Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program for reducing anxiety and depression in hospital staff during a pandemic: A randomized controlled trial.

A mindfulness-based stress reduction program for hospital workers during the COVID-19 pandemic reduced symptoms of somatization, depression, and anxiety, and improved mindfulness skills, self-compassion, and body awareness. In a randomized trial with 97 hospital staff, those in the program showed significant improvements compared to a control group in depression, anxiety, somatization, observing, acting with awareness, nonjudging, nonreactivity, self-kindness, mindfulness, self-judgment, isolation, and body awareness. The findings suggest that teaching hospital staff to connect with their feelings and thoughts without judgment and with self-compassion can protect against worsening psychopathological symptoms during crises.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Hospital staff have experienced an increase in psychopathological symptoms such as anxiety or depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the aims of the present research were, firstly, to study the effectiveness of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program in reducing psychopathological symptoms in hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as, its effectiveness in increasing mindfulness-related skills, self-compassion, body awareness, and reducing stress levels. This parallel randomized controlled trial consisted of 97 hospital workers who were divided into two groups: the experimental group (n = 54) and the control group (n = 44). To test the efficacy of the program, participants' levels of psychopathological symptoms, mindfulness-related skills, self-compassion, body awareness, and stress were assessed and compared before and after the intervention. The results show a significant group × time interaction and significant differences in somatizations (p = .03; η2p = .047), depression (p = .01; η2p = .103) and anxiety (p = .02; η2p = .054). As well as in the following secondary outcomes: from the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire: Observing (p = .001; η2p = .176), acting with awareness (p = .01; η2p = .151), nonjudging; (p = .01; η2p = .103) and nonreactivity (p = .02; η2p = .101). In the Self-Compassion Scale: self-kindness (p = .029; η2p = .049), mindfulness (p = .033; η2p = .047), self-judgment (p = .016; η2p = .060) and isolation (p = .025; η2p = .051. And finally, in the Body awareness subscale from Self-Body Connection (p = .044; η2p = .042). These results highlight the importance of providing hospital staff with skills that help them connect in the present with their feelings and thoughts, without judgment and with self-compassion, to protect them from suffering an increase in their symptoms of somatization, anxiety, and depression, in adverse times like a pandemic.