Use of a Mindfulness Smartphone App in an Advanced Psychiatry Elective for Pharmacy Students
Jerry McGuire, Teresa Zhen
INNOVATIONS in Pharmacy May 28, 2020 DOI: 10.24926/iip.v10i3.1346 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Third-year pharmacy students enrolled in an Advanced Psychiatry elective course |
| Dose | 10 daily mindfulness sessions |
| Duration | 10 days |
| Measures | Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | A small, non-statistically significant change in MAAS total score was observed after using the mindfulness app, and most students would recommend it to patients and first-year pharmacy students. |
Abstract
Background: There is a mental health crisis among US University students. Evidence supporting techniques to help students manage the stress are critically needed. Mindfulness meditation is one such strategy which may be helpful for pharmacy students. Innovation: Third-year pharmacy students enrolled in an Advanced Psychiatry elective course were invited to participate in the study. Students were given a 10-day assignment to participate in 10 free mindfulness sessions offered by the smart phone app, Headspace®. The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) was completed before and after the assignment. Student qualitative feedback was also obtained after utilization of the app.
Findings: Seventy-six percent of students completed the mindfulness sessions daily. A small, non-statistically significant change in MAAS Total Score was observed in the students after use of the mindfulness app. The majority of students would recommend the mindfulness app to their patients, as well as 1st year pharmacy students. The students also reported that the assignment aided in their education about non-pharmacologic treatment options for depression and anxiety.
Conclusion: This pilot study provides preliminary evidence for the further investigation of mindfulness meditation smartphone apps in pharmacy students both as a tool to aid in managing the stress of pharmacy school and as a teaching tool. Article Type: Note
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 4
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Happier Healers: Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Mindfulness for Stress Management. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 2018
- A Mindfulness Intervention for Residents: Relevance for Pediatricians. Pediatric annals October 1, 2016
- Review and Evaluation of Mindfulness-Based iPhone Apps. JMIR mHealth and uHealth August 19, 2015