Brief mindfulness meditation based on Buddhist Anapanasati regulates stress response in young Chinese males

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and mechanisms of a two-week Brief Mindfulness Meditation (BMM) intervention for stress and emotion dysregulation in young Chinese men. DESIGN AND METHOD: In a randomized controlled trial, with 85 male participants (aged 20-30) were assigned to either a two-week BMM intervention (15 min daily) or a control group with neutral audio interventions. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included physiological (HRV, cortisol), psychological (PSS, PANAS) and mindfulness-related outcomes (FFMQ). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the BMM group showed significant reductions in perceived stress (-5.00, 95% CI [-9.50, -0.52]) and LF/HF ratio (-0.65, 95% CI [-1.16, -0.13]), as well as significant increases in positive affect (7.39, 95% CI [3.81, 10.97]) and Acting with Awareness. Mediation analyses further indicated that the effect on positive affect was fully mediated by a reduction in perceived stress, whereas the effect on negative affect was partially mediated by an enhancement in Acting with Awareness. CONCLUSIONS: BMM effectively reduces stress and promotes emotional well-being in young men through distinct mechanisms: it enhances positive affect by lowering perceived stress and mitigates negative affect by cultivating an awareness-based approach to acting.