Changes in Perceived Stress Following a 10-Week Digital Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program: Retrospective Study

A 10-week digital mindfulness-based stress reduction program that combined an app with weekly one-on-one remote health-coach sessions was associated with significant reductions in perceived stress. Among 229 participants with moderate-to-high stress, average stress scores dropped by 3.17 points by week 6 and 4.86 points by week 12. By week 12, 83.2% of completers showed reduced stress, 40.5% showed reliable improvement, and 47.8% moved to a lower stress category. At 6 months, 61% of those assessed showed reliable improvement. More completed lessons increased the likelihood of moving down a stress category. The findings suggest such blended digital interventions may support meaningful, sustained stress reduction.

Study at a glance

Abstract

BackgroundAs the need for effective scalable interventions for mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and stress has grown, the digital delivery of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has gained interest as a promising intervention in this domain. ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the changes in perceived stress following a 10-week digital MBSR program that combined an app-based digital program with weekly one-on-one remote sessions with a health coach. MethodsThis study used a retrospective, observational design. A total of 229 participants with moderate-to-high perceived stress scores as assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)-10 enrolled in the 10-week Vida Health MBSR program. The program included weekly remote sessions with a certified health coach and digital content based on concepts fundamental to mindfulness practice. The PSS-10 was used to evaluate perceived stress. Of the 229 participants, 131 (57.2%) were considered program completers and provided at least one follow-up PSS-10. A secondary analysis examined the changes in stress scores at 6 months. This analysis was restricted to participants who had been enrolled in the program for at least 6 months (n=121). To account for random and fixed effects, linear mixed effects modeling was used to assess changes in stress scores over time. An intention-to-treat approach was used to evaluate the changes in perceived stress across the entire study cohort, including those who were lost to follow-up. In addition, a reliable change index was computed to evaluate the changes in scores from the baseline. ResultsThe findings revealed a significant positive association between program time and stress reduction (B=−0.365; P<.001) at 12 weeks. We observed an average reduction in stress scores of 3.17 points (95% CI −3.93 to −2.44) by program week 6 and 4.86 points (95% CI −5.86 to −3.85) by program week 12. Overall, 83.2% (109/131) of participants showed a reduction in stress scores by week 12, with 40.5% (53/131) of participants showing reliable improvement at 12 weeks and 47.8% (56/131) of participants showing a shift to a lower stress level category (ie, moderate-to-low stress). The intention-to-treat analysis revealed a significant, although attenuated, reduction in stress scores at 12 weeks (B=−0.23; P<.001). Participants who completed more lessons had an increased likelihood of moving down at least one stress level category (odds ratio 1.512, 95% CI 1.056 to 2.166; P=.02). In assessing medium-term outcomes, among participants who had completed at least 6 months in the program, 48.8% (59/121) of members provided a 6-month assessment. We observed a significant reduction in stress scores at 6 months (t58=10.24; P<.001), with 61% (36/59) of participants showing reliable improvement. ConclusionsThe findings of this retrospective, observational study suggest that a blended, digital mindfulness-based intervention may support program uptake and meaningful, sustained reduction in stress outcomes.