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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Oct 22;24(1):1182.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-06128-0.

The Western Australian medical schools mindfulness project: a randomised controlled trial

S Moore  1 , N Mavaddat  2 , K Auret  3 , C Hassed  4 , R Chambers  4 , C Sinclair  5 , H Wilcox  2 , H Ngo  6
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The Western Australian medical schools mindfulness project: a randomised controlled trial

S Moore et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: Evidence for the longer-term benefits of online mindfulness training for medical students, including in the reduction of stress and improved wellbeing, is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a novel online mindfulness training program on trait mindfulness, wellbeing and study engagement of medical students at program completion and 6-month follow-up.

Methods: This was a randomised waitlist control study of an 8-week, online, mindfulness-based intervention versus normal curriculum alone for medical students (N = 114). The primary outcome measures were the changes from baseline to program completion at Week 8 for self-reported trait mindfulness (Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale) and study engagement scores (Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students). The secondary outcome measures were these score changes from baseline to 6-month follow up. Intervention and control students completed surveys at all three time points. Program adherence (Mindfulness Adherence Questionnaire) was also measured in the intervention group.

Results: The intervention group experienced modest but statistically significant improvements in mindfulness (9%, p = 0.0002), self-compassion (5%, p = 0.026), and study engagement (4%, p = 0.035) from baseline to Week 8. They also reported a sustained improvement of 5% (p = 0.017) in mindfulness scores at 6 months. The control group reported no significant changes at Week 8 or 6 Months. Between-group comparisons showed that compared to the control group, the intervention group improved significantly more in mindfulness (p = 0.0076), and statistically marginally more in study engagement (p = 0.0534) at Week 8. No statistically significant between-group differences were observed at 6 months.

Conclusions: These results add to the small but growing body of evidence suggesting that online mindfulness-based interventions with minimal contact can improve, albeit in modest magnitude, mindfulness and possibly study engagement in medical students for the duration of a mindfulness program. Further refinements to the program may be important to maintain improvements in the longer-term.

Trial registration: Registration number ACTRN12624000783527.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

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CONSORT 2010 flow diagram
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