Long-term effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on mindfulness, coping and well-being in medical and psychology students: Results from a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT:

Longitudinal research investigating the enduring impact of mindfulness training is scarce. This study investigates the six-year effects of a seven-week mindfulness-based course, by studying intervention effects in the trajectory of dispositional mindfulness and coping skills, and the association between those change trajectories and subjective well-being at six-year follow-up.

Two hundred eighty-eight Norwegian medical and psychology students participated in a randomized controlled trial. One hundred forty-four received a 15-hour mindfulness course over seven weeks in the second or third semester with booster sessions twice yearly, while the rest continued their normal study curricula. Outcomes of subjective well-being, dispositional mindfulness, and coping were assessed using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Ways of Coping Checklist. Analyses were performed for the intention-to-treat sample, using latent growth curve models.

At the six-year follow-up, students receiving mindfulness training reported increased well-being. Furthermore, they reported greater increases in the trajectory of dispositional mindfulness and problem-focused coping along with greater decreases in the trajectory of avoidance-focused coping. Increases in problem-focused coping predicted increases in well-being. These effects were found despite relatively low levels of adherence to formal mindfulness practice. The findings demonstrate the viability of mindfulness training in the promotion of well-being and adaptive coping, which could contribute to the quality of care given, and to the resilience and persistence of health care professionals.

CITATION:

De Vibe, M., Solhaug, I., Rosenvinge, J. H., Reidar, T., Hanley, A. W., & Garland, E. L. (2018). Long-term effect of a mindfulness-based intervention on mindfulness, coping and well-being in medical and psychology students: Results from a randomized controlled trial. PLOS One. 

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