Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in China

Abstract Background The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic brings critical health problems to workers in many occupations, particularly healthcare providers. The aim of the study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on re...

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Main Authors: Ruochen Gan, Shulin Chen, Jiang Xue
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-11-01
Series:Human Resources for Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-024-00959-0
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author Ruochen Gan
Shulin Chen
Jiang Xue
author_facet Ruochen Gan
Shulin Chen
Jiang Xue
author_sort Ruochen Gan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic brings critical health problems to workers in many occupations, particularly healthcare providers. The aim of the study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the pandemic. The roles of positive and negative emotion as well as emotion regulation strategy in the intervention effects were also investigated. Methods A sample of 112 healthcare providers in China were recruited and randomly assigned to the MBSR (n = 56) or the control condition (n = 56). Measures were collected at pre-intervention, mid-intervention, and post-intervention, assessing mindfulness level, emotion regulation strategy, positive and negative emotion, and burnout. Results The MBSR program showed acceptable feasibility. Compared to the control group, healthcare providers in the MBSR group showed significant increase in personal accomplishment and decrease in emotional exhaustion after the intervention. No significant difference was detected on the dimension of depersonalization. Results of mediation analyses implied that cognitive reappraisal and positive affect partially mediated the intervention effects on personal accomplishment. Conclusions The study provided preliminary evidence that the MBSR programs might be effective in reducing healthcare providers’ burnout, even during the pandemic. Cognitive reappraisal and positive emotion might be important mechanisms of how the training took effect.
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spelling doaj-art-2da122f67f804c14bfba8ed131ec12212025-08-20T02:33:05ZengBMCHuman Resources for Health1478-44912024-11-0122111410.1186/s12960-024-00959-0Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in ChinaRuochen Gan0Shulin Chen1Jiang Xue2Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang UniversityDepartment of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang UniversityThe Affiliated Dongguan Songshan Lake Central Hospital, Guangdong Medical UniversityAbstract Background The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic brings critical health problems to workers in many occupations, particularly healthcare providers. The aim of the study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the pandemic. The roles of positive and negative emotion as well as emotion regulation strategy in the intervention effects were also investigated. Methods A sample of 112 healthcare providers in China were recruited and randomly assigned to the MBSR (n = 56) or the control condition (n = 56). Measures were collected at pre-intervention, mid-intervention, and post-intervention, assessing mindfulness level, emotion regulation strategy, positive and negative emotion, and burnout. Results The MBSR program showed acceptable feasibility. Compared to the control group, healthcare providers in the MBSR group showed significant increase in personal accomplishment and decrease in emotional exhaustion after the intervention. No significant difference was detected on the dimension of depersonalization. Results of mediation analyses implied that cognitive reappraisal and positive affect partially mediated the intervention effects on personal accomplishment. Conclusions The study provided preliminary evidence that the MBSR programs might be effective in reducing healthcare providers’ burnout, even during the pandemic. Cognitive reappraisal and positive emotion might be important mechanisms of how the training took effect.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-024-00959-0Randomized controlled trialMindfulnessBurnoutHealthcare providersEmotion regulation
spellingShingle Ruochen Gan
Shulin Chen
Jiang Xue
Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in China
Human Resources for Health
Randomized controlled trial
Mindfulness
Burnout
Healthcare providers
Emotion regulation
title Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in China
title_full Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in China
title_fullStr Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in China
title_full_unstemmed Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in China
title_short Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pilot randomized controlled trial in China
title_sort feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness based stress reduction programs on relieving burnout of healthcare providers during the covid 19 pandemic a pilot randomized controlled trial in china
topic Randomized controlled trial
Mindfulness
Burnout
Healthcare providers
Emotion regulation
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-024-00959-0
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