Innovative research on meditation and mindfulness continues at SMU
Lead by Dr. Eric G. Bing, professor of global health in the Department of Applied Physiology & Wellness in the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education & Human Development and in the Department of Anthropology in Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, a team of researchers from the Institute for Leadership Impact is conducting innovative research on meditation and mindfulness.
Students from SMU and eighteen other universities participated in the first phase of the study, which investigated the use of meditation as a tool for reducing college students’ stress during the coronavirus pandemic. The study examined the effectiveness of motivational coaching as a strategy for improving formation of meditation habits and increasing the effects of meditation on participants’ well-being. Dr. Wen Huang, a Postdoctoral fellow in the Simmons School of Education & Human Development, and Megan Brown, a graduate student in the Department of Anthropology, are leading the analysis of data from this phase of the study.
Recruitment for the second phase of the study is underway, and SMU undergraduate and graduate students currently in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are invited to sign up. Phase II will focus on different methods for building a meditation habit. Participants will learn to meditate daily using an app, meditating for 9-20 minute a day for one month from the convenience of their own home. For more information on enrolling in the study, contact Kaitlyn Contreras at kcontreras@smu.edu.
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