The effect of mindfulness‐based interventions on reducing stress in future health professionals: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Chia‐Ping Lu, Stijntje Willemijn Dijk, Aradhana Pandit, Leonieke W. Kranenburg, Annemarie Ida Luik, M. G. Myriam Hunink
Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being August 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12472 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Students in health professions |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Duration | 6- to 12-week interventions with 1- to 2-hour weekly sessions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 23 |
| Key findings | Across 10 randomized controlled trials, mindfulness-based interventions of 6 to 12 weeks with 1- to 2-hour weekly sessions showed a moderate effect on reducing stress in health professions students, with a standardized mean difference of 0.60 (95% CI 0.27 to 0.94). The authors caution that the high risk of bias in the included trials limits confidence in this estimate. |
Abstract
Students in health professions often face high levels of stress due to demanding academic schedules, heavy workloads, disrupted work-life balance, and sleep deprivation. Addressing stress during their education can prevent negative consequences for their mental health and the well-being of their future patients. Previous reviews on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) focused on working health professionals or included a wide range of intervention types and durations. This study aims to investigate the effect of 6- to 12-week MBIs with 1- to 2-h weekly sessions on stress in future health professionals. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials published in English by searching Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and PsycINFO. We used post-intervention stress levels and standard deviations to assess the ability of MBIs to reduce stress, summarized by the standardized mean difference (SMD). This review is reported according to the PRISMA checklist (2020). We identified 2932 studies, of which 11 were included in the systematic review and 10 had sufficient data for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The overall effect of MBIs on reducing stress was a SMD of 0.60 (95% CI [0.27, 0.94]). Our study provides evidence that MBIs have a moderate reducing effect on stress in students in health professions; however, given the high risk of bias, these findings should be interpreted with caution, and further high-quality studies are needed.
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 5
- Effects of Short Video App Guided Mindfulness Meditation on Policemen's Communication Anxiety, PTSD, Anger Management, and Mood Disorders. Healthcare May 21, 2025
- Evaluation of easy-to-implement anti-stress interventions in a series of N-of-1 trials: study protocol of the anti-stress intervention among physicians study. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2024
- Global trends and emerging themes in psychological well‐being and mindfulness research: A science‐mapping study aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and well‐being) Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being December 1, 2025
- Effectiveness of Mind-Body Therapies on Anxiety, Burnout, Depression, and Stress in Graduate Health Professions Students: A Systematic Review. Journal of allied health September 18, 2026
- Comparing the effects of sitting meditation and body scan on working memory in undergraduate healthcare students: a single-blind randomised trial. BMC Psychology June 4, 2026
Cites 14
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Mindfulness interventions in medical education: A systematic review of their impact on medical student stress, depression, fatigue and burnout Medical Teacher November 7, 2017
- Stress and Coping Among Health Professions Students During COVID-19: A Perspective on the Benefits of Mindfulness. Global Advances in Health and Medicine December 13, 2020
and 9 more in the library