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. 2021;12(6):1502-1512.
doi: 10.1007/s12671-021-01618-4. Epub 2021 Mar 18.

A Brief Online Mindfulness-Based Group Intervention for Psychological Distress Among Chinese Residents During COVID-19: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Hui Zhang  1 , Anao Zhang  2 , Chengbin Liu  1 , Jian Xiao  3 , Kaipeng Wang  4
Affiliations

A Brief Online Mindfulness-Based Group Intervention for Psychological Distress Among Chinese Residents During COVID-19: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Hui Zhang et al. Mindfulness (N Y). 2021.

Abstract

Objectives: The coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic has increased psychological distress among the general population. The objective of this study is to evaluate a mindfulness-based intervention for psychological distress among Chinese residents during COVID-19.

Methods: This study used a switching replications design to test the feasibility and efficacy of a brief online mindfulness-based intervention for Chinese residents' psychological distress. Fifty-one residents in the Hubei province were randomly allocated to two groups (experimental group and waitlist control group) with three waves of measurement at time 1, time 2, and time 3 for changes in mindfulness and psychological distress.

Results: In addition to significant within-group improvements over time for both groups, OLS linear regression with full information likelihood estimation revealed statistically significant between-group treatment effects across outcome domains, including mindfulness awareness, b = 2.84, p < 0.001, g = 6.92, psychological distress, b = -21.33, p < 0.001, g = 6.62, somatic symptoms, b = -6.22, p < 0.001, g = 4.42, depressive symptoms, b = -7.16, p < 0.001, g = 5.07, and anxiety symptoms, b = -8.09, p < 0.001, g = 6.84.

Conclusions: Results suggest that a brief online mindfulness-based intervention can be a feasible and promising intervention for improving mindfulness and decreasing psychological distress among Chinese residents staying at home during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study used a small convenience sample which led to a concern of external generalizability and with limited evaluation of long-term change.

Keywords: COVID-19; Mindfulness-based intervention; Online intervention; Psychological distress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of InterestThe authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CONSORT flow diagram
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Line plots about groups 1 and 2
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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