Guided Online Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Community Residents with Emotional Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Daniel Kim-Wan Young, Per Carlbring, Daphne Yi-Ting Cheng, Siu-Man Ng, Petrus Yat-Nam Ng, Joseph Qi-Rong Chen
Social Work March 19, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/sw/swae004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 64 |
| Population | Community residents in Hong Kong experiencing emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| Interventions | weekly telephone counseling and two half-day online workshops |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Chinese societies Emotional distress Mindfulness-based interventions Online interventions Randomized controlled trials |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | The guided online mindfulness-based intervention significantly reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms with a large effect size and improved mindfulness with a moderate effect size compared to a waitlist control group. |
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a guided online mindfulness-based intervention (iMBI) for community residents experiencing emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. In a randomized controlled trial, 64 participants were recruited from collaborating community-based mental health service units in Hong Kong and assigned to either the treatment (n = 32) or control (n = 32) groups. The treatment group received a guided iMBI consisting of 16 online modules, weekly telephone counseling, and two half-day online workshops on mindfulness practice. In contrast, the waitlist control group did not receive any intervention during the initial stage. Using a 2 (two groups) × time (pre versus post) repeated measures linear mixed model and one-way analysis of variance, authors demonstrated that the treatment group experienced a significantly larger reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms with a large effect size compared with the control group. Additionally, the treatment group showed a significantly greater improvement in mindfulness with a moderate effect size. The findings support the effectiveness of guided iMBI for community residents experiencing emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 4
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. Industrial Psychiatry Journal October 29, 2024
- Effectiveness of online mindfulness-based interventions in improving mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One September 21, 2022
- New Evidence in the Booming Field of Online Mindfulness: An Updated Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials JMIR Mental Health February 23, 2021
- Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions for Mental Health Treatment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JMIR Mental Health September 25, 2018