Date of Award
1-1-2022
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. in Psychology
First Advisor
Stefan E. Schulenberg
Second Advisor
John N. Young
Third Advisor
John P. Bentley
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Mental health problems are common and increasing in college students. Despite the high prevalence rates of mental health problems in college students, a small percentage of students seek treatment. Low treatment seeking is associated with different factors, such as stigma, financial barriers, and emotion dysregulation. Identifying and delivering evidence-based treatments is critical to curtailing mental health problems and promoting psychological well-being in this population. One intervention that offers significant promise is Ecological Momentary Intervention (EMI), which incorporates technology to administer interventions. EMIs are widely applied for heterogeneous psychological problems and effective through different modalities. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) ameliorate psychological distress and promote psychological well-being in college students. However, MBIs are generally administered in-person and may not be best suited for college students given barriers to in-person treatment. The current study examined the effectiveness of an EMI intervention incorporating mindfulness-based text messages. The current study also examined the perceived utility of the EMI intervention, as well as the between- and within-person associations in daily constructs. Compared to individuals assigned to the Ecological Momentary Assessment condition, individuals assigned to the EMI condition receiving mindfulness-based text messages did not report greater reductions in negative affect and greater increases in positive affect, mindfulness, and emotion regulation throughout the study. Participants mostly found the messages useful and helpful, and within- and between-individual factors predicted changes in positive and negative affect. Higher engagement in the mindfulness activities was related to higher levels of positive affect, and lower awareness was related to higher emotion dysregulation throughout the study.
Recommended Citation
Pavlacic, Jeffrey, "Assessing the effectiveness and utility of a mindfulness-based ecological momentary intervention in college students" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2709.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2709