A randomized controlled trial of an app-delivered mindfulness program among university employees: effects on stress and work-related outcomes

Rich, R. Michelle; Ogden, Jane; Morison, Linda

doi:10.1108/ijwhm-04-2020-0046

Cited by 12 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Although increases in state mindfulness were observed for the experimental condition, no significant changes in trait mindfulness were observed from pre- to post-intervention by condition. This is inconsistent with prior studies ( Bennike et al, 2017 ; Noone and Hogan, 2018 ; Rosen et al, 2018 ; Yang et al, 2018 ; Flett et al, 2019 , 2020 ; Kubo et al, 2019 ; Kirk and Axelsen, 2020 ; Throuvala et al, 2020 ; Nubold and Hulsheger, 2021 ; Piil et al, 2021 ; Rich et al, 2021 ). Differences in findings may be due to brevity of the present intervention (i.e., 10days), as the majority of previous studies ranged in length from 30days (e.g., Bennike et al, 2017 ; Yang et al, 2018 ) to 8weeks (e.g., Rosen et al, 2018 ; Kubo et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 92%

“…Existing research on the efficacy of mobile mindfulness apps in increasing mindfulness and improving mood has focused largely on the Headspace app. Across 17 randomized control trials using the Headspace app, significant increases in trait mindfulness and improvements in mood (e.g., increased positive mood and decreased negative mood) have been demonstrated in samples of community adults ( Howells et al, 2016 ; Bennike et al, 2017 ; Economides et al, 2018 ; Bostock et al, 2019 ; Kirk and Axelsen, 2020 ), university students ( Noone and Hogan, 2018 ; Flett et al, 2019 , 2020 ; Throuvala et al, 2020 ; Piil et al, 2021 ), employees ( Nubold and Hulsheger, 2021 ; Piil et al, 2021 ; Rich et al, 2021 ), medical students ( Wen et al, 2017 ; Yang et al, 2018 ), patients with insomnia ( Low et al, 2020 ), cancer patients ( Rosen et al, 2018 ; Kubo et al, 2019 ), and their caregivers ( Kubo et al, 2019 ). However, there are several limitations in the present body of research.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, most research on the use of mindfulness apps has assessed changes in trait mindfulness and mood following relatively lengthy intervention periods (e.g., ≥30days; Bennike et al, 2017 ; Wen et al, 2017 ; Noone and Hogan, 2018 ; Rosen et al, 2018 ; Yang et al, 2018 ; Bostock et al, 2019 ; Kubo et al, 2019 ; Flett et al, 2020 ; Low et al, 2020 ; Nubold and Hulsheger, 2021 ; Piil et al, 2021 ; Rich et al, 2021 ). Understanding the efficacy of shorter interventions may increase the accessibility of these interventions to a wider range of populations, especially as intervention length and time requirements are commonly reported barriers to the completion of traditional mindfulness interventions ( Minor et al, 2006 ; Carmody and Baer, 2009 ; Parra et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Mixed-Method Assessment of a 10-Day Mobile Mindfulness Intervention

et al. 2021

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Mobile mindfulness interventions represent a promising alternative to traditional in-person interventions that are resource demanding and have limited accessibility, preventing use by many populations. Despite greater accessibility and popularity of mobile mindfulness applications (apps), research is needed testing the effectiveness of brief interventions delivered via these platforms. The present study assessed the efficacy of a brief mobile mindfulness intervention compared to an active control for increasing state and trait mindfulness and improving mood, as well as the acceptability of the app, in a sample of undergraduate students. Participants (N=139; Mage=19.43years, 80.6% female, 83.5% White) were randomly assigned to either a 10-day mobile mindfulness (Headspace) or cognitive training (Peak) condition. Trait mindfulness was measured pre- and post-intervention. During the 10-day intervention, participants completed 10-min daily exercises on the assigned app, responded to daily questionnaires of state mindfulness and mood, and completed a daily written log of their reactions to the app exercises. Attrition was low (90% completion rate) and did not differ by condition. Participants in the mindfulness condition spent an average of 88.15min (SD=24.75) meditating out of the full 100min prescribed by the intervention. State mindfulness significantly increased across the 10-day intervention for participants in the mindfulness, but not the cognitive training, condition beginning around days 5 and 6. Some aspects of trait mindfulness increased and mood improved from pre- to post-intervention, but these changes were observed in both conditions (i.e., no significant differences were observed by condition). Qualitative analysis of open-ended reactions to the mindfulness app indicated that participants reported more likes than dislikes. Common themes for likes were that participants experienced feelings of calm and focus following the daily mindfulness exercises. Dislikes included discomfort and anxiety associated with increased awareness of thoughts and physical sensations. These findings suggest that while a brief mobile mindfulness intervention is acceptable to undergraduate college students and effective at increasing state mindfulness, a longer intervention may be needed in order to elicit corresponding changes in trait-level mindfulness or mood.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Mixed-Method Assessment of a 10-Day Mobile Mindfulness Intervention

et al. 2021

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“…Short-term mindfulness training programs also improve mindfulness [53], emotional memory, and emotional stability; reduce emotional intensity, negative emotional attention bias [48,54], momentary stress, overall perceived stress at work [55], and work-related stress; and improve self-care and work-life balance [56,57]. Recent meta-analyses reveal that mindfulness training programs were beneficial in lowering anxiety, depression, and stress [43,58], and improving psychological well-being [59], and the beneficial effect persists even after six months of the intervention [60].…”

Section: Mindfulness As a Construct In Organizational Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Educators also undergo massive stress when dealing with students [57,144]. Therefore, administrators should pay more attention to improve academics' mental health [145].…”

Section: Impact Of Mindfulness On Jobs With High Demandmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Integrative Review on the Research Progress of Mindfulness and Its Implications at the Workplace

Panditharathne

Chen

2021

Sustainability

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Mindfulness has rapidly become a significant subject area in many disciplines. Most of the work on mindfulness has focused on the perspective of health and healthcare professionals, but relatively less research is focused on the organizational outcomes at the workplace. This review presents a theoretical and practical trajectory of mindfulness by sequential integration of recent fragmented scholarly work on mindfulness at the workplace. The review showcases that most contemporary practical challenges in organizations, such as anxiety, stress, depression, creativity, motivation, leadership, relationships, teamwork, burnout, engagement, performance, well-being, and physical and psychological health, could be addressed successfully with the budding concept of mindfulness. The causative processes due to higher mindfulness that generate positive cognitive, emotional, physiological, and behavioral outcomes include focused attention, present moment awareness, non-judgmental acceptance, self-regulatory functions, lower mind wandering, lower habit automaticity, and self-determination. Employee mindfulness could be developed through various mindfulness interventions in order to improve different organizational requirements, such as psychological capital, emotional intelligence, prosocial behavior, in-role and extra-role performance, financial and economic performance, green performance, and well-being. Accordingly, this review would be beneficial to inspire academia and practitioners on the transformative potential of mindfulness in organizations for higher performance, well-being, and sustainability. Future research opportunities and directions to be addressed are also discussed.

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