Mindfulness is a state of consciousness where one pays acute attention to one’s thoughts and sensations in a non-judgmental fashion. Mindfulness exists in state and trait forms: state mindfulness is trained by specific meditation techniques, while trait refers to preexisting individual differences in levels of mindfulness. We tested the relationship between trait mindfulness, stress, self-esteem, hope, happiness, and forgiveness in an initial sample of 51 College of Idaho students. We found a negative correlation between trait mindfulness and stress, r = -.52, p <.01. Additionally, there were significant positive relationships between trait mindfulness and forgiveness, r = .47, p < .01, trait mindfulness and self-esteem, r = .35, p < .05, and between trait mindfulness and the agency component of hope, r = .32, p < .05. However, there were no significant relationships between trait mindfulness and happiness or the pathway measure of hope in our sample. We will also report results from a larger sample of over 200 students that is currently being collected. Our initial data suggest that trait mindfulness may predict individual differences in stress, forgiveness, self-esteem and hope agency. These results may be of considerable value for researchers and college administrators interested in promoting student success.

Trait Mindfulness and Stress in College Students