Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Well-Being, Burnout and Stress of Italian Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Marco Marotta, F. Gorini, Alessandra Parlanti, Sergio Berti, Cristina Vassalle
Journal of Clinical Medicine May 31, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11113136 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Italian healthcare professionals |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | MBSR training reduced distress and fear of COVID-19 in healthcare professionals, but depersonalization increased in one post-pandemic group. |
Abstract
COVID-19 has overwhelmed healthcare systems and increased workload and distress in healthcare professionals (HCPs). The objective of this study was to evaluate baseline distress before and after the pandemic, and the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training on well-being (PGWBI), stress (PSS) and burnout (MBI) in Italian HCPs. Moreover, the “fear of COVID-19” (FCV-19S) questionnaire was administered to HCPs participating in the post-emergency MBSR program. Baseline distress results were moderate in all groups. No differences between baseline distress were observed between the groups of HCPs beginning the MBSR courses in the pre or post pandemic period. Total PGWBI lowered with aging. Additionally, FCV-19S positively correlated with age. MBSR was able to lower distress levels, except for depersonalization, which increased, while emotional exhaustion decreased in the group enrolled in the last post-pandemic MBSR course. Levels of fear of COVID-19 in HCPs significantly decreased after MBSR training. The lack of change in baseline distress over time indicates that it is more influenced by work-related distress than by the pandemic in our HCPs. In view of its beneficial effects on psycho-emotional status, MBSR training may represent an effective strategy to reduce distress in emergency periods as well as an essential part of HCPs’ general training.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
- Mindfulness-based interventions for improving mental health of frontline healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Systematic Reviews June 20, 2024
- Personality traits, mindfulness, and perceived stress in Chinese adults: a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach Frontiers in Psychology January 3, 2025
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program to Improve Well-Being and Health in Healthcare Professionals. Journal of Clinical Medicine October 28, 2025
- Mindfulness Improves Awareness and Cortisol Levels During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Randomised Controlled Trial in Healthcare Workers. Healthcare September 27, 2025
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction and mental health in department of emergency nurses: A narrative review. World Journal of Psychiatry September 19, 2025
and 5 more in the library
Cites 8
- Perceived stress, resilience, well-being, and COVID 19 response in Isha yoga practitioners compared to matched controls: A research protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications May 21, 2021
- Mindfulness as a way to cope with COVID‐19‐related stress and anxiety December 13, 2020
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Psychological Functioning of Healthcare Professionals: a Systematic Review Mindfulness September 24, 2020
- Positive Impact of Mindfulness Meditation on Mental Health of Female Teachers during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Italy International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health September 1, 2020
- A systematic review of the impact of mindfulness on the well-being of healthcare professionals. Journal of Clinical Psychology March 2018
and 3 more in the library