An eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program may reduce stress and improve quality of life and self-compassion among health care professionals, who often face high levels of stress linked to depression, lower job satisfaction, and psychological distress. These results come from a small randomized controlled pilot study.
Mindfulness-Based Programs (MBPs), specifically Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), are associated with benefits to psychological health and well-being in non-clinical samples. A meta-analysis of 49 studies (4,733 participants) found that, compared to passive controls, MBPs significantly reduced rumination or worry, stress or psychological distress, depression, and anxiety, and significantly improved quality of life or well-being. MBCT generally produced larger effects than MBSR. These findings suggest that MBSR and MBCT may be effective for sub-clinical mental ill-health and could support public mental health efforts.