Cultivating well-being in engineering graduate students through mindfulness training

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Engineering Education

Background:

• Graduate education faces a mental health crisis, with low treatment rates among engineering students.
• Neuroscience research demonstrates contemplative practices, like mindfulness, positively impact brain function and well-being.
• Engineering programs need effective well-being promotion strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a mindfulness-based training program on engineering graduate students' emotional well-being.
• To evaluate the program's secondary effects on research capacity and satisfaction.
• To test the program's efficacy and transferability across institutions.

Main Methods:

• An eight-week mindfulness training program was implemented.
• Participants were randomized into intervention and wait-list control groups.
• Pre- and post-test surveys measured emotional/physical well-being, creativity, and research satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Intervention groups showed statistically significant improvements in emotional health, decreased neuroticism, and increased positive affect.
• Mindfulness levels increased, while negative affect decreased in the intervention groups.
• Phase 2 intervention groups reported significantly higher research satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness training effectively enhances emotional well-being in engineering graduate students.
• The program shows potential for improving research satisfaction.
• Mindfulness offers a valuable component for professional and personal development in graduate engineering education.