A MINDFULNESS LABORATORY AS A TOOL AGAINST CHRONIC STRESS IN COLLEGE STUDENTS: AN ITALIAN PILOT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY

College students are known to be at high risk of stress, often experiencing the onset of mental issues during their education. Chronic stress, maybe due to the academic load or the more adult-like responsibilities, increase emotional and psychological burden. In this regard, many studies have confirmed that learning meditation and practicing mindfulness have positive effects on mental health. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention in a sample of Italian college students. A 32-hour mindfulness laboratory was administered to an Italian college class (n=40) in January 2022. The questionnaires were completed both before and after the intervention, providing data on mindfulness levels (FFMQ; MAAS), stress (PSS), resilience (RS-14), defensive functioning (DMRS-SR-30), sleep quality (PSQI), depression (BDI-II), and anxiety (STAI Y). The findings confirm high levels of stress in the sample and a significant share of anxiety. Immature defense mechanisms correlate with low mindfulness levels. As predicted, the mindfulness laboratory improved sleep quality, awareness, and self-compassion, while lowering stress levels. This pilot study confirmed the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing stress in college students.