Comparing the effects of sitting meditation and body scan on working memory in undergraduate healthcare students: a single-blind randomised trial

Background Healthcare undergraduate students often face high cognitive and emotional stress, negatively affecting their working memory and well-being. Mindfulness-based practices, such as sitting meditation and body scan, are proposed to enhance cognitive function and reduce stress in this population. This study compared the effects of brief sitting meditation and body scan on working memory, mindfulness, and stress among undergraduate healthcare students. Methods In this assessor-blind randomised trial conducted at a tertiary university in southern Thailand, 56 healthcare undergraduates (aged 18–25) were randomised to either a sitting meditation group ( n = 28) or a body scan group ( n = 28). Fifty-four participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis ( n = 27 per group). Participants practised their assigned mindfulness exercise via audio recordings for 10 min daily, five days a week, for four weeks. Outcomes were measured pre- and post-intervention using the Automated Operation Span Task for working memory, Mindful Attention Awareness Scale for mindfulness, and Thai Perceived Stress Scale-10 for stress. Results Both groups showed significant changes in working memory and mindfulness over time. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two interventions. Stress scores changed slightly over time; however, no significant difference was observed between the sitting meditation and body scan groups. Overall, no significant between-group differences were found in any outcome. Conclusions Both sitting meditation and body scan were associated with changes in working memory and mindfulness over time among undergraduate healthcare students. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the groups.