Effectiveness of a low‐dose mindfulness‐based intervention for alleviating distress in young unemployed adults

Abstract

While the effectiveness of mindfulness‐based interventions (MBIs) with respect to distress has been widely researched, unemployed individuals, who often suffer from high levels of distress, have largely been neglected in MBI research. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a low‐dose MBI on distress in a sample of young unemployed adults. The sample included 239 young unemployed adults enrolled for a 6‐week long employability‐related training camp. Participants were allocated into an intervention group that received weekly 1‐hour mindfulness training over 4 weeks, and a control group. Dispositional mindfulness, distress and well‐being were assessed in the entire sample prior to the start and upon completion of the mindfulness training. A mixed model ANCOVA showed that distress was inversely and significantly predicted by baseline levels of mindfulness and well‐being. After accounting for the baseline levels of mindfulness and well‐being, a significant effect of the mindfulness intervention was evident. This result shows that a low‐dose MBI can decrease distress in a sample of young unemployed adults and its effectiveness is positively associated with initial levels of dispositional mindfulness and well‐being.