The Impact of Mindfulness on Perceived Stress and Academic Performance Among English Language Students in Central Asia

Author

Laurie WolfeFollow

Date of Award

Winter 12-14-2023

Document Type

Dissertation (799 registration)

Degree Name

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Department

Graduate Studies

Committee Chair

Ximena Suárez-Sousa

Keywords

mindfulness, stress, learning, academic performance, English language learners, Uzbekistan

Abstract

The current study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness training in reducing stress and increasing academic performance among Uzbek English language students. The researcher partnered with four English faculty at Tashkent State Pedagogical University (TSPU) to conduct a quasi-experimental study using a convenience sample of sixty 2^nd year students studying English as a foreign language. One group of students (n = 30) received mindfulness training while the acted as an active control group (n = 30) and received study skills training. Both groups received 20-minutes training in their English classes, four days a week, for 4-weeks. All participants completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, which measured perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 and mindfulness using the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale and the Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire. Academic performance was measured using a reading comprehension test and a 5-minute paired speaking assessment. Results showed no significant difference between the groups on any post-intervention measure. Further analyses indicated both groups experienced a statistically significant decrease in stress from pre- to post-intervention (Z = -2.692, p <.01) with a moderate effect size (r = .348). While no significant correlation was found between stress and either reading or speaking scores, results showed a moderate negative correlation between stress and mindfulness at pre-intervention (r = -.45) and post-intervention (r = -.51), statistically significant at the p < .001 level for both. Additional qualitative questions indicated participants’ main sources of stress were academic work and social relationships. Students reported experiencing emotional symptoms of stress more often than other symptoms. Participants in the mindfulness group reported the training to be beneficial in reducing their stress, indicating this was a socially valid treatment. This is a significant contribution to the field as this is a population that has not previously been studied in regard to mindfulness and stress.

Recommended Citation

Wolfe, Laurie, "The Impact of Mindfulness on Perceived Stress and Academic Performance Among English Language Students in Central Asia" (2023). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 893.
https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/893