Happier Healers: Randomized Controlled Trial of Mobile Mindfulness for Stress Management.
Elaine Yang, Elizabeth Schamber, Rika M L Meyer, Jeffrey I Gold
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 2018 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2015.0301 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 88 |
| Population | Medical students |
| Dose | 10-20 min of daily mindfulness meditation |
| Duration | 30-day intervention with follow-up at 60 days |
| Measures | Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), General Well-Being Schedule (GWBS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Medical students Mobile phone application |
| Key findings | Daily 10-20 minute mindfulness meditation via the Headspace app for 30 days significantly decreased perceived stress and significantly increased general well-being among medical students compared with controls, with well-being gains sustained at 60 days. The authors argue that integrating mindfulness training into medical school curricula may reduce negative physician outcomes such as burnout, anxiety, and depression and improve patient care. |
Abstract
Medical students have higher rates of depression and psychologic distress than the general population, which may negatively impact academic performance and professional conduct. This study assessed whether 10-20 min of daily mindfulness meditation for 30 days, using a mobile phone application, could decrease perceived stress and improve well-being for medical students. Eighty-eight medical students were stratified by class year and randomized to either intervention or control groups to use the mobile application Headspace, an audio-guided mindfulness meditation program, for 30 days. All participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and General Well-Being Schedule (GWBS) at baseline (T1), 30 days (T2), and 60 days (T3). Repeated measures analysis of variance (rANOVA) was conducted for intervention versus control groups across T1, T2, and T3 to examine differences in stress, mindfulness, and well-being. There was a significant interaction between time and treatment group for perceived stress and well-being. Perceived stress significantly decreased for the intervention group from T1 to T3 (F[2,142] = 3.98, p < 0.05). General well-being significantly increased for the intervention group compared to the control group from T1 to T2, and the increase was sustained through T3 (F[2,144] = 3.36, p < 0.05). These results highlight that a mobile audio-guided mindfulness meditation program is an effective means to decrease perceived stress in medical students, which may have implications on patient care. Integrating mindfulness training into medical school curricula for management of school- and work-related stress may lead to fewer negative physician outcomes (e.g., burnout, anxiety, and depression) and improved physician and patient outcomes. This has implications for a broad group of therapists and healthcare providers, ultimately improving quality of healing and patient care.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 48
- Testing the Efficacy of a Multicomponent, Self-Guided, Smartphone-Based Meditation App: Three-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR Mental Health November 27, 2020
- Effectiveness of training programs based on mindfulness in reducing psychological distress and promoting well-being in medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews May 5, 2023
- App‐based mindfulness meditation reduces perceived stress and improves self‐regulation in working university students: A randomised controlled trial Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being December 27, 2021
- The effect of mindfulness interventions on stress in medical students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2023
- Mindfulness-Based Mobile Apps and Their Impact on Well-Being in Nonclinical Populations: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Journal of Medical Internet Research June 21, 2023
and 43 more in the library
Cites 8
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- 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-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Teaching and Learning in Medicine April 1, 2003
- Mindfulness-based mobile applications: literature review and analysis of current features. JMIR mHealth and uHealth November 1, 2013
and 3 more in the library