Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Bloom, Jennifer

Thesis/Dissertation Co-Chair

DeDonno, Michael

Abstract

The challenges inherent in pursuing a medical education can leave many students at risk of experiencing stress and burnout. Premedical and medical students have been found to experience high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (Fang et al., 2010; Niemi & Vainiomaki, 2006; Vitaliano, Russo, Carr, & Heerwagen, 1984). The sources of stress for premedical and medical students include academic obligations, the financial burden of paying for medical school, and family relationships. If excessive stress is left untreated it can result in negative health risks such as depression, anxiety, suicide ideation, and other physiological distress disorders. There are proven ways to reduce the stress levels of students, including eating well, exercise, and peer support. Mindfulness meditation is also known to be a useful method for lowering perceived stress and improve academic performance. This study investigated how participation in a 7-week mindfulness meditation intervention impacts the perceived stress, depression, and anxiety levels of premedical and medical students. Self-regulation theory (Fiske & Taylor, 1991; McClelland et al., 2018) was used as the theoretical framework for this study to indirectly discover if mindfulness meditation is a practice that can improve students’ ability to calm themselves when facing high stress situations and to focus their thoughts on a goal.

Extent

174 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00013415

Format

pdf

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