A comparative study between mindfulness‐enhanced exercise training with tai chi and resistance training for college students' mental health: Efficacy, trajectories, and mechanisms

Previous studies have demonstrated that mindfulness-enhanced exercise training (MEET) exerts positive effects on mental health of college students. This research aims to compare the similarities and differences in efficacy, trajectories of effects, and the underly mechanism between two distinct types of MEET, which integrates mindfulness practices with tai chi (MTC) or resistance training (MR). A total of 149 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to either the MTC or MR group. Participants attended 26 weekly sessions. Mindfulness, anxiety, and well-being were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 4-month follow-up, with 25 weekly measurements tracking temporal changes. Mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate intervention effects, while Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) and Dynamic Structural Equation Modeling (DSEM) were used to analyze longitudinal trajectories and dynamic relationships. Mixed ANOVAs revealed that both interventions improved mindfulness and well-being and reduced anxiety, with benefits sustained at follow-up. HLM indicated linear improvement trajectories, reflecting cumulative gains. Interaction analyses revealed that MTC produced faster initial mindfulness improvements, whereas MR yielded stronger well-being gains in later phases. DSEM identified a bidirectional relationship: mindfulness reduced anxiety and enhanced well-being, while these changes reinforced mindfulness. These findings suggest that MEET enhances mental health in students regardless of exercise modality, supporting mindfulness as a flexible component of wellness programs.