The effects of short video app-guided loving-kindness meditation on interpersonal mindfulness, empathy, collaboration, affect, and workplace well-being among working professionals.

A four-week loving-kindness meditation (LKM) program delivered via a short video app improved interpersonal mindfulness, empathy, interdisciplinary collaboration, positive affect, and workplace well-being, while reducing negative affect among full-time employees. In a randomized controlled trial with 100 participants aged 25–60, those who completed daily three-minute LKM sessions showed significantly greater gains in all measured outcomes compared with a no-intervention control group. The findings suggest that brief, digitally guided compassion-based practices can be a feasible tool for enhancing emotional regulation and prosocial qualities in workplace settings.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of a short video app-guided Loving-Kindness Meditation (LKM) intervention in enhancing interpersonal mindfulness, empathy, interdisciplinary collaboration, affective states, and workplace well-being among working professionals. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted with 100 full-time employees (aged 25-60), randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 50) or a control group (n = 50). The intervention group completed daily 3-min LKM sessions for 4 weeks via a secure short video app, while the control group received no intervention. Validated psychological scales were administered at baseline and post-intervention, including the Interpersonal Mindfulness Scale (IMS), Empathy Scale (ES), Interdisciplinary Collaboration Scale (ICS), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form (PANAS-SF), and Workplace Well-being Scale (WWS). A 2 × 2 mixed ANOVA was used to assess group × time interaction effects. Significant group × time interaction effects emerged for all six outcomes. Compared with controls, the intervention group showed greater increases in interpersonal mindfulness (F = 7.789, p = 0.006, η2 = 0.038), empathy (F = 9.831, p = 0.002, η2 = 0.048), collaboration (F = 4.832, p = 0.038, η2 = 0.022), and positive affect (F = 8.580, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.042), along with reduced negative affect (F = 10.169, p = 0.002, η2 = 0.049) and improved workplace well-being (F = 5.660, p = 0.018, η2 = 0.028). These findings demonstrate that short video-based LKM is a feasible and effective digital intervention for cultivating prosocial qualities, emotional regulation, and psychological well-being in workplace settings. The study supports integrating compassion-based practices into organizational wellness initiatives to promote employee functioning and workplace harmony. https://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/project/edit?pid=285511, ChiCTR2500108223.