Prospective Acceptability and Implementation Considerations of a Proposed Brief Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Intervention Among Military Personnel
Marcelo Matias, Pedro Joel Rosa
Behavioral Sciences October 5, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/bs16101821 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 15 |
| Population | Active-duty military personnel in the Portuguese Army (11 men and 4 women) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Participants generally viewed a proposed brief online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy program favorably. They identified brevity, confidentiality, scheduling flexibility, digital access, leadership support, and facilitator credibility as potentially important for implementation, while stigma and workload were perceived as relevant barriers. The authors emphasize these are prospective perceptions rather than evidence of actual feasibility or effectiveness. |
Abstract
Burnout constitutes a critical psychological and operational challenge in military environments, with potential implications for well-being and occupational functioning. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy has shown beneficial effects on stress and burnout across different populations; however, little is known about how brief online adaptations are perceived by active-duty military personnel prior to implementation. This qualitative study explored the prospective acceptability of a proposed brief online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy program and identified perceived implementation considerations within the Portuguese Army. Fifteen participants (11 men and 4 women) took part in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis within a constructivist framework. Five themes were identified: previous experiences with psychological services, prospective acceptability of the proposed program, practical and cultural barriers, conditions for implementation, and preferences regarding format and facilitation. Participants generally viewed the proposed program favorably and identified brevity, confidentiality, scheduling flexibility, digital access, leadership support, and facilitator credibility as potentially important for future implementation, while stigma and workload were perceived as relevant barriers. These findings reflect prospective perceptions rather than actual intervention feasibility or effectiveness. Public Significance Statement: This study identifies key factors influencing how active-duty military personnel perceive a proposed brief online mindfulness-based intervention before implementation.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 13
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- Efficacy of 8- and 4-Session Mindfulness-Based Interventions in a Non-clinical Population: A Controlled Study Frontiers in Psychology August 8, 2017
- Effects of a mindfulness-based interventions on stress, burnout in nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry August 3, 2023
- Feasibility and effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for improving resilience, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and posttraumatic growth among military medical college students. Acta Psychologica November 1, 2024
and 8 more in the library