Mindful self-hypnosis combined with resistance training for reducing perceived stress in female college students.

Previous research using Mindful Self Hypnosis (MSH) has been shown to be effective at reducing perceived stress in college students, however, the interventions did not include physical exercise which is also associated with improved health and quality of life. In fact, Resistance Training (RT) as one form of physical exercise, has not only been demonstrated to be effective in reducing perceived stress but also is known to lead to physical health benefits such as improved muscle strength. However, RT participation among female college students has been reported to be low. Few studies also reported no impact of RT on psychological well-being, a psychological aspect that has been theorized to be essential for dealing with one’s perceived stressors. Given that the components of MSH (i.e., mindfulness and hypnosis interventions) have been shown to be effective in improving behavioral change (e.g., exercise participation) and psychological well-being, it therefore remains to be elucidated if combining RT with MSH may help complement the limitations of RT alone. Thus, the aim of the study herein is to explore the potential added benefits of combining MSH to RT on perceived stress, while also investigating its impact on psychological distress, mindfulness, psychological well-being, and muscle strength. Forty-four female college students participated in the study and were randomly assigned to three groups: MSH combined with RT (MSHRT), RT only (RTOG), or waitlist list control (WLCG).

Participants in both MSHRT and RTOG performed three forty-minute RT sessions each week while those in MSHRT also received 5 minutes of MSH before and after RT sessions. Results indicated significant and large decreases in perceived stress in both MSHRT and RTOG, however significant improvements in perceived stress compared to WLCG were only observed in MSHRT. Moreover, MSHRT improved mindfulness, psychological well-being, and sleep quality with significantly greater improvements in leg press strength compared to RTOG. Although further research is needed, the present study supports the efficacy of MSH combined with RT for reducing perceived stress to optimize well-being in female college students.