A college course to build resilience and prevent mental disorders in functioning adults

Background: Prevalence rates of stress-related mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, have increased in recent decades among the general population and particularly among college students. Resilience theoretically helps individuals rebound from adversity and prevent mental illness, yet few intervention studies have explored the effects of teaching resilience skills.

Purpose: To determine if a college course entitled “Beyond 9/11: Stress, Survival & Coping,” which taught a range of cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness skills to healthy young adults, would increase resilience and reduce symptoms of mental illness.

Methods: The course met twice weekly, 75 minutes each session, in small groups of twenty or less, for fifteen weeks. During the first three sessions, theory and key studies were discussed, and participants developed and implemented a physical health plan, including sound nutrition, regular exercise, and regular, sufficient sleep. In subsequent sessions, cognitive-behavioral or mindfulness principles and coping skills were taught, practiced, and assigned for homework. The format of typical sessions included processing homework assignments, introducing new principles and skills, and assigning out-of-class activities.

Results: Combined data for two consecutive administrations of the course (n=37) indicated significant improvements from pre-test to post-test on all measures including resilience, happiness, optimism, self-esteem, depression, anxiety, anger, and curiosity.

Conclusion: A combination of mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral skills appears to effectively increase resilience and related positive psychological strengths, while reducing symptoms of mental disorders among college students. Public health implications and suggestions for further research and applications will be discussed.