Mindfulness and Perceptions of Undergraduate Healthcare Students Toward War-Affected Refugee Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between mindfulness levels and perceptions of war-affected children among undergraduate healthcare students.Methods: A cross-sectional and correlational design was conducted with 330 undergraduate healthcare students (nursing, midwifery, emergency and disaster management) between April and August 2024 at a health sciences faculty of a state university, Türkiye. Data were collected via the “Sociodemographic and Perceptions Toward War-Affected Children Questionnaire” and the “Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS)”. Number, percentage, mean±standard deviation was used to analyze descriptive data; independent samples t tests and one-way ANOVA for comparative statistics; Pearson correlation analysis for correlational statistics.Results: The students’ mean mindfulness score was 57.05±11.938. Of the students, 54.2% reported positive perceptions of war-affected individuals, 81.2% believed that war-affected children could be reintegrated into society, and 55.8% stated that they had limited access to healthcare. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between the academic grade point average and mindfulness (p