using the Self-Comforting and Coping Scale (SCCS) questionnaire at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at a 1-month follow-up. This scale assesses the frequency and effectiveness of self-soothing strategies, including mindfulness, positive self-talk, and cognitive reframing. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at a 1-month follow-up: 1. Sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, educational background, and other relevant factors) will be collected to explore their potential influence on participants' engagement with the intervention and their effectiveness in adopting self-comforting behaviours. These characteristics may provide insights into how personal factors impact the use of coping strategies and the success of interventions. 2. Self-reported attitudes towards self-comforting will be assessed using the Self-Comforting Attitude Scale (SCAS) to explore potential predictors of intervention success. This 5-point Likert scale assesses participants’ beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes regarding the effectiveness and usefulness of various self-comforting behaviours. The attitudes scale includes strategies such as mindfulness, positive self-talk, cognitive reframing, and self-reassurance. Within the context of academic failure, the scale includes items such as 'Mindfulness is an effective strategy for reducing academic stress' and 'I find self-reassurance helpful when dealing with academic failure.' These measures will help identify how attitudes towards self-comforting behaviours may influence the adoption and impact of the intervention. 3. Emotional resilience measured using the SCCS, specifically the subscales related to Coping Strategies, Learning from Failure, Cognitive Reframing, and Mindfulness and Acceptance. These subscales assess participants' use of coping mechanisms, their ability to adapt and learn from academic setbacks, and their emotional awareness and resilience in response to stress. 4. Academic stress levels measured using the Perceived Stress subscale of the SCCS. This subscale assesses the degree to which participants perceive their academic life as stressful, providing insight into their overall experience of academic stress. | — |
Countries
England, United Kingdom
Contacts
Public ContactKennedy Obohwemu
Outcome results
None listed