# Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on sleep quality and academic stress of Chinese adolescents: a randomized controlled trial

**Authors:** Jingxin Deng, Fang Xu

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1734353 · Frontiers in Psychology · 2026-02-04

## TL;DR

An 8-week mindfulness program improved sleep and reduced academic stress in Chinese teenagers, suggesting it could be useful in schools.

## Contribution

Demonstrates the effectiveness of MBSR in improving sleep and reducing stress in Chinese adolescents through a randomized controlled trial.

## Key findings

- The MBSR group showed significant improvements in sleep quality and reductions in academic stress.
- The MBSR group had a significant increase in mindfulness scores after the intervention.
- The control group showed no significant changes in any measured outcomes.

## Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program on sleep quality and academic stress among Chinese school adolescents.

A total of 46 students were recruited and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=22), which participated in the 8-week MBSR program, or the control group (n=24), which received no intervention. Assessments using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Academic Stress Questionnaire (ASQ), and the Five Factors Mindfulness Scale (FFMQ) were conducted before and after the intervention period.

Following the 8-week MBSR program, the experimental group demonstrated significant reductions in total scores for both sleep quality and academic stress, alongside a significant increase in total mindfulness score. In contrast, the control group showed no significant changes in academic stress, sleep quality, or mindfulness scores over the same period.

The findings indicate that the 8-week MBSR program effectively improved sleep quality, reduced academic stress, and enhanced mindfulness levels in Chinese adolescents, suggesting its potential as a beneficial intervention in school settings.

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** depression (MESH:D003866), chronic pain (MESH:D059350), chronic diseases (MESH:D002908), Stress (MESH:D000079225), daytime dysfunction (MESH:D006970), rumination (MESH:D000079562), impaired sleep quality (MESH:D012893), cancer (MESH:D009369), insomnia (MESH:D007319), mental disorders (MESH:D001523), anxiety (MESH:D001007)
- **Chemicals:** MBSR (-)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

4 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913453/full.md

## References

42 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913453/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12913453