(PS10-73) Efficacy of a Single Session Loving-kindness Intervention for Undergraduate Wellbeing

Affordable, efficacious services that support undergraduate wellbeing are needed. Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is a form of meditation central to Buddhist practice wherein one cultivates an affective state of kindness directed towards all beings. Studies assessing multi-week LKM interventions have primarily examined long-term effects on wellbeing and have found effects including increased trait positive affect and increased trait self-compassion. Studies assessing brief LKM practice have only examined short-term effects on wellbeing and have found effects including increased momentary positive affect. In this study, we developed a 90-minute LKM intervention and assessed its effects on long-term and short-term wellbeing in undergraduate students (N=58). Participants first completed a baseline assessment of long-term wellbeing, then were randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the wait-list control group. About a week later, participants met in person for a 2-hour session. During this session, participants first completed a pre-intervention assessment of short-term wellbeing. Then, the intervention group received the LKM intervention in a separate room while the control group had a 90-minute study hall. Concluding the 2-hour session, participants completed a post-intervention assessment that mirrored the pre-intervention assessment. Two weeks later, participants received a follow-up assessment that mirrored the baseline assessment. Participants were assessed on measures of positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, stress, anxiety, self-compassion, and self-criticism. Immediately post intervention, the intervention group experienced a significantly greater reduction in state stress (p=.001) and a significantly greater increase in state self-compassion (p=.008) compared with the control group. Immediately post intervention, the intervention group also experienced a marginally significantly greater reduction in momentary negative affect (p=.098) and a marginally significantly greater increase in positive affect (p=.070) compared with the control group. At follow up, two weeks post intervention, the intervention group experienced a marginally significantly greater increase in trait positive affect (p=.090) compared with the control group. These results replicated prior clinical trials that also showed that brief LKM practice can significantly affect short-term wellbeing. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the significant effects of LKM on state self-compassion. These results also suggest that a brief LKM intervention may affect long-term wellbeing in undergraduate students.