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Meta-Analysis
. 2018 Jun 14;8(6):e017858.
doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017858.

Road to resilience: a systematic review and meta-analysis of resilience training programmes and interventions

Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Road to resilience: a systematic review and meta-analysis of resilience training programmes and interventions

Sadhbh Joyce et al. BMJ Open. .

Abstract

Objectives: To synthesise the available evidence on interventions designed to improve individual resilience.

Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis METHODS: The following electronic databases were searched: Ovid Medline, Ovid EMBASE, PsycINFO, Ovid Cochrane and WHO Clinical Trials Registry in order to identify any controlled trials or randomised controlled trials (RCTs) examining the efficacy of interventions aimed at improving psychological resilience. Pooled effects sizes were calculated using the random-effects model of meta-analysis.

Outcome measures: Valid and reliable measures of psychological resilience.

Results: Overall, 437 citations were retrieved and 111 peer-reviewed articles were examined in full. Seventeen studies met the inclusion criteria and were subject to a quality assessment, with 11 RCTs being included in the final meta-analysis. Programmes were stratified into one of three categories (1) cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based interventions, (2) mindfulness-based interventions or (3) mixed Interventions, those combining CBT and Mindfulness training. A meta-analysis found a moderate positive effect of resilience interventions (0.44 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.64) with subgroup analysis suggesting CBT-based, mindfulness and mixed interventions were effective.

Conclusions: Resilience interventions based on a combination of CBT and mindfulness techniques appear to have a positive impact on individual resilience.

Keywords: mental health; mindfulness; public health; resilience; resilience training.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: SJ and SBH are associated with a company which offers resilience training (RAW MindCoach). SBH and FS work for the Black Dog Institute, a not-for-profit organisation that provides mental health and resilience training to various other organisations.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram demonstrating how eligible studies were selected.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Meta-analysis examining the effect of resilience training on self-reported measures of resilience.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Meta-analysis examining effect of resilience interventions stratified by (A) mixed interventions, (B) cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based interventions and (C) mindfulness-based interventions.

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