What a Recent University Study Tells Us About Mindfulness Now

What a Recent University Study Tells Us About the Mindfulness Now Programme

At Mindfulness Now, we’re committed to continually learning, improving and building the evidence that supports our work.

That’s why we welcomed a recent independent study conducted by researchers at the University of Lincoln, exploring the experiences of participants who had taken part in the Mindfulness Now 8 week programme.

Although this was a small pilot study, the findings are very encouraging. They suggest that the programme supports meaningful personal development for those who complete it, while also providing valuable learning that will help inform a larger-scale evaluation in the future.

What did the study find?

The researchers found positive outcomes across almost every area they measured.

Participants reported that, after completing the programme, they felt:

Less anxious
Less stressed
Less depressed
More relaxed
Greater overall wellbeing
Better able to manage emotional challenges

The only area that didn’t show the same level of improvement was managing physical pain. The researchers suggest this is likely because many participants were not experiencing ongoing physical pain before joining the programme, making significant change less likely.

More than learning mindfulness – living it

One of the strongest messages from the study was that participants on the Mindfulness Now Programme weren’t simply learning mindfulness techniques. They described mindfulness becoming part of everyday life.

Participants spoke about:

Becoming more emotionally aware.
Feeling calmer and less reactive during difficult situations.
Developing greater resilience.
Thinking more clearly.
Feeling more present in everyday life.
Embedding mindfulness practices into their daily routines.

Many described mindfulness as becoming “a way of life” rather than something they only practised during meditation sessions. Others talked about increased confidence, gratitude and a greater ability to cope with the demands of daily life.

Community matters

A consistent theme throughout the study was the importance of community.

Participants described the Mindfulness Now learning environment as supportive, welcoming and encouraging. They valued both the expertise of the teachers and the opportunity to learn alongside other people.

Many highlighted the sense of belonging that develops through the Mindfulness Now programme and continues afterwards.

Positive findings across different groups

The researchers also explored whether people from different backgrounds experienced the Mindfulness Now programme differently.

Overall, the positive outcomes were seen across participants regardless of age, gender or neurodiversity. The researchers also found that participants from non-White British backgrounds reported particularly strong improvements in feeling less depressed and more relaxed.

As this was a small pilot study, these findings should be viewed as early evidence rather than firm conclusions. Future research involving larger and more diverse groups will help us understand these findings in greater depth.

It’s important not to overstate the findings. This was a small pilot study, so while the results are very positive, they are best described as encouraging early evidence that will help shape future research.

This study gives us encouraging, independent evidence about the impact of the Mindfulness Now 8 week programme.

Teachers can confidently say that:

An independent study conducted by researchers at the University of Lincoln found positive outcomes among graduates of the Mindfulness Now teacher training programme.
Participants reported improvements in wellbeing, including feeling less stressed, less anxious, less depressed and more relaxed after completing the programme.
Participants described improvements in emotional awareness, resilience and their ability to apply mindfulness in everyday life.
The study found strong evidence of personal development and the importance of community within the programme.
The findings are encouraging and provide a strong foundation for future, larger-scale evaluation.

Looking ahead

Every research study offers an opportunity to learn.

Alongside these encouraging findings, the researchers identified valuable insights that will help inform the next stage of evaluation as Mindfulness Now continues to grow. By building on what we’ve learned so far, future research will enable us to strengthen the evidence base further and continue developing a programme that supports participants well.

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed to the study and shared their experiences. Their feedback is helping shape the future of Mindfulness Now and strengthening the evidence for the work we do together.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1982). An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on mindfulness meditation.
This landmark paper introduced Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and laid the foundations for modern mindfulness research.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7042457/

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

Kuyken, W., et al. (2015). Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse.

Published in The Lancet, this influential study found MBCT to be as effective as maintenance antidepressant medication for preventing relapse in people with recurrent depression.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25907157/

A Comprehensive Meta-analysis

Khoury, B., et al. (2013). Mindfulness-Based Therapy: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis.

This review analysed more than 200 studies and concluded that mindfulness-based interventions are associated with moderate improvements in anxiety, depression and stress.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272735813000734

Mindfulness and the Brain

Hölzel, B. K., et al. (2011). Mindfulness Practice Leads to Increases in Regional Brain Gray Matter Density.

One of the best-known neuroscience studies exploring structural brain changes associated with regular mindfulness practice.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21071182/

NICE Guidance (UK)

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

Depression in adults: treatment and management

NICE recommends Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for people who have experienced recurrent depression.

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222

Oxford Mindfulness Foundation

The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation provides accessible summaries of current mindfulness research and developments.

https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/

Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice

Bangor University is internationally recognised for its work in mindfulness research and teacher training.

https://www.bangor.ac.uk/mindfulness

University of Oxford – Oxford Mindfulness Centre

The Oxford Mindfulness Centre conducts research into mindfulness for mental and physical health and provides training informed by the latest evidence.

https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/research/oxford-mindfulness

American Psychological Association (APA)

The APA regularly publishes evidence-based articles exploring mindfulness and psychological wellbeing.

https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness

Cochrane Library

Cochrane produces high-quality systematic reviews evaluating healthcare interventions, including mindfulness-based approaches.

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/