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Determining the feasibility and effectiveness of brief online mindfulness training for rural medical students: A pilot study

BMC Medical Education, ISSN: 1472-6920, Vol: 20, Issue: 1, Page: 104
2020
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Article Description

Background: We sought to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a mindfulness training program, delivered online to medical students at a Rural Clinical School. Methods: An 8-week online training program was delivered to penultimate-year medical students at an Australian Rural Clinical School during 2016. Using a mixed methods approach, we measured the frequency and duration of participants' mindfulness meditation practice, and assessed changes in their perceived stress, self-compassion and compassion levels, as well as personal and professional attitudes and behaviours. Results: Forty-seven participants were recruited to the study. 50% of participants were practising mindfulness meditation at least weekly by the end of the 8-week program, and 32% reported practising at least weekly 4 months following completion of the intervention. There was a statistically significant reduction in participants' perceived stress levels and a significant increase in self-compassion at 4-month follow-up. Participants reported insights about the personal and professional impact of mindfulness meditation training as well as barriers to practice. Conclusions: The results provide preliminary evidence that online training in mindfulness meditation can be associated with reduced stress and increased self-compassion in rural medical students. More rigorous research is required to establish concrete measures of feasibility of a mindfulness meditation program.

Bibliographic Details

Moore, Sarah; Barbour, Rita; Ngo, Hanh; Sinclair, Craig; Chambers, Richard; Auret, Kirsten; Hassed, Craig; Playford, Denese

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Social Sciences

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