Mindfulness skills in trainee child and adolescent psychotherapists: Exploring the effects of mindfulness‐based workshops in a mixed‐methods study
Julia Kalmar, Charlotte Bressler, Elena Gruber, Ines Baumann, Eva Vonderlin, Hinrich Bents, Thomas Heidenreich, Johannes Mander
Counselling and Psychotherapy Research February 7, 2023 DOI: 10.1002/capr.12619 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Nonrandomised controlled study with quantitative and qualitative components Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 57 |
| Population | Trainee child and adolescent psychotherapists |
| Intervention | individual homework practice of mindfulness exercises |
| Duration | 6-week workshop-based intervention, with 6-month follow-up |
| Measures | Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS-D), Self-Compassion Scale (SCS-D), Empathy Scale for Social Workers (ESSW) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | The mindfulness workshop intervention was associated with a significant increase over time on the KIMS-D subscale 'accepting without judgment' in the experimental group relative to the comparison group, while both groups increased on 'acting with awareness'. Qualitative analysis of 10 participants indicated good acceptance of the workshops and integration of mindfulness into everyday life. |
Abstract
Abstract Objectives Mindfulness may be a helpful tool to enhance psychotherapists' self‐care and intrapersonal skills. To gain deeper knowledge about how to improve mindfulness skills in child and adolescent psychotherapists, we investigated the impact of two mindfulness‐based workshops and a self‐experience interval (individual homework practice of mindfulness exercises) on quantitative and qualitative measures in a nonrandomised study.
Methods: Thirty‐six trainee psychotherapists took part in the 6‐week workshop‐based mindfulness intervention (experimental group, EG). Twenty‐one trainee psychotherapists served as a comparison group (CG). All participants completed the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS‐D), the Self‐Compassion Scale (SCS‐D) and the Empathy Scale for Social Workers (ESSW) at pre, post and 6‐month follow‐up. Benefits of the regular use of mindfulness practice of 10 trainee psychotherapists in the EG were analysed using qualitative content analysis at the 6‐month follow‐up.
Results: The quantitative analyses revealed a significant increase over time on the KIMS‐D subscale “acting with awareness” in both groups and a significant increase over time on the KIMS‐D subscale “accepting without judgment” in the EG in contrast to the CG. The qualitative analyses indicated good acceptance of the mindfulness‐based workshop intervention. Qualitative changes referred to the achievement of knowledge in theory and practice concerning mindfulness and the integration of mindfulness‐based interventions in everyday life.
Conclusion: The mindfulness intervention appeared to produce quantitative long‐term changes concerning mindfulness aspects and qualitative changes. Future research should elaborate conditions (i.e., intervention length, intensity and setting) that may influence the manifestation of quantitative and/or qualitative changes in mindfulness‐based workshop interventions in professionals.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Stress Management and Resilience among Students Enrolled in the Entry Level Master of Science in Nursing (ELMSN) Program Open Journal of Nursing 2026
- The Impact of Mindfulness as a Session‐Introduction on Symptoms and Alliance in Individual Cognitive‐Behavioral Therapy With Children and Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial Journal of Clinical Psychology August 29, 2026
Cites 8
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
- Research Review: The effects of mindfulness‐based interventions on cognition and mental health in children and adolescents – a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry October 22, 2018
- The Empirical Status of Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Systematic Review of 44 Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials Perspectives on Psychological Science February 16, 2021
- Pilot Study of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Trainee Clinical Psychologists Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy December 13, 2010
- The importance of formal versus informal mindfulness practice for enhancing psychological wellbeing and study engagement in a medical student cohort with a 5-week mindfulness-based lifestyle program. PLoS One 2021
and 3 more in the library