Mindfulness-based interventions for student coping in higher education: a systematic review

Objective Students in higher education (HE) increasingly experience challenging concerns from stress to anxiety and depression. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) became a popular strategy to help students cope with these. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy, scalability and sustainability of various MBIs implemented in HE to identify strengths, limitations and possible future directions for student wellbeing.Method Nine databases were searched from 2012–2024, with 35 studies reviewed. These were analysed using the RE-AIM framework.Results Findings highlight MBIs promise in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression while improving emotional regulation and academic focus. Key strengths include institutional adoption, and delivery by qualified practitioners. Limitations related to geographic bias, homogeneity in samples, methodological shortcomings, and a lack of long-term follow-ups. Recruitment strategies often excluded marginalised groups.Discussion This review underscores MBIs’ potential as a tool for student wellbeing and highlights the need for equitable and context-sensitive interventions to address global higher education mental health challenges in support of academic success. Recommendations emphasise diversifying participant demographics, integrating MBIs within programmes, and employing longitudinal, user-centred designs for scalability and sustainability.