Easing the burden: a pilot study on the impact of mindfulness on the mental health of Brazilian medical students.
Vinicius Vieira Neves, Daniel Teixeira Dos Santos, Marcelo Demarzo, Lia Antico, Cynthia de Almeida Brandão Meirelles, Ana Rosa Airão Barboza
BMC Medical Education August 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-025-07726-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Single-arm pilot clinical trial Randomized Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Brazilian medical students aged 18 or older, recruited by convenience from a university interest group (76.9% female, 92.3% Caucasian, mean age 23.6 years) |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion (MBHP) program |
| Duration | 2.5 hours per week over eight weeks, with outcomes assessed pre- and post-intervention |
| Measures | Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Feasibility studies Pilot projects Stress, psychological Mental health Students, medical Health promotion Brazil Female Young adult Subjective stress Intervention studies Education, medical Perceived stress Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Key findings | The MBHP program was feasible, with 100% recruitment and retention among 13 eligible medical students. Depressive and anxiety symptoms decreased significantly, and overall mindfulness increased significantly, including four of five facets. Perceived stress did not decrease significantly. The authors conclude MBHP may reduce anxiety and depression and enhance mindfulness, but call for larger randomized trials with longer follow-up to confirm these preliminary findings. |
Abstract
Background: Mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are more prevalent in medical students than in the general population. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have shown evidence of effectiveness in treating these conditions. However, findings among medical students are mixed, particularly in Brazilian samples. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effects of the Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion (MBHP) program on perceived stress, mindfulness, and symptoms of anxiety and depression in Brazilian medical students.
Methods: This single-arm pilot clinical trial involved medical students participating in the MBHP program for 2.5 h per week over eight weeks. A convenience sample from a university’s interest group was recruited through referrals. Those aged ≥ 18, enrolled in medical school, and owning a smartphone were eligible. Outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Feasibility was evaluated through recruitment and retention rates. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7); perceived stress and mindfulness were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) and the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test.
Results: All 13 eligible participants enrolled and attended at least 50% of the sessions, resulting in recruitment and retention rates of 100%.
Participants: (76.9% female, 92.3% Caucasian, mean age = 23.6 years) showed significant reductions in depressive (p =.001; r =.62) and anxiety (p =.014; r =.41) symptoms. Overall mindfulness increased significantly (p =.001; r =.62), as did four of its five facets: Observe (p =.012; r =.49), Act with Awareness (p =.009; r =.51), Non-judgement (p =.046; r =.39) and Non-reaction (p =.007; r =.52). Perceived stress was not significantly reduced (p =.059; r =.37).
Conclusion: MBHP was feasible and may reduce anxiety and depression while enhancing mindfulness in Brazilian medical students. Higher-quality randomized trials with larger samples and longer follow-up are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Registration: The trial was retrospectively registered with the Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC) on February 26, 2025, under registration number RBR-44cvfnq.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 26
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- A randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation versus relaxation training: Effects on distress, positive states of mind, rumination, and distraction Annals of Behavioral Medicine February 1, 2007
- Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse JAMA Psychiatry April 28, 2016
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Teaching and Learning in Medicine April 1, 2003
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: Theory and Practice The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry February 1, 2012
and 21 more in the library