title: A randomised controlled trial of a brief online mindfulness-based intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is growing evidence that mindfulness has positive consequences for both psychological and physical health in both clinical and non-clinical populations. The potential benefits of mindfulness underpin a range of therapeutic intervention approaches designed to increase mindfulness in both clinical and community contexts. Self-guided mindfulness-based interventions may be a way to increase access to the benefits of mindfulness. This study explored whether a brief, online, mindfulness-based intervention can increase mindfulness and reduce perceived stress and anxiety/depression symptoms within a student population.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and four students were randomly allocated to either immediately start a two-week, self-guided, online, mindfulness-based intervention or a wait-list control. Measures of mindfulness, perceived stress and anxiety/depression were administered before and after the intervention period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intention to treat analysis identified significant group by time interactions for mindfulness skills, perceived stress and anxiety/depression symptoms. Participation in the intervention was associated with significant improvements in all measured domains, where no significant changes on these measures were found for the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This provides evidence in support of the feasibility and effectiveness of shorter self-guided mindfulness-based interventions. The limitations and implications of this study for clinical practice are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, East Sussex BN1 9QH, UK. kate.cavanagh@sussex.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cavanagh
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cicconi
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Griffiths
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wyper
authors.forename: Fergal
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D064866:Mindfulness; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Internet intervention; Mindfulness; Perceived stress; Randomised controlled trial; Self-help