Improving psychological well‐being among healthcare workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic with an online mindfulness intervention: A randomised waitlist‐controlled trial
Anuradha Baminiwatta, Roshan Fernando, Indrajith Solangaarachchi, Thilini Abayabandara‐Herath, Ananda R. Wickremasinghe, Aruni Hapangama
International Journal of Psychology February 14, 2024 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.13118 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 80 |
| Population | Healthcare workers in Sri Lanka |
| Duration | 6-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychological intervention Intervention counseling Randomized controlled trial Mental health Perceived stress scale Clinical psychology Physical therapy Stress linguistics |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | A six-week online mindfulness-based intervention significantly improved well-being but did not significantly reduce stress among healthcare workers. |
Abstract
The high prevalence of psychological problems observed among healthcare workers (HCWs) during the COVID‐19 pandemic called for interventions to safeguard their mental health. We assessed the effectiveness of a 6‐week online mindfulness‐based intervention in improving well‐being and reducing stress among HCWs in Sri Lanka. Eighty HCWs were recruited and randomised into two groups: waitlist‐control (WLC) and intervention groups. In the intervention, 1‐hour online sessions were conducted at weekly intervals and participants were encouraged to do daily home practice. Stress and well‐being were measured pre‐ and post‐intervention using the Perceived Stress Scale and WHO‐5 Well‐being Index, respectively. One‐way analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the effectiveness, in both intention‐to‐treat (ITT) and complete‐case (CC) analyses. A significantly greater improvement in well‐being occurred in the intervention arm compared to WLC on both ITT ( p = .002) and CC analyses ( p < .001), with medium‐to‐large effect sizes (partial η 2 = .117–.278). However, the reduction in stress following the intervention was not significant compared to the WLC group on both ITT ( p = .636) and CC analyses ( p = .262). In the intervention arm, the median number of sessions attended by participants was 3. Low adherence to the intervention may have contributed to the apparent non‐significant effect on stress.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cites 13
- Compassion-based emotion regulation up-regulates experienced positive affect and associated neural networks Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience February 19, 2015
- Group, One-on-One, or Internet? Preferences for Mindfulness Meditation Delivery Format and their Predictors Open Medicine Journal November 28, 2014
- Engagement Strategies to Improve Adherence and Retention in Web-Based Mindfulness Programs: Systematic Review Journal of Medical Internet Research August 28, 2023
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Nurses: An Integrative Review Journal of Holistic Nursing February 25, 2022
- The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on the psychological well-being of nurses: A systematic review. Applied Nursing Research 2022
and 8 more in the library