Feasibility and the Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on College Students

The 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10)

Item of CD-RISC-10 responses range from 0 ("not true at all") to 4 ("true nearly all of the time"). The overall score ranges from 0 to 40, with higher scores reflecting a greater ability to cope with adversity. The CD-RISC-10 showed excellent internal consistency in the current study, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.79, 0.87, and 0.92 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively.

Time frame: 12 weeks

The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTG)

The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTG) was developed to determine the positive changes that occur as a result of the traumatic events experienced by individuals. Participants were asked to rate the degree to which they experienced the change described by each item. The scale consists of 21 items in total and uses a 6-point Likert-type response scale ranging from 0 (almost never) to 5 (almost always). The total score ranged from 0 to 105, and the higher the score, the higher the level of PTG. Cronbach's Alpha for the total PTGI score was α = 0.95, 0.96, and 0.97 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS)

In this study, life satisfaction was evaluated with the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). It consists of 5 items and each of them was rated on a 7-point Likert-type scale (1 = strongly disagree; 7 = strongly agree), and higher scores indicate higher life satisfaction. The Cronbach's α of the SWLS in this study was 0.84, 0.88, and 0.89 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)

Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) is a self-reported questionnaire to assess dispositional mindfulness characterized by"open or receptive awareness of and attention" to the present moment. We used the Chinese version of the MAAS revised by Deng et al.. The MAAS included 15 items rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (almost always) to 6 (almost never). The total score ranged from 15 - 90, with higher scores indicating higher levels of mindfulness. The Cronbach's α of the MAAS in this study was 0.91, 0.91, and 0.95 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

PTSD symptoms were assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) \[33\]. We adopted a revised Chinese version \[34\]in this study. 20 items assess the frequency and severity of PTSD symptoms regarding the index trauma, including symptom clusters of intrusion (Criterion B; 5 items), avoidance (Criterion C; 2 items), negative alterations of cognitions and mood (Criterion D; 7 items), and alterations in arousal and reactivity (Criterion E; 6 items). Participants indicated how much they have been bothered by each symptom using a 5-point scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely). Total scores range from 0 to 80, with a higher score indicating a greater level of posttraumatic stress. The total score ≥ 33 is considered positive. Cronbach's Alpha for the total PCL-5 in this study was 0.94, 0.93, and 0.96 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7)

Participants' anxiety was measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). It contains 7 items which drawn from the diagnostic criteria for GAD that had the strongest predictive validity with GAD as diagnosed by clinician interviews in a sample of 2740 patients across 15 clinics in the USA. Each item of GAD ranges from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day) and the total scores range from 0 to 21. A GAD-7 \> 14 has been shown to have severe anxiety. Cronbach's Alpha for GAD-7 in this study was 0.89, 0.90, and 0.95 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively.

Time frame: 12 weeks

Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to assess depression severity. The scale contains 9 items. Response options for each item of the PHQ-9 score can range from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). PHQ-9 total scores range from 0 to 27. A PHQ-9 score \> 10 has been shown to have a sensitivity and specificity of 88% for major depression. Cronbach's Alpha for PHQ-9 in this study was 0.85, 0.87 and 0.89 at T0, T1, and T2, respectively.

Time frame: 12 weeks