Mindfulness-based strengths practice in higher education – four years of experience — ASN Events
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  3. Mindfulness-based strengths practice in higher education – four years of experience

Mindfulness-based strengths practice in higher education – four years of experience (#263)

Peter Malinowski 1
  1. Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom

Background

Mindfulness-based strengths practice (MBSP) is a well-established, structured approach that combines two successful strands of Positive Psychology – mindfulness meditation and character strengths work – into one 8-week programme1. Evidence shows that it can be successful in a range of contexts, such as the workplace2 and higher education3.

In 2019, Liverpool John Moores University established a new master's programme in Positive Psychology and Wellbeing. This postgraduate programme integrated an adapted 13-week version of MBSP as experiential backbone. In this adapted version, students are not only MBSP participants but also learn to guide MBSP practices, combined with formal assessment.

Aims

The aim of this presentation is to share with the audience how the MBSP-programme can be effectively implemented in the context of a postgraduate programme, reflecting on the experience as tutor and, centrally, on the student experience.

Method

At the end of each MBSP course students filled in an experience survey consisting of structured questions as well as free text answers. So far, three student cohorts completed the course while the fourth cohort is currently actively engaged in it.

Results

Within all three cohorts, students responded very positively to the programme, indicating that their wellbeing increased, their ability to manage stress improved and their capacity to deal with problems grew. Furthermore, students were particularly struck by the speed of improvements, highlighted the positive effects on relationships, valued the emphasis of positive personality characteristics and recognized the positive effects of regular mindfulness practice.

Conclusion

The experience with delivering the MBSP programme shows that it can successfully be integrated into a taught postgraduate programme where it brings significant intra- and interpersonal benefits to students.

  1. 1. Niemiec, R. M. (2014). Mindfulness and character strengths: A practical guide to flourishing. Hogrefe Publishing.
  2. 2. Pang, D., & Ruch, W. (2019). Fusing character strengths and mindfulness interventions: Benefits for job satisfaction and performance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24(1), 150-162. https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000144
  3. 3. Wingert, J. R., Jones, J. C., Swoap, R. A., & Wingert, H. M. (2020). Mindfulness-based strengths practice improves well-being and retention in undergraduates: a preliminary randomized controlled trial. Journal of American College Health, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2020.1764005
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