Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants
Objective: This study aimed to understand the associations between mindfulness, perceived stress, and work engagement in a very large sample of English-speaking adults, from 130 different countries. It also aimed to assess participants' self-reported changes following a 6-week mindfulness massi...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
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doaj-8962778c72b64a16bcd5a9d585e32b9e2021-09-10T05:14:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782021-09-011210.3389/fpsyg.2021.724126724126Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC ParticipantsLarissa Bartlett0Larissa Bartlett1Marie-Jeanne Buscot2Aidan Bindoff3Richard Chambers4Craig Hassed5Craig Hassed6Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, AustraliaMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, AustraliaMenzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, AustraliaWicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, AustraliaCentre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaCentre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaFaculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, AustraliaObjective: This study aimed to understand the associations between mindfulness, perceived stress, and work engagement in a very large sample of English-speaking adults, from 130 different countries. It also aimed to assess participants' self-reported changes following a 6-week mindfulness massive open online course (MOOC).Methods: Participants in the 6-week MOOC were invited to complete pre-post online surveys. Cross-sectional associations were assessed using univariate linear models, followed by structural equation models to test mediation pathways in baseline data (N = 16,697). Self-reported changes in mindfulness, stress and engagement following training were assessed using paired t-tests (n = 2,105).Results: Each standard deviation unit increase in mindfulness was associated with a 0.52 standard deviation unit decrease in perceived stress, and with 0.06 standard deviation unit increment in work engagement. 73% of the influence of mindfulness on engagement was direct. Following the mindfulness MOOC, participants reported higher mindfulness (d = 1.16), reduced perceived stress (d = 1.00) and a small improvement in work engagement (d = 0.29).Conclusions: Mindfulness was associated with lower perceived stress and higher work engagement in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. These findings support mindfulness as a potentially protective and modifiable personal resource. The MOOC format offers a low cost, highly accessible means for extending the reach and potential benefits of mindfulness training to large numbers of people.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.724126/fullmindfulnessmeditationstresswork engagementonline course |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Larissa Bartlett Larissa Bartlett Marie-Jeanne Buscot Aidan Bindoff Richard Chambers Craig Hassed Craig Hassed |
spellingShingle |
Larissa Bartlett Larissa Bartlett Marie-Jeanne Buscot Aidan Bindoff Richard Chambers Craig Hassed Craig Hassed Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants Frontiers in Psychology mindfulness meditation stress work engagement online course |
author_facet |
Larissa Bartlett Larissa Bartlett Marie-Jeanne Buscot Aidan Bindoff Richard Chambers Craig Hassed Craig Hassed |
author_sort |
Larissa Bartlett |
title |
Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants |
title_short |
Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants |
title_full |
Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants |
title_fullStr |
Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mindfulness Is Associated With Lower Stress and Higher Work Engagement in a Large Sample of MOOC Participants |
title_sort |
mindfulness is associated with lower stress and higher work engagement in a large sample of mooc participants |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychology |
issn |
1664-1078 |
publishDate |
2021-09-01 |
description |
Objective: This study aimed to understand the associations between mindfulness, perceived stress, and work engagement in a very large sample of English-speaking adults, from 130 different countries. It also aimed to assess participants' self-reported changes following a 6-week mindfulness massive open online course (MOOC).Methods: Participants in the 6-week MOOC were invited to complete pre-post online surveys. Cross-sectional associations were assessed using univariate linear models, followed by structural equation models to test mediation pathways in baseline data (N = 16,697). Self-reported changes in mindfulness, stress and engagement following training were assessed using paired t-tests (n = 2,105).Results: Each standard deviation unit increase in mindfulness was associated with a 0.52 standard deviation unit decrease in perceived stress, and with 0.06 standard deviation unit increment in work engagement. 73% of the influence of mindfulness on engagement was direct. Following the mindfulness MOOC, participants reported higher mindfulness (d = 1.16), reduced perceived stress (d = 1.00) and a small improvement in work engagement (d = 0.29).Conclusions: Mindfulness was associated with lower perceived stress and higher work engagement in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. These findings support mindfulness as a potentially protective and modifiable personal resource. The MOOC format offers a low cost, highly accessible means for extending the reach and potential benefits of mindfulness training to large numbers of people. |
topic |
mindfulness meditation stress work engagement online course |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.724126/full |
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