The impact of mindfulness interventions for staff on the care, treatment, and experiences of people with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review
Michaela Sturgeon
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities July 21, 2023 DOI: 10.1111/jar.13140 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Staff working with people with intellectual disabilities and the people with intellectual disabilities receiving their support |
| Intervention | Mindfulness interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | The review reports consistently positive outcomes across nine studies, including reduced use of restrictive practices by staff, increased positive staff-client interactions, and reduced aggression among people with intellectual disabilities. The authors note methodological issues in the included studies and call for further research, but conclude that the review supports benefits of mindfulness for staff behavior and quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities. |
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness interventions have been shown to ameliorate stress in support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities. This review aimed to explore what impact mindfulness interventions for staff have on their care and support behaviours, and on the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities receiving support.
Method: A systematic search of PsycINFO, Web of Science, ASSIA, and PubMed identified nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Outcomes were collated and a quality assessment tool was used to inform the critical analysis of the studies.
Results: Despite identified methodological issues, positive results were consistently reported. These included reduced use of restrictive practices by staff, increased positive interactions between staff and people with intellectual disabilities, and reduced aggression displayed by people with intellectual disabilities.
Conclusions: Further research in this area is required; however, this review supports the benefits of mindfulness on staff behaviour and the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities.
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
Cites 5
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Psychiatry. FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry January 24, 2018
- Mindful Staff Can Reduce the Use of Physical Restraints When Providing Care to Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities January 12, 2009
- Comparative Effectiveness of Caregiver Training in Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Support (MBPBS) and Positive Behavior Support (PBS) in a Randomized Controlled Trial. Mindfulness 2020
- Effectiveness of Caregiver Training in Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Support (MBPBS) vs. Training-as-Usual (TAU): A Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology October 6, 2016
- Caregiver Training in Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Supports (MBPBS): Effects on Caregivers and Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Frontiers in Psychology 2016