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The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR) Reduces Stress-Related Psychological Distress in Healthcare Professionals

Andrés Martín-Asuero, Gloria García-Banda

The Spanish journal of psychology November 1, 2010 DOI: 10.1017/s1138741600002547 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Semi-experimental study Peer reviewed
Sample size 29
Population Health professionals seeking stress reduction
Duration 8-week intervention, 3-month follow-up
Topics Meditation
Key findings MBSR reduced distress by 35% (from percentile 75 to 45), rumination by 30%, and negative affect by 20%, with benefits lasting through 3-month follow-up. Reductions in distress were significantly correlated with reductions in rumination and negative affect.

Abstract

This semi-experimental study examines how Mindfulness facilitates a distress reduction in a group of health professionals. The sample comprises 29 professionals seeking stress reduction who undertook an 8 weeks psico-educative intervention, involving 28 hours of class, based on a program called Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction or MBSR. Results show a 35% reduction of distress, from percentile 75 to 45, combined with a 30% reduction in rumination and a 20% decrease in negative affect. These benefits lasted during the 3 months of the follow up period. The correlation analysis indicates that the decrease in distress is significantly related to the other two variables. These results confirm the effectiveness of MBSR to decrease distress and its applicability in training programs for health professionals.