ABSTRACT
Background: Stress is a significant factor influencing the mental well-being of students, and mindfulness strategies have been associated with reduced academic stress. Nevertheless, there is a limited body of research investigating stress and trait mindfulness in a sample of Italian university students. This study aims to explore the relationship between academic stress, effort-reward imbalance, and trait mindfulness. Methods: Perceived stress, effort-reward imbalance, and trait mindfulness in 442 Italian university students (mean age = 23.37 ± 4.33) were assessed through the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Effort-Reward Imbalance – Student Questionnaire (ERI-SQ) and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Results: Pearson correlation analysis showed that PSS negatively correlates with FFMQ and it positively correlates with ERI-SQ, while FFMQ negatively correlates with ERI-SQ. Furthermore, mediation analysis revealed that FFMQ partially mediates the effect of ERI-SQ on PSS. Conclusions: This study provides the first examination of the relationships between perceived stress, effort-reward imbalance, and trait mindfulness among Italian students. The findings suggest that trait mindfulness is associated with lower levels of perceived stress and could potentially mediate the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and stress. These insights may inform future research and interventions aimed at reducing academic stress.