Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Science

Program

Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Supervisor

Irwin, Jennifer D.

Abstract

The two-fold primary purpose of this pilot study was to: (1) explore, qualitatively, the influence of the Mindfulness Ambassador Program (MAP) on graduate students’ experiences of stress and their relationship with themselves and meaningful others; and (2) investigate, quantitatively, if participation in the MAP elicited changes in graduate students’ levels of stress, self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and/or social connectedness. The secondary purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of graduate students’ satisfaction with the MAP. This one-group mixed-method study utilized a brief demographic questionnaire, open-ended questions, semi-structured interviews, two MAP-specific program questionnaires, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Situational Self-Awareness Scale, and the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised. Data analysis involved thematic analysis, computing descriptive statistics, and paired t-tests. Participants reported various stress-related, intrapersonal, and interpersonal benefits from their MAP participation, and they found the MAP highly satisfactory. This information can be used to support future well-being programming tailored to graduate students.

Summary for Lay Audience

Graduate students are faced with numerous demands and stressors, which can negatively impact their wellbeing. Mindfulness training is associated with enhanced wellbeing including stress reduction and improved relationships. We explored the influences of the Mindfulness Ambassador Program (MAP) on nine graduate students’ experiences of stress and their relationships with themselves and meaningful others, and investigated if participation in the MAP elicited changes in graduate students’ levels of stress, self-awareness, interpersonal skills, and/or social connectedness. We also explored graduate students’ satisfaction with the MAP. For data collection, qualitative (open-ended survey questions and semi-structured interviews) and quantitative (demographic questions, two MAP-specific program questionnaires, and three validated tools) approaches were employed. Before the program, participants reported moderate to high levels of stress with regard to keeping up with their responsibilities, internal conflict, difficulty connecting with meaningful others, and seeing oneself as a work in progress. Post-program, participants described better stress management and lower perceived stress, increased consideration for themselves and others, feelings of connection with others, and their experience with the MAP offering. Participants also reported statistically significant positive changes to their perceived stress levels, private self-awareness, awareness of immediate surroundings, and social connectedness. This study adds to existing research using the MAP. The findings from this study can be used to inform future mindfulness-based interventions for graduate students.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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