Relation of perceptions of educational environment with mindfulness among Chinese medical students: a longitudinal study.
BACKGROUND
Perceived educational environment influences academic outcomes, such as academic achievement, students' behaviors, well-being, socio-emotional adjustment and explicit self-esteem. Mindfulness is a set of skills that are beneficial to physical and mental health. Recently, it has been increasingly discussed about its usefulness in education, but little research has explored whether mindfulness can predict perceptions of educational environment. The aim of this study was to explore Chinese medical students' perceptions of learning environment and their relationship with mindfulness.


METHODS
Medical students at the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University (N=431) completed the Chinese version of Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM-C) and the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS-C). One year later, a subgroup of the cohort (N=231) completed the DREEM-C again. Independent-samples t-test, variance analysis, correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) were conducted.


RESULTS
DREEM-C total and subscales scores were net positive, but with room for improvement. Perceptions differed in relation to gender, academic year, and age. KIMS-C scores correlated with DREEM-C scores. The predictive effect persisted 1 year later.


CONCLUSIONS
Medical students had net-positive perceptions about their learning environment. Higher mindfulness scores were associated with greater satisfaction with the environment and this association showed persistence.
Medical Psychological Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha P.R. China.
Xin
X
Xu
Medical Psychological Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha P.R. China; wudaxing2012@126.com.
Daxing
D
Wu
Medical Education Office, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
Xiaohua
X
Zhao
Medical Education Office, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
Junxiang
J
Chen
Medical Psychological Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha P.R. China.
Jie
J
Xia
Medical Psychological Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha P.R. China.
Mulei
M
Li
Medical Psychological Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha P.R. China.
Xueqing
X
Nie
Medical Psychological Institute, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha P.R. China.
Xue
X
Zhong
D000293:Adolescent; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002681:China; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness; D010465:Perception; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
educational environment; hierarchical multiple regression; medical students; mindfulness; perceptions; predicted effect