Mindfulness and Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Stress Management Skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between mindfulness and mental health and stress management skills as a mediating variable. A quantitative cross sectional design was used and data were collected from 150 students of the university in Multan, Pakistan, who were given a structured questionnaire with 5 Likert scale. All constructs were measured using existing validated scales. Data analysis was carried out with the software SPSS and SmartPLS. The findings of structural equation modeling (SEM) with a bootstrapping technique supported that the mindfulness significantly and positively affected mental health. Moreover, there was a significant mediation effect between mental health and mindfulness skills with stress management skills, suggesting that students with higher levels of mindfulness demonstrate improved skills in stress management, leading to improved mental health. The results provide both theoretical and practical implications for schools that aim to foster students' psychological well-being. Longitudinal designs and larger demographic samples should be used in future research to increase generalizability.