Mindfulness in Physical and Occupational Therapy Education and Practice: A scoping review
Sue Dean, Wenbo Peng, Chris Zaslawski, Doug Elliott, Toby R. O. Newton-John, Marc A. Campo, Evangelos Pappas
Physical Therapy Reviews June 26, 2017 DOI: 10.1080/10833196.2017.1341594 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Scoping review Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Physical and occupational therapists and students of those disciplines |
| Intervention | Mindfulness practices |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key findings | The authors report that only six studies have examined mindfulness among physical and occupational therapists and students, and these suggest potentially promising effects. They caution that the small number of studies, high heterogeneity in mindfulness interventions, and methodological limitations mean the findings should be interpreted cautiously, and conclude there is a paucity of research in this area. |
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness practices provide numerous benefits for individuals with a variety of health issues. Recent research has highlighted the benefits of mindfulness for health professionals. The potential benefits for physical and occupational therapists or students however, are currently unclear.Objectives: To perform a scoping review on the effects of mindfulness practices among physical (PT) and occupational therapists (OT) and students of those disciplines.Methods: Eligible published articles in English were identified through a literature search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, and AMED from the inception of databases to November 2015. Titles, abstracts, and full-text articles were screened for the selection of relevant papers. Articles identified as editorials, correspondences, commentaries, case reports, abstracts alone, and review papers were excluded.Results: Six studies (two qualitative studies, one quantitative study, one mixed-method study, and two experimental studies) met the inclusion criteria. Three studies focused on PT/OT students, two on clinicians and one on current clinicians who had previously failed a course. These studies highlighted the potential benefits of mindfulness for physical and occupational therapists. They should be interpreted with caution however, due to the small number of relevant studies, high heterogeneity in mindfulness interventions and methodological limitations.Conclusions: There is a paucity of research on the effects of mindfulness among physical and occupational therapists and students of those disciplines. The lack of relevant studies makes a systematic review challenging but the findings of the current studies suggest potentially promising effects.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Role of Mindfulness in the Effects of Organizational Culture on Depression in Korean Physical Therapists. Safety and health at work December 1, 2024
- Mindfulness in paediatric occupational therapy practice: a phenomenological inquiry. Disability and Rehabilitation May 22, 2023
- Meditation and Mindfulness in the Peer-Reviewed Literature: Review Journal of Yoga and Physiotherapy July 17, 2018
Cites 19
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- Association of an Educational Program in Mindful Communication With Burnout, Empathy, and Attitudes Among Primary Care Physicians JAMA September 22, 2009
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction as a Stress Management Intervention for Healthy Individuals Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine July 22, 2014
- Mindfulness, Self-Care, and Wellness in Social Work: Effects of Contemplative Training Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work Social Thought July 1, 2011
and 14 more in the library