The effect of short-term mindfulness intervention on risk decision-making of final-year undergraduate students

Mindfulness training holds unique value in enhancing decision-making, particularly under uncertainty. Against the backdrop of Chinese fresh graduates facing mounting employment pressure, widened wealth gaps, and a heightened tendency for high-risk decisions, this study draws on Risk Sensitivity Theory (RST) and the Self-Control Resource Model (SCM). Employing a 2×2 mixed experimental design, it explores the effect of a 4-week mindfulness training on final-year undergraduate students' risk decision-making. Forty-four students were divided into a Mindfulness Group and a Control Group, with assessments conducted using uncertainty decision tasks and the FFMQ-20 scale. Results indicate the Mindfulness Group exhibited a significant reduction in high-risk decision probability and shorter decision reaction time. The findings suggest that short-term mindfulness training can suppress reliance on intuitive thinking and enhance prudent decision-making. These results are discussed within the theoretical frameworks of Risk Sensitivity Theory and the Self-Control Resource Model.