Efficacy of Mindfulness-cognitive Oriented Group Intervention Program on Depressed University Students

Efficacy of Mindfulness-cognitive Oriented Group Intervention Program on Depressive Symptoms, Coping Strategies and Quality of Life in University Students

The goal of this study is to reduce depressive symptoms as well as increase the positive coping strategy and quality of life in depressed university students. The main question it aims to answer is:

• The efficacy of 4-week mindfulness-cognitive oriented group program

The participants will be requested to participate in a 4-week program and do the mindfulness practice at home.

In this study, the investigators will recruit university students through a poster at Chung Shan Medical University and the Internet.

For the screening, students will be requested to complete the assessments of the Saint Louis University Mental Status and Beck Depression Inventory-II. Students who have suitable cognitive capacity and minor and above level of depressive symptoms will be included in the study. The participants will receive a mindfulness-cognitive oriented group program for 4 weeks.

All the subjects will fill out the self-reported questionnaires at baseline, after the intervention, and one-month after the intervention. The assessments include Beck Depression Inventory-II, Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory, World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale-BREF, Occupational Balance Questionnaire, Role Checklist, and Occupational Questionnaire.

Inclusion Criteria:

• currently enrolled as a student at Chung Shan Medical University
• between 18 and 30 years old
• The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) total score is greater than 26
• the total score of Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) Chinese version is above 13
• fluency in spoken Mandarin

Exclusion Criteria:

• the score of item 9 (suicidal ideation) of Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) Chinese version > 0
• a current diagnosis of depressive disorder
• a current diagnosis of a major physical illness (e.g., cancer, cerebrovascular disease (stroke), spinal cord injury, congenital or genetic disease, chronic renal failure, autoimmune disease, burns) or psychological disease (psychotic or other psychiatric disorders, bipolar disorder, substance-related or addiction disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, neurocognitive disorder, substance- or drug-induced depression)
• currently taking psychiatric medication or receiving psychotherapy