Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Mental Health of Clinical Clerkship Students: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training on the mental health of medical students during clinical clerkships.
Results Summary
MBSR led to small reductions in psychological distress and dysfunctional cognitions, moderate increases in positive mental health, life satisfaction, and mindfulness skills, but no significant effect on physician empathy compared to clerkships as usual over 20 months.
Population
First-year medical students during clinical clerkships at a Dutch university medical center.
Effective Dosage
Eight weekly two-hour sessions (didactic teaching, meditation exercises, and group dialogues).
Duration
20-month follow-up.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) | decrease | psychological distress | medical students during their first year of clinical clerkships | Cohen's d = 0.20 | reported a small reduction | #1 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) | decrease | dysfunctional cognitions | medical students during their first year of clinical clerkships | Cohen's d = 0.18 | reported a small reduction | #2 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) | increase | positive mental health | medical students during their first year of clinical clerkships | Cohen's d = 0.44 | reported a moderate increase | #3 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) | increase | life satisfaction | medical students during their first year of clinical clerkships | Cohen's d = 0.51 | reported a moderate increase | #4 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) | increase | mindfulness skills | medical students during their first year of clinical clerkships | Cohen's d = 0.35 | reported a moderate increase | #5 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) | no change | physician empathy | medical students during their first year of clinical clerkships | Cohen's d = 0.27 | detected no significant effect | #6 |
mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) | increase | mental health | medical clerkship students | - | resulted in a small to moderate improvement | #7 |
PURPOSE: To examine the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction training (MBSR) on the mental health of medical students during clinical clerkships. METHOD: Between February 2011 and May 2014, the authors conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial of clerkships as usual (CAU) and clerkships with additional MBSR in medical students during their first year of clinical clerkships at a Dutch university medical center. MBSR consisted of eight weekly two-hour sessions, comprising didactic teaching, meditation exercises, and group dialogues. Students completed online assessments at baseline and after 3, 7, 12, 15, and 20 months. Outcome measures were psychological distress, positive mental health, life satisfaction, physician empathy, mindfulness skills, and dysfunctional cognitions as measured by validated tools. RESULTS: Of 232 eligible students, 167 students (72%) participated and were randomized by clerkship group into MBSR (n = 83) or CAU (n = 84). The MBSR group reported a small reduction of psychological distress (P = .03, Cohen's d = 0.20) and dysfunctional cognitions (P = .05, Cohen's d = 0.18) and a moderate increase of positive mental health (P = .002, Cohen's d = 0.44), life satisfaction (P = .01, Cohen's d = 0.51), and mindfulness skills (P = .05, Cohen's d = 0.35) compared with CAU during the 20-month follow-up. The authors detected no significant effect on physician empathy (P = .18, Cohen's d = 0.27). CONCLUSIONS: MBSR appeared feasible and acceptable to medical clerkship students and resulted in a small to moderate improvement of mental health compared with CAU over the 20-month follow-up.