A Preliminary Investigation of Compressed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (cMBSR) with Pediatric Medical Social Workers

Abstract

Mindfulness practices, including mindfulness meditation, show promise for decreasing stress among health care providers. The standard course of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) requires a participant commitment to eight weeks of instruction comprised of one two-and-a-half hour per week class, a single day retreat, and 45 minutes of practice for six of seven days each week. Studies of abbreviated MBSR typically investigate the “dosing” of instruction and practice required to demonstrate stress reduction effects. This exploratory study investigates the effectiveness of a two-day compressed MBSR course (cMBSR) on pediatric health care social workers. Using t-tests, researchers measured the effect of cMBSR on a) positive and negative experiences in pediatric social work, b) perceived stress, c) mindfulness, and d) caring self-efficacy (as a component of patient- and family-centered care). Results included significant differences between the pre and post intervention outcome variables on the ProQOL Secondary Traumatic Stress subscale, the Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale, and the Caring Effectiveness Scale. Findings partially supported the effect of the cMBSR intervention and found adequate evidence for the feasibility of a more rigorous study of cMBSR.