Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on reducing psychological distress among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Mestiana Karo, Lindawati Simorangkir, Ita Daryanti Saragih, Ira Suarilah, Huey-Ming Tzeng
Journal of Nursing Scholarship March 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1111/jnu.12941 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 16 |
| Population | Nurses |
| Intervention | mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Meta-analysis Mindfulness-based interventions Nurses Psychological distress |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based interventions appear to alleviate stress and depression among nurses. |
Abstract
Nurses increasingly use mindfulness as an effective mental health intervention to reduce psychological distress. The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions remains inconclusive, which may lead to implementation of interventions in an inefficient or ineffective manner. This study aimed to examine the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on reducing stress, anxiety, and depression among nurses. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched using six databases published through May 20, 2023, which evaluated the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on reducing psychological distress among nurses. To assess the quality of methodology included in the RCTs, version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias instrument for RCTs with five domains was used. Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the random-effects model in the meta-analyses. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's regression test. Further, the robustness effect size of the pooled analysis was assessed using leave-one-out sensitivity analysis. A total of 16 RCTs were included in the final analysis. Overall, the modalities appeared to alleviate stress (pooled SMD: -0.50 [95% CI: -0.82 to -0.18]; p < 0.001) and depression (pooled SMD: -0.42 [95% CI: -0.78 to -0.06]; p = 0.02) among nurses. Mindfulness-based interventions appear to alleviate stress and depression in nurses. Future research evaluating mindfulness-based interventions among working nurses with more rigorous methodological and larger sample size. Support for nurses' mental health must be included while implementing personal and professional development plans.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Toward a Unified Model of Advanced Meditation, Human Development, Meditation Maps, and Transtradition Metaphors: Facing Impermanence, Suffering, and Death Mindfulness July 29, 2025
- Effect of Mindful Hypnotherapy on Psychological Distress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Behavioral Sciences January 13, 2026
- Effects of an Online Meditation Programme on Stress and Fatigue in Critical Care Nurses: A Randomised Controlled Trial Nursing Critical Care July 30, 2026
- Online and traditional mindfulness-based interventions for stress in university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis versus control conditions. Frontiers in Psychology March 27, 2026
- The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on presenteeism among ICU nurses: A cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS One October 28, 2025
Cites 17
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Psychiatry. FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry January 24, 2018
- The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on nurses' anxiety and depression: A meta‐analysis Nursing Open January 24, 2023
- Online, low-volume meditation does not alter immune-related biomarkers. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health December 2022
and 12 more in the library