Enhancing relaxation states and positive emotions in physicians through a mindfulness training program: A one-year study

Abstract

Previous research on mindfulness has focused mainly on stress-related negative symptoms and short-term effects. In contrast, the present article focuses on the impact of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on improving well-being (i.e. relaxation states and related positive emotions) in a longitudinal study for a period of one year. A randomized controlled trial in a sample of 42 physicians was used. The intervention group participated in an 8-week MBSR program, with an additional 10-month maintenance period and completed measures of mindfulness and relaxation at pre-intervention, post-intervention and after 10 months. Heart rate measures were also obtained. Significant improvements in favor of the experimental group compared with the control group on the levels of mindfulness and relaxation (including positive emotional states, such as at ease/peace, renewal, energy, optimism, happiness, acceptance, and even transcendence) were obtained after eight weeks. Remarkably, change magnitudes (effect size) significantly increased at the end of the maintenance period after a year, especially for mindfulness and positive energy. Additionally, heart rate significantly decreased for the intervention group and maintained a year after the beginning of the treatment. Results are relevant in terms of practical consequences for improving health and well-being in this population and also in terms of cost-efficiency.

What Is the Impact of Online Training in Mind–Body Skills?

“…8,27,[56][57][58][59] Similarly, as with in-person MBS intervention, our online intervention was also associated with a significant increase in mindfulness. 5,60,61 Our participants also showed a significant increase in self-compassion, similar to that reported in a study providing an 11-week medical student elective on Embodied Health. 52 As in a small study of clinicians engaged in a hybrid of online and in-person training, participants in our study showed a significant improvement in confidence in providing calm, compassionate care.…”

Effectiveness of Mindfulness Intervention in Reducing Stress and Burnout for Mental Health Professionals in Singapore

“…These results extend existing evidence from the United States (Goodman & Schorling, 2012), Spain (Amutio et al, 2014), and Sweden (Schenström et al, 2006). Our findings also showed that positive gains in mindfulness and selfcompassion levels made after the mindfulness training program were sustained at three months follow-up.…”

“…More studies examining the effect of mindfulness-based intervention with healthcare professionals have been conducted in recent years with promising results (Amutio et al, 2014;Asuero et al, 2014;Gauthier et al, 2015;Goodman & Schorling, 2012). However, several limitations were reported in the reviews and papers, including small sample sizes, lack of consideration to therapist adherence to treatment protocol, lack of adjunctive physiological measures, and lack of follow-up data to determine whether gains made in intervention were sustained.…”

Habits Related to Relaxation and Mindfulness in High School Students: Influence on Classroom Climate and Academic Performance // Hábitos relacionados con la relajación y la atención plena (mindfulness) de estudiantes de secundaria: influencia en el clima de aula y el rendimiento académico

“…From this perspective, practicing relaxation and mindfulness would contribute to improve interactions among classmates and the teacher-student relationship, i.e., classroom climate, by increasing the feeling of personal well-being and generating interest in the welfare of the rest of the classmates. In turn, this fact will enable more enjoyable interpersonal relationships and will facilitate more altruistic behaviors (Amutio, Martínez-Taboada, Hermosilla, & Delgado, 2014;Franco, De la Fuente, & Salvador 2011). Therefore, it must be noted that individual benefits derived from these kind of habits favour the acquisition and establishment of interpersonal relationships in the classroom, which have been demonstrated to be an important predictor of academic performance (Berger, Álamos, Milicia, & Alcalay, 2013).…”