Abstract
Meditation and positive psychology have been reported as promising approaches to deal with stress. This exploratory pilot study aims to evaluate the efficacy of meditation and positive psychology-based intervention on stress. Two experiments are reported; in the first one, 29 healthcare professionals were included (intervention = 14; control = 15), and the second one included 57 women managers (intervention = 27; control = 30). All participants were evaluated before and after eight weeks for levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and psychiatric symptoms. In Experiment 1, intervention group participants showed a reduction in stress levels and anxiety symptoms, and in Experiment 2, participants in the intervention group showed a decrease in stress, psychiatric symptoms, and sleep quality, when compared to the control group. A multi-component intervention based on positive psychology and meditation practices was effective at reducing stress as well as improving related stress parameters such as anxiety, psychiatric symptoms, and sleep quality.
Highlights
The Stress Survey in America, an American Psychological Association report, pointed out that work is a major source of stress for 61% of Americans [1]
The current study examined the effects of a novel intervention model that integrates elements of meditation with elements of positive psychology interventions; we call this program “Flourish”
In the experiment with healthcare professionals, the repeated measures ANOVA test was conducted to test the effect of the intervention on variables over time and the results indicated that the intervention decreased perceived stress over time
Summary
The Stress Survey in America, an American Psychological Association report, pointed out that work is a major source of stress for 61% of Americans [1]. The negative effects of stress occur at both personal and organizational levels. Stress-related disorders may lead to mental disorders as well as cardiovascular problems [2]. There is considerable evidence that the stress inherent to professional activity affects healthcare workers, a population considered vulnerable to its effects. It is well known that stress can lead to psychological distress and is related to the onset of psychiatric disorders in healthcare professionals [3]. Stress may reduce professional effectiveness as it decreases attention and impinges on decision-making skills [4]. Stress may lead to burnout syndrome, which can manifest itself as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of low personal accomplishment [5]. Healthcare workers’ burnout has been significantly associated with self-reported deficient patient care [6]. The stress experienced by emergency nurses may result in absenteeism, lower productivity, and lack of job satisfaction [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
