Evaluating an online four-session loving-kindness and compassion meditation training on improving psychological well-being among healthcare professionals in Hong Kong: a pilot randomised controlled study
Dicken Cheong-Chun Chan, Lawrence Hoy Fu Luk, Lyon Long Lik You, Dexing Zhang, Walter Bodhi Ngai, Samuel Yeung Shan Wong
Cogent Psychology June 6, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2025.2510737 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 82 |
| Population | Healthcare professionals in Hong Kong |
| Intervention | Loving-kindness and Compassion Meditation |
| Duration | 4-week intervention, 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Online Healthcare professionals |
| Key findings | Online LKCM training showed no overall between-group effect, but among moderately stressed participants it reduced emotional exhaustion, increased personal accomplishment, and improved social connectedness immediately post-intervention. |
Abstract
Healthcare professionals experience great stress and are more susceptible to burnout due to high workloads and complex working procedures. This increases their risk of depression and anxiety, leading to reduced productivity, extra expenses from absenteeism, and diminished quality of care delivery. Loving-kindness and Compassion Meditation (LKCM) has been shown effective at alleviating stress and emotional burnout. This pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of an online 4-weekly-session LKCM training for healthcare professionals in Hong Kong, and initially evaluated its effect on their psychological well-being. Eighty-two healthcare professionals were randomly assigned to either the LKCM training group or a waitlist-control group. Feasibility and acceptance were assessed by intervention completion rate and training evaluation. Participants self-reported their psychological outcomes at baseline, post intervention and at 3 months follow-up. Of the 40 intervention group participants, 77.5% attended at least three out of four classes, with 73.5% and 91.2% of feedback indicating the course was effective and satisfactory overall. Concerning self-reported psychological outcomes, no significant between-group difference was found. However, subgroup analysis of 23 participants who were moderately or more stressed at baseline revealed significant immediate post-intervention benefits in emotional exhaustion (Cohen’s d = −1.05), personal accomplishment (Cohen’s d = 1.07), and social connectedness (Cohen’s d = 0.89) for the intervention group compared to the control group. Preliminary evidence suggested that online LKCM training is feasible and acceptable. It also demonstrated potential immediate beneficial effects in improving psychological well-being, particularly for stressed participants. These findings will guide the design and implementation of larger efficacy studies in the future.
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 29
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology October 27, 2008
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005
- Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clinical Psychology Review July 26, 2011
- Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise PLoS One March 25, 2008
and 24 more in the library