Integrating mindfulness into the academic curriculum: A qualitative study

Objective: Most undergraduate students experience high stress levels, necessitating university support. Meditation-based programs can encourage student wellbeing. This research examined the feasibility of a for-credit undergraduate mindfulness course, its effectiveness in helping students develop a mindfulness practice, and its potential impact on healthy development. Participants: Twenty-nine undergraduates participated from Fall 2021 to Spring 2023. Methods: Data were collected through focused group and individual interviews, and student reflection essays, and analyzed using grounded theory and phenomenological analysis. Results: Six themes emerged: learning to practice, self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-regulation, applying practices, and quality of life. The course structure effectively integrated mindfulness practice into a didactic curriculum, supporting students in cultivating a practice in a guided setting, and seemed to enhance wellbeing and stress management for participants in the study. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that embedded contemplative education can enhance whole student learning so that the college experience is both less stressful and more meaningful.