Comparison of the effects of in-person and internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on the burden of psychosomatic symptoms in nurses.
Muhmmad Qabil Jamil Al-Badiri, Fataneh Ghadirian, Hosein Zahednezhad, Mahsa Boozari, Mahsa-Sadat Hayati
Frontiers in Psychology 2024 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1402075 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Semi-experiment study with a pre-posttest design and random allocation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 72 |
| Population | Registered nurses working at Al-Alhamzeh general hospital, Aldiwaniyeh, Iraq |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Internet-delivered Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (iMBSR) |
| Duration | 8 weekly sessions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Medically unexplained symptoms Mindfulness-based stress reduction Nurses Psychosomatic Telehealth th |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Online MBSR led to a significantly greater reduction in general health questionnaire scores than in-person MBSR, with the online group showing a significant decrease both between groups and within the group. |
Abstract
There is some evidence comparing the efficacy of telehealth to in-person mental health care, but there is limited research specifically comparing these modalities in nurses. The study aimed to compare the effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Internet-delivered Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (iMBSR) on burden of psychosomatic symptoms of nurses working at Al-Alhamzeh general hospital, Aldiwaniyeh, Iraq. The study was a semi-experiment study with a pre-posttest design on 72 registered nurses. Subjects were randomly allocated in group A, in-person MBSR and group B, internet-delivered MBSR. Intervention in two groups was held at 8 weekly sessions. The data collection instrument included sociodemographic, Patient Questionnaire Health-15 (PHQ-15), and General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Data were analyzed with SPSS version 24 by descriptive and non-parametric inferential tests. The study found that 50% of the nurses in both groups reported mild somatic symptoms, and 40% reported moderate symptoms, with the majority showing no signs of mental distress. A more significant reduction in GHQ scores compared to PHQ scores was observed from pre-to post-intervention. Notably, the online MBSR group showed a significant decrease in GHQ scores, both between groups (p = 0.04) and within the online MBSR group itself (p = 0.02), highlighting the greater impact of the intervention in this group. The study highlights the positive effects of both in-person and online MBSR interventions on reducing depressive symptoms and improving mental health outcomes among nurses. Online MBSR, in particular, shows promise in addressing medically unexplained symptoms and enhancing mental well-being.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Effect of online mindfulness intervention on anxiety, depression, and stress in patients with chronic diseases. Explore July 8, 2025
- Toward precision mindfulness: Predicting mindfulness outcomes after Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction using interpretable machine learning Behaviour Research and Therapy August 19, 2026
- Impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress, anxiety and depression among nursing students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nurse Education in Practice May 1, 2026
- The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on presenteeism among ICU nurses: A cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS One October 28, 2025
Cites 7
- Assessment of Virtual Mindfulness-Based Training for Health Care Professionals: Improved Self-Reported Respiration Rates, Perceived Stress, and Resilience. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2023
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Nurses: An Integrative Review Journal of Holistic Nursing February 25, 2022
- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on psychological well-being, burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Nursing February 20, 2022
- Effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction program on psychological symptoms, quality of life, and symptom severity in patients with somatic symptom disorder Advanced Biomedical Research March 29, 2021
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Psychological Functioning of Healthcare Professionals: a Systematic Review Mindfulness September 24, 2020
and 2 more in the library