Primary care physicians experience high rates of burnout, which results in diminished quality of life, poorer quality of care, and workforce attrition. In this randomized controlled trial, our primary aim was to examine the impact of a brief mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) on burnout, stress, mindfulness, compassion, and resilience among physicians. A total of 33 physicians completed the baseline assessment and were randomized to the Mindful Medicine Curriculum (MMC; n = 17) or waitlist control group (n = 16). Participants completed self-report measures at baseline, post-MBI, and 3-month follow-up. We also analyzed satisfaction with doctor communication (DCC) and overall doctor rating (ODR) data from patients of the physicians in our sample. Participants in the MMC group reported significant improvements in stress (P < .001), mindfulness (P = .05), emotional exhaustion (P = .004), and depersonalization (P = .01) whereas in the control group, there were no improvements on these outcomes. Although the MMC had no impact on patient-reported DCC or ODR, among the entire sample at baseline, DCC and ODR were significantly correlated with several physician outcomes, including resilience and personal achievement. Overall, these findings suggest that a brief MBI can have a positive impact on physician well-being and potentially enhance patient care.

The first comprehensive studies on the effects of transitioning to persistent forms of self-transcendence are reported. Two online protocols that combined positive psychology exercises and meditation methods were studied. Instruction was pre-recorded and delivered online. Program 1 (n = 379) lasted 4 months, required 1.5–3 hr each day and contained a larger range of methods. Program 2 (n = 246) lasted 6 weeks, required 1.5–2 hr each day, and was a subset of Program 1. Participants were assessed using the Authentic Happiness Inventory, Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), PERMA Profiler Questionnaire, Fordyce Emotions Questionnaire (FEQ), Center for Epidemiology Studies–Depression questionnaire (CES-D), State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), Mysticism Scale (M-Scale), Modified Nondual Embodiment Thematic Inventory (MNETI), and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ). After each program, participants were sorted into one of six categories of self-transcendence: none (nNSE), temporary (tNSE), and four increasing degrees of persistent self-transcendence (Locations 1–4). Results from each measure were reported by category and compared within and across programs. Of participants, 68% transitioned to persistent self-transcendence for Program 1 and 65% for Program 2. Measures revealed consistent positive trends from the nNSE category through the third or fourth category of persistent self-transcendence, with strong statistical significance and moderate to strong effect sizes. Generally, post-program scores, percentage changes, and effect sizes were stronger for the longer program. Both longer and shorter multimodal programs transitioned participants to persistent forms of self-transcendence, resulting in highly beneficial effects across a broad range of psychological indicators.

Self-transcendence is an ambiguous construct without consensual meaning, yet many claim that it relates to, or even causes, beneficial outcomes. Few discuss its potential deleterious side effects, choosing to focus primarily on positive effects. However, anything with sufficient potency to heal may have unintended side effects, especially when it leads beyond a transitory state to becoming an enduring trait, such as when self-transcendence (ST) becomes persistent self-transcendence (PST). With PST, evidence is overviewed here, along with two illustrative case reports, that people can suffer emotional difficulties, motivation changes, loss of self-reflexivity, anhedonia, dissociation, depersonalization, memory problems, and other psychological concerns. This is discussed in terms of the disruption of the sense of self, which ordinarily serves as an integrative center for the person that conveys a sense of agency. Possible neurobiological and sociocultural effects of PST are also discussed, with a focus on its role on narrative memory as the construction of self-concept. Evidence has also been accumulating on problematic side effects of meditation and mindfulness, techniques commonly presented as paths to PST. Given that PST is often presented as a pinnacle of human development and spiritual attainment, seekers of PST, psychologists, and other mental health professionals are urged to become informed about its possible side effects, and view this phenomenon in a more balanced way.