DIGITAL MINDFULNESS IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: EVIDENCE FROM A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Abstract

A brief digital mindfulness program was designed that proposes a space of conscious pause, transforming the relationship with technologies while navigating the digital world. The objective of this intervention was to evaluate the program’s impact on a sample of college students in Chile. The study was conducted using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control-group research design. The experimental and control groups each consisted of 28 students. The impact of the program on the variables of Reflective Smartphone Disengagement, Generalized Anxiety, Academic Procrastination and Time of Use in RRSS was studied. The data were analyzed from a difference-in-differences model using parametric statistics. Significant effects attributable to the digital mindfulness intervention were identified. The intervention reduced the time spent on social networks and decreased anxiety levels. In addition, an increase in Reflective Disengagement from the Smartphone was observed in the experimental group. No effects of the intervention on academic procrastination were found. The results suggest that digital mindfulness is an effective strategy for achieving a balance in how people relate to technology, especially in recognizing the inescapable impact it has on mental health.