Testing the Effects of Mindfulness Training on Academic Performance and Persistence in Undergraduate Physics Courses

Abstract

Background and Aims: Undergraduate success in STEM is essential for societal progress and economic growth. Nevertheless, many students struggle in high-stakes gateway courses, where academic pressures and psychological threat—defined as the perception of situational demands exceeding coping resources—contribute to reduced engagement, poorer performance, and higher attrition rates. While mindfulness reduces stress and enhances adaptive coping, its effects on STEM course performance and persistence remain underexplored. This study tested the hypothesis that, compared to a control group, undergraduates in a 5-day mindfulness intervention would earn higher grades in the first course of a two-part introductory physics sequence (Physics 1) and be more likely to enroll in the second course (Physics 2). We also hypothesized that reductions in psychological threat would mediate the association between mindfulness training and both Physics 1 grades and Physics 2 enrollment.

Methods: In this preregistered, randomized controlled field experiment, 149 psychologically threatened undergraduates enrolled in Physics 1 were assigned to either a 5-day mindfulness training (n = 76) or a no-training, audiobook control (n = 73). The mindfulness training was delivered online through five 20-minute sessions and used the “R.A.I.N.” framework (Recognize, Accept, Investigate, Non-Identify) to help students cope with physics-related difficulties. Physics 1 grades and Physics 2 enrollment were obtained from institutional records. Students’ perceptions of psychological threat in physics were assessed via self-report surveys at baseline, posttest, two-week follow-up, and twice daily using ecological momentary assessment during the training week.

Results: Regression analyses revealed no significant direct effects of mindfulness training on Physics 1 grades or Physics 2 enrollment, though trends demonstrated higher grades and enrollment in the mindfulness group. As hypothesized, indirect effect analyses showed that mindfulness training significantly reduced psychological threat, which in turn predicted higher Physics 1 grades. Exploratory serial mediation further revealed that higher Physics 1 grades increased the likelihood of Physics 2 enrollment. No significant gender moderation effects emerged.

Conclusion: Mindfulness training offers a promising approach for reshaping undergraduates’ stress appraisals and indirectly improving performance and persistence in STEM. These findings advance intervention science and inform strategies to optimize student success in high-stakes STEM contexts.