Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions for psychiatric nurses in high-acuity inpatient settings
Journal of Mental Health Nursing 2026 DOI: 10.33545/30810566.2026.v3.i1.a.27 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with non-equivalent control group Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 62 |
| Population | Registered psychiatric nurses from three teaching hospitals in Daejeon, South Korea |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 12-week follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychological intervention Intervention counseling Mental health Occupational stress Sitting Occupational burnout Mindfulness-based stress reduction Psychiatric hospital Scale ratio Seclusion Depression economics Stress linguistics Health care Perceived stress scale Physical therapy Emotional exhaustion |
| Key findings | The MBSR programme reduced perceived stress in psychiatric nurses, with a mean decrease of 4.83 points on the Perceived Stress Scale. |
Abstract
Nearly 43% of psychiatric nurses in acute inpatient wards report clinically significant occupational stress [1]. Despite growing interest in mindfulness-based approaches for healthcare professionals, few controlled trials have tested these interventions within high-acuity psychiatric settings. This research examined the effectiveness of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme adapted for psychiatric nurses in locked inpatient wards. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with a non-equivalent control group was used. Sixty-two registered psychiatric nurses from three teaching hospitals in Daejeon, South Korea, were assigned to MBSR (n=31) or waitlist control (n=31). The programme consisted of weekly 90-minute group sessions covering body scan meditation, sitting meditation, gentle yoga, and mindful movement, with daily 20-minute home practice. Outcomes were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Maslach Burnout Inventory - Emotional Exhaustion subscale (MBI-EE), and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at baseline, post-intervention, and 12-week follow-up. The intervention group showed reductions in perceived stress (mean difference = -4.83, p