How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students

University students constitute a population that is highly vulnerable to developing mental health problems, such as distress. The role of different variables associated with the development of states of stress has been studied in order to identify potential risk and protective factors. This study ex...

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Main Authors: David Martínez-Rubio, Ariadna Colomer-Carbonell, Juan P. Sanabria-Mazo, Adrián Pérez-Aranda, Jaime Navarrete, Cristina Martínez-Brotóns, Cristina Escamilla, Anna Muro, Jesús Montero-Marín, Juan V. Luciano, Albert Feliu-Soler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9897529/?tool=EBI
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author David Martínez-Rubio
Ariadna Colomer-Carbonell
Juan P. Sanabria-Mazo
Adrián Pérez-Aranda
Jaime Navarrete
Cristina Martínez-Brotóns
Cristina Escamilla
Anna Muro
Jesús Montero-Marín
Juan V. Luciano
Albert Feliu-Soler
author_facet David Martínez-Rubio
Ariadna Colomer-Carbonell
Juan P. Sanabria-Mazo
Adrián Pérez-Aranda
Jaime Navarrete
Cristina Martínez-Brotóns
Cristina Escamilla
Anna Muro
Jesús Montero-Marín
Juan V. Luciano
Albert Feliu-Soler
author_sort David Martínez-Rubio
collection DOAJ
description University students constitute a population that is highly vulnerable to developing mental health problems, such as distress. The role of different variables associated with the development of states of stress has been studied in order to identify potential risk and protective factors. This study explored whether mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance, while controlling for specific sociodemographic and academic variables, were potential significant protective or risk factors explaining perceived stress in a sample of 589 Spanish university students (81.2% female, age range 18–48 years). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed using an exploratory cross-sectional design. Higher experiential avoidance, lower self-compassion, lower mindfulness, not perceiving family support, higher total study hours per week, having a partner (vs. being single), being female (vs. being male), and being older were significantly associated with higher levels of perceived stress. In conclusion, perceived stress in our sample was positively associated with experiential avoidance, which could be regarded as a potential psychological risk variable. In contrast, perceived stress was negatively correlated with self-compassion and mindfulness, which, in turn, could be seen as protective factors. Accordingly, it is concluded that programmes aimed at reducing stress and at improving well-being among university students should include experiential avoidance, self-compassion, and mindfulness as therapeutic targets.
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spelling doaj.art-4aa10cbe11e84855bc379df253eedecc2023-02-06T05:31:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01182How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university studentsDavid Martínez-RubioAriadna Colomer-CarbonellJuan P. Sanabria-MazoAdrián Pérez-ArandaJaime NavarreteCristina Martínez-BrotónsCristina EscamillaAnna MuroJesús Montero-MarínJuan V. LucianoAlbert Feliu-SolerUniversity students constitute a population that is highly vulnerable to developing mental health problems, such as distress. The role of different variables associated with the development of states of stress has been studied in order to identify potential risk and protective factors. This study explored whether mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance, while controlling for specific sociodemographic and academic variables, were potential significant protective or risk factors explaining perceived stress in a sample of 589 Spanish university students (81.2% female, age range 18–48 years). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed using an exploratory cross-sectional design. Higher experiential avoidance, lower self-compassion, lower mindfulness, not perceiving family support, higher total study hours per week, having a partner (vs. being single), being female (vs. being male), and being older were significantly associated with higher levels of perceived stress. In conclusion, perceived stress in our sample was positively associated with experiential avoidance, which could be regarded as a potential psychological risk variable. In contrast, perceived stress was negatively correlated with self-compassion and mindfulness, which, in turn, could be seen as protective factors. Accordingly, it is concluded that programmes aimed at reducing stress and at improving well-being among university students should include experiential avoidance, self-compassion, and mindfulness as therapeutic targets.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9897529/?tool=EBI
spellingShingle David Martínez-Rubio
Ariadna Colomer-Carbonell
Juan P. Sanabria-Mazo
Adrián Pérez-Aranda
Jaime Navarrete
Cristina Martínez-Brotóns
Cristina Escamilla
Anna Muro
Jesús Montero-Marín
Juan V. Luciano
Albert Feliu-Soler
How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students
PLoS ONE
title How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students
title_full How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students
title_fullStr How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students
title_full_unstemmed How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students
title_short How mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students
title_sort how mindfulness self compassion and experiential avoidance are related to perceived stress in a sample of university students
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9897529/?tool=EBI
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