IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v17y2020i6p1935-d332996.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mindfulness and Coaching to Improve Learning Abilities in University Students: A Pilot Study

Author

Listed:
  • Lorenza Corti

    (Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy)

  • Carmen Gelati

    (Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy)

Abstract

This pilot study investigated the effects of a short 10-module intervention called MEL (Mindful Effective Learning), which integrates mindfulness, coaching, and training on study strategies, to improve learning abilities among university students. Inspired by ample research on the learning topics that points out how effective learning and good academic results depend simultaneously on self-regulation while studying combined with emotional and motivational factors, the intervention aimed to train students simultaneously in these three aspects. The intervention group participants ( N = 21) and the control group participants ( N = 24) were surveyed pre- and post-intervention with the Italian questionnaire AMOS (Abilities and Motivation to Study) and the Italian version of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). The results showed that, regarding self-regulation in study, trained students improved their self-awareness, self-evaluation ability, metacognition skills, and organizational and elaborative ability to manage study materials; regarding emotional aspects, they improved their anxiety control; regarding motivation they developed an incremental theory of Self and improved their confidence in their own intelligence. Moreover, two follow-up self-report surveys were conducted, and trained students reported positive assessments of the MEL intervention. Findings suggest that a short intervention based on mindfulness and coaching and training on study strategies may improve students’ effective learning.

Suggested Citation

  • Lorenza Corti & Carmen Gelati, 2020. "Mindfulness and Coaching to Improve Learning Abilities in University Students: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-20, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:1935-:d:332996
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/1935/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/6/1935/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eric Bettinger & Rachel Baker, 2011. "The Effects of Student Coaching in College: An Evaluation of a Randomized Experiment in Student Mentoring," NBER Working Papers 16881, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Gabriel González-Valero & Félix Zurita-Ortega & José Luis Ubago-Jiménez & Pilar Puertas-Molero, 2019. "Use of Meditation and Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for the Treatment of Stress, Depression and Anxiety in Students. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-23, November.
    3. Jesús De la Fuente & Israel Mañas & Clemente Franco & Adolfo J. Cangas & Encarnación Soriano, 2018. "Differential Effect of Level of Self-Regulation and Mindfulness Training on Coping Strategies Used by University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-20, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ahram Lee & Soo Jeung Lee & Jee Young Lee & Eunjeong Rhee, 2022. "Text Mining Analysis of Korean University Students’ Academic Coaching Intake Session Reports," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-19, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rosario Padial-Ruz & Mª Esther Puga-González & Álvaro Céspedes-Jiménez & David Cabello-Manrique, 2021. "Determining Factors in the Use of Urban Parks That Influence the Practice of Physical Activity in Children: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-23, March.
    2. Herber, Stefanie P., 2018. "The role of information in the application for highly selective scholarships: Evidence from a randomized field experiment," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 287-301.
    3. Salgado Alfredo, 2018. "Incomplete Information and Costly Signaling in College Admissions," Working Papers 2018-23, Banco de México.
    4. Andrew Hunte & Wasi Z Khan & Rohanie Maharaj, 2020. "An Evaluation of a Pilot Study of the Personal Tutoring Programme in Improving Skills Development at the University of Trinidad and Tobago," International Journal of Higher Education, Sciedu Press, vol. 9(1), pages 280-280, February.
    5. Claudia López-Madrigal & Jesús de la Fuente & Javier García-Manglano & José Manuel Martínez-Vicente & Francisco Javier Peralta-Sánchez & Jorge Amate-Romera, 2021. "The Role of Gender and Age in the Emotional Well-Being Outcomes of Young Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-20, January.
    6. Balestra, Simone & Backes-Gellner, Uschi, 2017. "Heterogeneous returns to education over the wage distribution: Who profits the most?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 89-105.
    7. Gervas Huxley & Mike W. Peacey, 2016. "Self-control at College," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 16/675, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    8. Marie K. Norman & Colleen A. Mayowski & Steven K. Wendell & Michael J. Forlenza & Chelsea N. Proulx & Doris M. Rubio, 2021. "Delivering What We PROMISED: Outcomes of a Coaching and Leadership Fellowship for Mentors of Underrepresented Mentees," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-9, April.
    9. Jordi Brandts & Valeska Groenert & Christina Rott, 2015. "The Impact of Advice on Women's and Men's Selection into Competition," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(5), pages 1018-1035, May.
    10. Deena Schwartz & Karen Gardiner & Kristen Joyce & Sheena McConnell & Correne Saunders, "undated". "Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS): Implementation Findings from the Evaluation of Employment Coaching," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 500e1a1c348a4347a99374c8b, Mathematica Policy Research.
    11. Bonilla-Mejía, Leonardo & Bottan, Nicolas L. & Ham, Andrés, 2019. "Information policies and higher education choices experimental evidence from Colombia," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    12. Philip Oreopoulos & Robert S. Brown & Adam M. Lavecchia, 2017. "Pathways to Education: An Integrated Approach to Helping At-Risk High School Students," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 125(4), pages 947-984.
    13. Eric P. Bettinger & Brent J. Evans & Devin G. Pope, 2013. "Improving College Performance and Retention the Easy Way: Unpacking the ACT Exam," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 5(2), pages 26-52, May.
    14. Clémentine Van Effenterre, 2017. "Post 16 remedial policies: a literature review," CVER Research Papers 005, Centre for Vocational Education Research.
    15. Duchini, Emma, 2017. "Is college remedial education a worthy investment? New evidence from a sharp regression discontinuity design," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 36-53.
    16. Joshua Angrist & Philip Oreopoulos & Tyler Williams, 2014. "When Opportunity Knocks, Who Answers?: New Evidence on College Achievement Awards," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 49(3), pages 572-610.
    17. Sandner, Malte, 2013. "Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Student Mentoring Program," Hannover Economic Papers (HEP) dp-512, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät.
    18. repec:bri:cmpowp:14/335 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. David Martínez-Rubio & Juan P. Sanabria-Mazo & Albert Feliu-Soler & Ariadna Colomer-Carbonell & Cristina Martínez-Brotóns & Silvia Solé & Cristina Escamilla & Elisa Giménez-Fita & Yolanda Moreno & Adr, 2020. "Testing the Intermediary Role of Perceived Stress in the Relationship between Mindfulness and Burnout Subtypes in a Large Sample of Spanish University Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-16, September.
    20. Hyun-Jeong Yang & Noriko Setou & Eugene Koh, 2022. "Utilization of Mind–Body Intervention for Integrative Health Care of COVID-19 Patients and Survivors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-22, May.
    21. David J. Deming & Christopher R. Walters, 2017. "The Impact of Price Caps and Spending Cuts on U.S. Postsecondary Attainment," NBER Working Papers 23736, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:6:p:1935-:d:332996. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.