Monthly Trajectories of Mood Improvement Following a Workplace Mindfulness Programme: A Randomised Controlled Pilot Trial.
Shinyu Kise, Shohei Yoshihara
Cureus August 12, 2025 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.89929 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Full-time Japanese employees (60% men; mean age 40.1 ± 6.2 years) |
| Dose | three 90-minute workshops (Weeks 0, 4, 8) plus 10 minutes of daily self-practice |
| Duration | Three-month intervention; monthly assessments over three months |
| Measures | Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) from POMS-2-SF, fatigue (100-mm VAS), Stanford Presenteeism Questionnaire (SPQ) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Randomized controlled trial Workplace Mood disturbance Poms2 |
| Key findings | A low-dose workplace mindfulness intervention reduced Total Mood Disturbance scores cumulatively over three months (-4.2, -4.4, -6.3 points at Months 1-3) relative to a wait-list control, with a significant group-by-time interaction (β = -2.56 points per month, 95% CI -4.31 to -0.71). Fatigue and presenteeism trends favored the intervention but were not statistically significant. |
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness‑based interventions (MBIs) are widely adopted to mitigate workplace stress, yet their month-by-month impact on mood has rarely been quantified. Methodology: A total of 25 full‑time Japanese employees (60% men; mean ± SD age 40.1 ± 6.2 years) were randomised to a three‑month MBI arm (n = 12) or a wait‑list control arm (n = 13). The MBI comprised three 90‑min workshops (Weeks 0, 4, 8) plus 10‑min daily self‑practice. Measuring Total Mood Disturbance scores (TMD; POMS‑2‑SF) was the primary outcome; fatigue (100‑mm VAS) and presenteeism (Stanford Presenteeism Questionnaire; SPQ) were secondary. Assessments occurred at baseline and monthly for three months. Linear mixed‑effects models with participant random intercepts tested group × time interactions; 95% bootstrap CIs (1,000 iterations) were generated.
Results: TMD declined cumulatively in the MBI arm (‑4.2, ‑4.4, ‑6.3 points at Months 1‑3), while controls rose +1.0 point; interaction β = ‑2.56 points·month⁻¹ (95 % CI ‑4.31 to ‑0.71, p = 0.014). Fatigue (p = 0.47) and presenteeism (p = 0.41) trends favoured the intervention but were non‑significant.
Conclusions: A low‑dose workplace MBI produced additive three‑month reductions in mood disturbance. Monthly assessments clarify change dynamics and justify larger confirmatory trials integrating physiological and organisational endpoints.
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 |