The mindful lawyer: Investigating the effects of two online mindfulness programs on self-reported well-being in the legal profession

Abstract

a.Objectives: Two studies were conducted to determine whether mindfulness meditation could be an effective tool for improving the well-being of lawyers—a population plagued by high rates of depression, anxiety, and stress.b.Methods: Study 1. Participants recruited from the National Association of Women Lawyers completed questionnaires before and after engaging in an 8-week mindfulness program. Study 2. Lawyers from an American law firm were randomly assigned to either an experimental or waitlist control condition. Well-being was measured at the beginning of the study and after experimental participants had completed a 30-day intervention. c.Results: Study 1. Participants reported significant improvements in mood, resilience, trait mindfulness, stress, anxiety, and depression over time. Study 2. Post-intervention, experimental participants reported better mood, lower levels of stress, and higher levels of non-reactivity and observing than waitlist control participants.d.Conclusions: Legal professionals may benefit from the practices of mindfulness and meditation.

Suicide among lawyers: Role of job problems

“…Work on lawyers' suicide prevention has suggested mindfulness training as a solution (e.g., Nielson & Minda, 2021;Scott, 2018). In samples of lawyers, such training has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress, and anxiety over time (Nielson & Minda, 2021). However, its effectiveness needs to be rigorously demonstrated in the case of measures of suicidality such as ideation.…”

“…Research on the mental health of lawyers generally falls short of including measures of suicidality, but offers some leads on well-being that may be relevant to predicting suicidality (Benjamin et al, 1990;Cokley et al, 2022;Eaton et al, 1990;Hagan & Kay, 2007;Kay & Wallace, 2009;Koenig, 2019;Koltai et al, 2018;Krill et al, 2016;Nelson et al, 2019;Nielson & Minda, 2021;Organ et al, 2016;Scott, 2018;Sendroiu et al, 2021). The results are mixed, but tend to suggest evidence of lower than average mental well-being among attorneys.…”