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Keep Calm and Carry On: Immediate-vs. Six-Month Effects of Mindfulness Training on Academic Performance

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Listed:
  • Lea Cassar
  • Mira Fischer
  • Vanessa Valero

Abstract

Mindfulness practices are gaining popularity in private and public organizations. In a randomized controlled trial, we examine whether mindfulness training improves the academic performance of university students. The intervention improves mental health and non-cognitive skills. However, it takes time before students’ performance can benefit from the training: we find that, if anything, the intervention marginally decreases average grades right after the end of the intervention, whereas it significantly increases academic performance, by about 0.4 standard deviations, six months after.

Suggested Citation

  • Lea Cassar & Mira Fischer & Vanessa Valero, 2022. "Keep Calm and Carry On: Immediate-vs. Six-Month Effects of Mindfulness Training on Academic Performance," CESifo Working Paper Series 10099, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_10099
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    performance; mental health; education; mindfulness training; field experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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