Compassion Meditation Training for Hospital Chaplain Residents: A Pilot Study.
Marcia J Ash, Elizabeth Reisinger Walker, Ralph J DiClemente, Marianne P Florian, Patricia K Palmer, Kathryn Wehrmeyer, Lobsang Tenzin Negi, George H. Grant, Charles L. Raison, Jennifer S Mascaro
Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy 2021 DOI: 10.1080/08854726.2020.1723189 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal, quasi-experimental design Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Hospital chaplain residents |
| Intervention | Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) |
| Duration | 4-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Burnout Compassion satisfaction Pastoral education Secondary trauma stress |
| Key findings | Compassion meditation training (CBCT) incorporated into clinical pastoral education significantly reduced burnout and anxiety among chaplain residents, but effects were not maintained at 4-month follow-up. |
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of incorporating compassion meditation training into a clinical pastoral education (CPE) curriculum to enhance compassion satisfaction and reduce burnout among hospital chaplain residents. Specifically, a longitudinal, quasi-experimental design was used to examine the impact of Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT), a group-delivered compassion meditation intervention. Hospital chaplain residents (n = 15) were assigned to participate in a CBCT intervention or a waitlist comparison group. Chaplains assigned to CBCT reported significant decreases in burnout and anxiety compared to the waitlist group; effects were not maintained at 4-month follow-up. Other outcomes, including compassion satisfaction, did not differ significantly but were trending in the expected direction. Findings suggest that compassion meditation training incorporated into CPE promotes chaplain wellbeing, although it may be necessary to extend CBCT throughout residency to sustain effects.