Relationship between mindfulness and student engagement among university students

Abstract

This study examined the association between mindfulness and student engagement among university students in an Arab higher education context. Mindfulness, defined as nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment, has gained recognition for its role in promoting attention, emotional regulation, and mental clarity. Student engagement was conceptualized as a multidimensional construct including behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey design from a final analytic sample of 600 undergraduate students at Ajman University in the United Arab Emirates. Mindfulness was measured using the Arabic version of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (A-MAAS), while student engagement was assessed using the Arabic version of the University student Engagement Inventory (A-USEI). Descriptive statistics indicated moderate levels of mindfulness and student engagement. Pearson correlation analyses revealed significant positive associations between mindfulness and total student engagement (r = 0.374, p < .001), behavioral engagement (r = 0.322, p < .001), emotional engagement (r = 0.374, p < .001), and cognitive engagement (r = 0.205, p < .001). Simple linear regression analyses indicated that mindfulness was significantly associated with total student engagement and each engagement dimension. However, because of the cross-sectional design, these findings should not be interpreted as evidence of causality. No significant differences in mindfulness were found according to gender or academic discipline, or marital status. Overall, the findings suggest that mindfulness is positively associated with student engagement, particularly emotional and behavioral engagement. The study highlights the potential importance of mindfulness as a psychological resource in Arab higher education and underscores the need for longitudinal and intervention studies to further examine these relationships.