Effects of Balint group combined with mindfulness-based stress reduction on humanistic care ability and psychological resilience among obstetric nurses
Ranran Zhao, Yuan-Yuan Li, Feifei Meng, Xing-Xing Lv, Sha Wang, Zhifen Wang, Ya-Fei Liang
Frontiers in Psychiatry July 2, 2026 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1852319 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Non-randomized controlled trial with three parallel groups Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 87 |
| Population | Obstetric nurses from a tertiary hospital in Hebei Province, China |
| Interventions | Balint group mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 6-week follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Combining Balint group sessions with MBSR was associated with significantly greater improvements in empathy, humanistic care competence, emotional intelligence, and psychological resilience than Balint alone or control, with effects maintained at 6-week follow-up. Balint alone also produced moderate improvements, but the combined intervention was stronger and more sustained. |
Abstract
Background: Humanistic care competence and psychological resilience are essential for improving nursing quality, particularly in high-stress specialties such as obstetrics. However, effective interventions that simultaneously enhance both interpersonal and intrapersonal capacities among nurses remain limited.
Methods: A total of 87 obstetric nurses from a tertiary hospital in Hebei Province, China, were enrolled and allocated into three groups: a combined Balint group and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention group, a Balint group, and a control group (n = 29 each). The intervention was conducted over 8 weeks. Outcomes, including humanistic care competence, empathy, emotional intelligence, and psychological resilience, were measured at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-week follow-up using validated Chinese versions of standardized scales. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis.
Results: The combined intervention group showed significantly greater associations with improvements in all outcomes compared with the Balint and control groups (all P < 0.001). Empathy, humanistic care competence, emotional intelligence, and psychological resilience were significantly higher after the intervention and continued to show positive trends at follow-up. Although the Balint group alone also demonstrated moderate improvements, the combined intervention consistently produced stronger and more sustained associations.
Conclusion: The integration of Balint group and MBSR interventions eff is associated with enhanced psychological resilience and humanistic care competence among obstetric nurses. This study builds on previous research by examining the combined effect of reflective and mindfulness-based approaches in a specific clinical population, providing evidence for a feasible strategy to improve nurses’ professional quality and mental well-being.