Keep calm and carry on: an examination of outcomes following single-session mindfulness meditation training

Mindfulness involves nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment. Previous research has found that higher levels of mindfulness are positively associated with adaptive psychological outcomes and negatively associated with maladaptive outcomes. We examined the effects of a 55-minute mindfulness training session comprised of psychoeducation and meditation. Questionnaires measuring mindfulness, emotion regulation, stress, anxiety, social behavior and emotion, and mood were administered pre and post session and at one week follow-up. Consistent with hypotheses, mindfulness and social behavior and emotion increased from pre-session to one-week follow-up and difficulties in emotion regulation, negative mood, and perceived stress significantly decreased. These findings suggest that some of the beneficial results found with longer, more intensive mindfulness training programs may be achievable with a short single-session intervention.