Evaluation of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for life and a cognitive behavioural therapy stress-management workshop to improve healthcare staff stress: study protocol for two randomised controlled trials.
Clara Strauss, Jenny Gu, Nikki Pitman, Cavita Chapman, Willem Kuyken, Adrian Whittington
Trials April 2, 2018 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-018-2547-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomised controlled trial protocol Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 234 |
| Population | National Health Service staff in the UK |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) |
| Duration | One-day workshop; 8-session course |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Burnout Cbt Cognitive behavioural therapy Compassion Healthcare professional Healthcare staff Mbct-l Mental health Nhs Rct Sickness absence Stress Wellbeing Workplace |
| Key findings | The protocol sets out two randomised trials to test whether a one-day CBT stress-management workshop and an 8-session MBCT-L course reduce stress in NHS staff compared with a wait-list, and whether they affect sickness absence, presenteeism, wellbeing, self-compassion, mindfulness, and compassion for others. The authors note that individual-level approaches should form only part of a wider organisational strategy. |
Abstract
Healthcare workers experience higher levels of work-related stress and higher rates of sickness absence than workers in other sectors. Psychological approaches have potential in providing healthcare workers with the knowledge and skills to recognise stress and to manage stress effectively. The strongest evidence for effectiveness in reducing stress in the workplace is for stress-management courses based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs). However, research examining effects of these interventions on sickness absence (an objective indicator of stress) and compassion for others (an indicator of patient care) is limited, as is research on brief CBT stress-management courses (which may be more widely accessible) and on MBIs adapted for workplace settings. This protocol is for two randomised controlled trials with participant preference between the two trials and 1:1 allocation to intervention or wait-list within the preferred choice. The first trial is examining a one-day CBT stress-management workshop and the second trial an 8-session Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Life (MBCT-L) course, with both trials comparing intervention to wait-list. The primary outcome for both trials is stress post-intervention with secondary outcomes being sickness absence, compassion for others, depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, wellbeing, work-related burnout, self-compassion, presenteeism, and mindfulness (MBCT-L only). Both trials aim to recruit 234 staff working in the National Health Service in the UK. This trial will examine whether a one-day CBT stress-management workshop and an 8-session MBCT-L course are effective at reducing healthcare staff stress and other mental health outcomes compared to wait-list, and, whether these interventions are effective at reducing sickness absence and presenteeism and at enhancing wellbeing, self-compassion, mindfulness and compassion for others. Findings will help inform approaches offered to reduce healthcare staff stress and other key variables. A note of caution is that individual-level approaches should only be part of the solution to reducing healthcare staff stress within a broader focus on organisational-level interventions and support. ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN11723441 . Registered on 16 June 2017. Protocol Version 1: 24 April 2017. Trial Sponsor: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (ResearchGovernance@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk).
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 3
- Mindfulness and Educators’ Mental Health and Well-Being: Outcomes of a Two-Year Study School Mental Health September 17, 2026
- Enhancing Subjective Well-Being in Taiwanese University Students Through an Eight-Week Mindfulness-Based Program: A Pilot Study Behavioral Sciences November 26, 2024
- Reducing stress and promoting well-being in healthcare workers using mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for life International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology February 18, 2021
Cites 9
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- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression August 21, 2006
- Contemplating Mindfulness at Work Journal of Management November 19, 2015
- Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse JAMA Psychiatry April 28, 2016
- Sustained Impact of MBSR on Stress, Well-Being, and Daily Spiritual Experiences for 1 Year in Academic Health Care Employees The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 1, 2011
and 4 more in the library