The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) interventions on nursing student performance and well-being: A systematic review.
Maile Sapp, Rebecca A. Schwartz‐Mette, Kelley Strout, Jennifer Bonnet
Journal of Professional Nursing 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2026.01.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Nursing students |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Mental health Nursing education |
| Key findings | MBSR interventions show potential to improve nursing students' well-being, but academic and clinical performance outcomes are understudied. |
Abstract
With a projected shortage of nearly 200,000 Registered Nurses by 2031, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)'s 2020 resolution underscored the urgent need to integrate stress management and resilience in nursing education, yet the application of MBSR interventions remains underexplored despite its documented effectiveness in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression among practicing nurses. This systematic review aimed to assess the impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) interventions on nursing students' mental health, academic performance, and clinical outcomes. Seven databases and two registries were searched for published and unpublished literature through November 2025. Quantitative, experimental, quasi-experimental, or single-group studies explicitly involving nursing student populations were included. Of the 2367 results, 27 met the inclusion criteria for review: ten randomized control trials (RCTs), six quasi-experimental with a control, and eleven single-group studies. Only six studies examined traditional MBSR, and the remaining twenty-one were modified versions of MBSR. All studies included mental health outcomes, five included academic performance outcomes, and one assessed clinical performance. Most of the studies reported that MBSR interventions have the potential to improve nursing students' well-being. Despite the limited research on MBSR interventions in nursing students, there are promising results for mental health benefits. Academic and clinical performance outcomes are currently understudied.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on nursing interns' death anxiety, stress, and palliative care self-efficacy during oncology end-of-life training. Palliative & Supportive Care September 11, 2026
- Could Mindfulness Predict Nursing Students' Happiness? Implications for Nursing Education. SAGE Open Nursing 2026
Cites 23
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- Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on burnout, resilience and sleep quality among nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMC Nursing July 1, 2025
- Online and In-Person Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Improves Stress Resilience in Nursing Education. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing June 1, 2025
- The mental health of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Beneficial effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction. Heliyon June 30, 2024
and 18 more in the library