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Mindfulness-based training interventions for employees: A qualitative review of the literature

L. Eby, T. Allen, Kate M. Conley, Rachel L. Williamson, Tyler G. Henderson, Victor S. Mancini

Human Resource Management Review April 5, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.hrmr.2017.03.004 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Systematic review Randomized Qualitative Peer reviewed
Intervention Mindfulness-based training
Topics Meditation
Key findings Across 67 studies of mindfulness-based training for employees, designs and programs were highly heterogeneous: the most common designs were pre-test/post-test only (35.8%) and randomized waitlist control (26.9%), 61.2% included a control group, and 65.1% of conventional experimental studies had only one follow-up. Stress or strain reduction was the most common intended outcome (80.6%), and 41.8% of programs adapted Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

Abstract

Abstract We provide a comprehensive qualitative review of 67 published studies that have examined mindfulness-based training interventions conducted with employees. The findings indicate that the most common research designs were the pre-test/post-test only design (35.8%) and the randomized waitlist control group design (26.9%). About two-thirds of the studies included a control group (61.2%), with approximately three-quarters (75.6%) of these studies using random assignment. Of the 63 studies that used a conventional experimental design, the majority (65.1%) included only one follow-up assessment, most often immediately after training. Results indicated a great degree of heterogeneity in terms of program content, although many studies used some adaptation of Kabat-Zinn's (1990) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (41.8%), an approach with a strong evidentiary base with clinical populations. All training programs incorporated practice, most (85.1%) used multiple methods of delivering the training material, and training varied considerably in total duration, session length, and the number of training sessions. Our review also found that the intended purpose of mindfulness-based training for employees was most commonly the reduction of stress/strain (80.6%), although a wide range of other targeted outcomes were documented. Based on our findings, we offer suggestions for future research aimed at advancing our understanding of mindfulness-based training interventions with employees.

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

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