Compassion Meditation Training for Hospital Chaplain Residents: A Pilot Study.
Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy January 1, 2021 Marcia J Ash, Elizabeth Reisinger Walker, Ralph J DiClemente et al.
Incorporating compassion meditation training into clinical pastoral education reduces burnout and anxiety among hospital chaplain residents, but the benefits may not last without ongoing practice. In a small study, 15 chaplain residents were assigned either to Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) or a waitlist. Those who received CBCT reported significant decreases in burnout and anxiety compared to the waitlist group, though these effects were not maintained at a 4-month follow-up. Compassion satisfaction did not differ significantly but trended in the expected direction. The findings suggest that extending CBCT throughout residency could help sustain wellbeing improvements.