Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on psychosocial well-being and occupational-related outcomes among nurses in the intensive care unit: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Meilin Liu, Ya Guo, Jing Bai, Zhuoling Wang, Jiming Han, Jiayu Zhu, Jin Wang
Australian critical care : official journal of the Confederation of Australian Critical Care Nurses July 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.aucc.2025.101255 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Nurses in intensive care units |
| Intervention | mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Intensive care units Meta-analysis Systematic review Mindfulness interventions mindfulness Mindfulness-based interventions Powerful tool Icu nurses Stress Burnout Well-being Resilience Sleep quality Mental health Explored |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based interventions significantly reduced anxiety and depression in the medium term and improved well-being, resilience, sleep quality, and stress across immediate, short, and medium timeframes for ICU nurses. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based interventions may contribute to the mental health status and well-being of nurses. Current results are inconsistent, and there are no systematic review and meta-analyses for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on psychosocial well-being and occupational-related outcomes among nurses in the ICU. We conducted a comprehensive literature search across 12 electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and preprint repositories (bioRxiv and medRxiv). Additionally, we screened the reference lists of included studies to identify other potentially relevant research. The search covered records from the inception of each database up to July 2024. Two researchers independently screened studies and extracted data. ReviewManager (version 5.3 was used to conduct the meta-analysis. A total of 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of mindfulness-based interventions across different timeframes: immediate-term effects (within 10 days post intervention), short-term effects (10 days-3 months), medium-term effects (3-6 months), and long-term effects (beyond 6 months). The results showed that mindfulness-based interventions significantly alleviated anxiety (mean difference [MD]: -10.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-16.76, -4.83], I2 = 78%, P < 0.001) and depression (MD: -12.02, 95% CI: [-12.43, -11.61], I2 = 0%, P < 0.001) in the medium term for ICU nurses. Significant immediate-term effects were observed on well-being (standardised mean difference [SMD]: 0.58, 95% CI: [0.40, 0.76], I2 = 0%, P < 0.001), resilience (MD: 14.41, 95% CI: [9.71, 19.11], I2 = 91%, P < 0.001), and death anxiety (MD: -2.35, 95% CI: [-4.39, -0.31], I2 = 30%, P = 0.02). Mindfulness-based interventions also showed significant short-term effects on well-being (SMD: 0.54, 95% CI: [0.10, 0.99], I2 = 43%, P = 0.02), sleep quality (MD: -1.19, 95% CI: [-2.32, -0.05], I2 = 50%, P = 0.04), and stress (SMD: -0.75, 95% CI: [-1.34, -0.17], I2 = 79%, P = 0.01). Significant effects were observed across immediate-term, short-term, and medium-term timeframes for stress reduction (medium-term effects: MD: -9.69, 95% CI: [-10.18, -9.21], I2 = 0%, P < 0.001) and mindfulness improvement (medium-term effects: MD: 9.28, 95% CI: [7.20, 11.37], I2 = 0%, P < 0.001). Additionally, mindfulness-based interventions significantly reduced burnout in the immediate term (SMD: -1.28, 95% CI: [-2.31, -0.25], I2 = 92%, P = 0.01). Mindfulness-based interventions have a positive effect in improving psychosocial well-being and occupational-related outcomes for ICU nurses. Nursing managers may consider integrating mindfulness-based interventions into ICU nurses' practice to enhance their well-being. The study protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number CRD42024572633 (available at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024572633.).
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- DA AUTOMAÇÃO À PRESENÇA: INTELIGÊNCIA ARTIFICIAL GENERATIVA, MINDFULNESS E A COORDENAÇÃO DO CUIDADO NA FISIOTERAPIA INTENSIVA Revista Contemporânea September 22, 2026
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Promote Positive Psychology Among Nurses: An Umbrella Review International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology August 26, 2026
- Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on ICU nurses' resilience and well-being. Intensive & critical care nursing November 23, 2025
- Workaholism, Mindfulness, and Work-Related Quality of Life Among Nursing Educators in Saudi Nursing Colleges: A Multisite Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing August 1, 2026
- Effects of an Online Meditation Programme on Stress and Fatigue in Critical Care Nurses: A Randomised Controlled Trial Nursing Critical Care July 30, 2026
and 1 more in the library
Cites 24
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Classical mindfulness: an introduction to its theory and practice for clinical application. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences August 1, 2009
- Pathways to mental well-being for graduates of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR): A mediation analysis of an RCT. Psychotherapy Research November 1, 2024
- The effect of mindfulness-based interventions on mental health outcomes and wellbeing of informal caregivers of people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing August 1, 2024
and 19 more in the library