Let's Expand on How We Teach Mindfulness through an Online, Asynchronous Four-Week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course
Veronica L. O’Brien, Nicolette P. Rickert
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post feasibility study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 274 |
| Population | Adults from a southeastern U.S. university and the general public recruited via social media, email, and flyers |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 4-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | A four-week asynchronous online MBSR course significantly reduced anxiety, depression, trauma, and alcohol misuse symptoms and increased dispositional mindfulness, though objective engagement declined over time. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a well-researched eight-week program initially developed for stress reduction; however, the in-person eight-week structure may not be feasible for all individuals who could benefit from mindfulness-based training. Previous researchers have found abbreviated MBSR courses to have similar efficacy in alleviating psychopathology symptoms; however, there is no standardized protocol for an abbreviated MBSR. Moreover, there is a need to examine the feasibility of the course hosted online and asynchronously to fully understand whether this adaptation can improve accessibility of the course. We recruited 274 participants from a southeastern university in the United States, and the general population was recruited through social media, email, and flyers. Participants completed a four-week asynchronous online MBSR course. Engagement was measured through both e-learning platform data and self-report questionnaires. Results showed statistically significant decreases in anxiety, depression, trauma, and alcohol misuse symptoms, and significant increases in dispositional mindfulness. Descriptive statistics on course engagement revealed that while participants self-reported increased engagement in the course as the weeks progressed, the access data from the course indicated a decrease in engagement, highlighting a need for adjustments to improve participant engagement. Overall, the findings suggest that a four-week online asynchronous MBSR course is feasible for reducing psychopathology symptoms and increasing dispositional mindfulness; however, implications of engagement data were discussed to improve future iterations of the course. This study demonstrates the potential of an abbreviated, flexible MBSR format to extend the benefits of mindfulness to a broader population.
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 |