Enhancing Student Well-Being: The Impact of a Mindfulness-Based Program (Mind7 +) on Stress, Anxiety, Sleep Quality, and Social Interactions in a Sample of Portuguese University Students

There is an urgent need to promote mental health strategies in university students, and mindfulness-based interventions provide alternative and complementary approaches. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of a mindfulness-based program (Mind7 +) on Portuguese students from the Polytechnic University of Santarem, focusing on stress levels, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality. The intervention consisted of a 8 week mindfulness-based program, with six presential sessions and two online sessions. The participants completed self-filled validated questionnaires before and after intervention. The study revealed that Mind7 + program not only positively influenced stress levels, anxiety, and sleep quality among university students but also had a positive impact on their social interactions. A correlation between sleep quality and frequency of individual practices was observed. The observed medium effect size underscores the practical relevance of Mind7 + program and the potential of mindfulness-based interventions in higher education to enhance both individual well-being and social connections. Next steps will be to adapt the mindfulness-based program for a mobile device and test with a wider intervention group, as well as an active control group.