Mindfulness Therapy as an Intervention to Address Overthinking
Andhika Rayhan Savero
INDONESIAN COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGY June 30, 2025 DOI: 10.24114/icp.v5i2.66171 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative experimental study with a one-group pretest-posttest design Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | HR employees at PT. X who showed symptoms of overthinking |
| Interventions | Mindfulness therapy Deep breathing Self-talk |
| Duration | 10 sessions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Both participants showed a reduction in overthinking symptoms after ten sessions of mindfulness therapy combining deep breathing and self-talk, and the direction of change consistently indicated improvement. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test found no statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores (p = 0.180), so the authors describe the therapy as having potential rather than proven effectiveness. |
Abstract
Overthinking is a form of psychological pressure that is common in the work environment and can have a negative impact on employee performance and well-being. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of mindfulness therapy in reducing symptoms of overthinking in HR employees at PT. X. The research uses an experimental qualitative approach with a One Group Pretest-Posttest design. The subjects consisted of two employees who were selected purposively because they showed symptoms of overthinking. The intervention was carried out in ten sessions using deep breathing and self-talk techniques. Data were collected through pretest-posttest (15 yes/no items), semi-structured interviews, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted using a descriptive thematic approach to identify change patterns in participants’ experiences, and supported by statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test to assess differences in scores before and after the intervention. The results indicated that both participants experienced a reduction in overthinking symptoms following the therapy. Although the Wilcoxon test showed no statistically significant result (p = 0.180), the direction of change consistently reflected improvement. The study concludes that mindfulness therapy has potential as an effective psychological intervention in the workplace context.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Cancer patients (clinical intervention study) | 2003 | Mixed methods: scale development, correlational, quasi-experimental, laboratory, experience-sampling, and clinical intervention study | |
| Loving-kindness meditation increases social connectedness. | 2008 | Controlled laboratory experiment | |
| Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. | 2012 | Two studies: correlational study and experimental study | |
| Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence | 2009 | Experimental study | |
| Mindfulness meditation and substance use in an incarcerated population. Incarcerated population | 2006 | Quasi-experimental with treatment-as-usual control condition |