A randomised controlled trial of a fully automated online mindfulness program focussing on 18-25 Australian Tertiary Education students

INTERVENTION: This project seeks to investigate the efficacy of an internet based fully automated self‐help mindfulness program in the promotion of wellbeing and the reduction of symptoms of anxiety and depression amongst 18 to 25 year Australian tertiary education students. The Mindfulness Online program will be located on the Swinburne University's eTherapy Unit website. Participants within the target demographic will be invited to participate via the Swinburne eTherapy webisted and paper‐based flyers. The program consists of three sessions designed to make an individual more mindful or aware of moment to moment experiences. The programs duration is 3 weeks. Participants will be randomly allocated into either a control waitlist group or an active experimental group. The experimental group will access the mindfulness program immediately and will be advised to complete one session per week. In addition participants will be encouraged to practise mindfulness each day for five minutes. The participants will be given feedback on their mental health and wellbeing at the beginning of each session and will be asked to provide feedback on their mindfulness practice sessions. CONDITION: Efficacy of internet based intervention targeting mental health and wellbeing PRIMARY OUTCOME: Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS‐21) Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI‐A5) Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) SECONDARY OUTCOME: Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ) General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES) Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) Multidimensional Helath Locus of Control Scale (MHLC) Ten item personality index (TIPI) The Mental Health Continuum‐Short Form (MHC‐SF) INCLUSION CRITERIA: Participants will be between the ages of 18 and 25 years and will be enrolled within Australian tertiary education courses