Storytelling and Mindfulness for Student Burnout

Overseen By Richard Davidson, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Mindfulness experience, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

20 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to evaluate an intervention for improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) graduate student wellbeing. Participants will be recruited from the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student body. Data will be collected from participants for up to 2 years, and the investigators anticipate that the study will last for 4 years.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

Is the Storytelling and Mindfulness Program safe for humans?

Mindfulness-based programs, like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), have been studied in various settings and are generally considered safe for humans. They have been used to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression without significant safety concerns. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the treatment of Mindfulness Practice and Storytelling Workshop differ from other treatments for student burnout?

This treatment is unique because it combines mindfulness practices, which help students manage stress and emotions, with storytelling workshops, offering a creative outlet to express and process experiences. Unlike traditional treatments that may focus solely on stress management, this approach integrates self-reflection and community support, potentially enhancing empathy and self-compassion. ^{2 6 7 8 9}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Storytelling and Mindfulness for Student Burnout?

Research shows that mindfulness-based programs like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can help reduce stress and improve mental health. These programs have been effective in reducing the risk of depression relapse and managing stress in healthcare settings, suggesting they may also help students experiencing burnout. ^{2 10 11 12 13}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jo Handelsman, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for STEM graduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who are 18 or older and have little to no experience with mindfulness practices. It aims to help those feeling burnt out, depressed, or anxious.

Inclusion Criteria

Current graduate student in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) field at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

No significant experience with mindfulness practice

Exclusion Criteria

Significant experience with mindfulness practice

Not a current graduate student in a STEM field at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants attend 2 storytelling workshops and use a guided mindfulness mobile app for 2 weeks

2 weeks

2 workshops (in-person), app usage (self-guided)

Control

Participants in the control group complete surveys without intervention

4 weeks

Survey completion (self-reported)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in wellbeing and academic success

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Mindfulness Practice
• Storytelling Workshop

Trial Overview The study tests whether storytelling workshops and mindfulness practice can improve wellbeing among grad students. Participants will be observed over a period of up to two years within the four-year duration of the trial.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention group Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Mindfulness and storytelling workshop intervention plus survey

Group II: Control group Active Control 1 Intervention

Survey only, no mindfulness/storytelling intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,249

Recruited

3,255,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

An abbreviated Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program consisting of 6 weekly 75-minute sessions can effectively be implemented during staff lunch breaks, making it a practical training option for healthcare providers and clinic staff.

This adapted MBSR program is not only feasible but also well-accepted, suggesting it could enhance the well-being of healthcare workers in a workplace setting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Staff: Expanding Holistic Nursing Paradigms to the Whole System. Hazlett-Stevens, H.[2021]

Mindfulness training, which includes group instruction in various meditation styles, helps individuals focus on their present experiences without being overwhelmed by negative thoughts.

There is growing evidence that incorporating mindfulness training into chronic disease management can reduce psychological distress and enhance the quality of life for patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness training: an adjunctive role in the management of chronic illness? Monshat, K., Castle, DJ.[2019]

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program designed to help individuals manage stress and emotions through mindfulness meditation, but current research shows significant methodological issues and a lack of robust evidence regarding its effectiveness.

While there is some preliminary evidence suggesting MBSR may be beneficial, the overall findings do not strongly support its widespread endorsement, indicating a need for more rigorous research to better understand its efficacy and mechanisms.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What do we really know about mindfulness-based stress reduction? Bishop, SR.[2022]

The mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program significantly helped mental health professionals reduce their work stress and improve their self-care, which in turn enhanced patient care.

Participants in the MBSR program reported increased patient satisfaction and a reduction in patient safety events, indicating a positive impact on both staff well-being and patient outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of mindfulness meditation in promoting a culture of safety on an acute psychiatric unit. Brady, S., O'Connor, N., Burgermeister, D., et al.[2012]

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is effective in reducing the risk of relapse in patients with recurrent depression, highlighting its efficacy as a therapeutic intervention.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) shows only small effect sizes, suggesting that while mindfulness can be beneficial, its effectiveness may vary depending on the specific program used.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Mindfulness-based psychotherapy]. Bohus, M.[2021]

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been shown to improve mental health and reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression across 31 randomized studies involving both clinical and non-clinical populations.

The implementation of MBSR in the healthcare system is recommended to be gradual, ensuring that MBSR teachers in Denmark receive adequate training and education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Effect of mindfulness on symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression]. Fjorback, LO., Rasmussen, BH., Preuss, T.[2019]

In a study involving 144 middle-level managers, an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program significantly reduced perceived work-related stress, negative affect, and sickness absence compared to a control group.

MBSR also improved self-esteem and positive affect among participants, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing psychological resilience in stressful work environments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for managers: a randomized controlled study. Żołnierczyk-Zreda, D., Sanderson, M., Bedyńska, S.[2020]

A brief mindfulness-based intervention (bMBI) consisting of four sessions over six hours effectively reduced self-reported stress, burnout, and depression among teachers, highlighting its potential as a practical solution for teacher well-being.

The study suggests that shorter, less intensive mindfulness interventions can be just as effective, if not more so, than longer programs, paving the way for more cost-effective and accessible mental health strategies in educational settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention (bMBI) to Reduce Teacher Stress and Burnout. Taylor, SG., Roberts, AM., Zarrett, N.[2022]

The telephonic Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (tMBSR) program significantly improved nurses' health, reduced stress, and decreased burnout over an 8-week period, with effects lasting for at least 4 months after the intervention.

This innovative delivery method makes MBSR more accessible and scalable for healthcare workers, providing a low-cost alternative to traditional in-person sessions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Impact of an Innovative Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on the Health and Well-Being of Nurses Employed in a Corporate Setting. Bazarko, D., Cate, RA., Azocar, F., et al.[2022]

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training significantly improves psychological well-being and self-compassion among medical students, while also reducing stress and psychological distress, based on a review of nine studies.

Despite the positive effects on well-being, the impact of MBSR on empathy was inconsistent, and there was no evidence of a reduction in burnout, highlighting the need for further research in these areas.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for medical students: a narrative review. Polle, E., Gair, J.[2022]

A pilot Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program was explored at a university, revealing that students face high levels of stress due to workload and a culture of perfectionism.

Participants reported that MBSR helped them gain perspective on their stressors and provided effective techniques for managing stress, suggesting that such programs could enhance student well-being and create a more supportive learning environment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

There Is No Performance, There Is Just This Moment: The Role of Mindfulness Instruction in Promoting Health and Well-Being Among Students at a Highly-Ranked University in the United States. Kerrigan, D., Chau, V., King, M., et al.[2019]

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) significantly decreased anxiety levels in healthcare graduate students after 8 weeks of training, with improvements maintained at 3 weeks post-course.

MBSR also increased empathy among students at the end of the program, although this effect did not persist at the 3-week follow-up, and no significant changes in burnout were observed between the intervention and control groups.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based stress reduction training is associated with greater empathy and reduced anxiety for graduate healthcare students. Barbosa, P., Raymond, G., Zlotnick, C., et al.[2013]

A classroom-based mindfulness intervention (MBI) over eight weeks significantly improved self-compassion and coping self-efficacy in 61 college students, particularly in areas like common humanity and emotion-focused coping.

The study suggests that integrating mindfulness practices into college courses can effectively enhance students' psychological well-being and stress management skills.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Common humanity in the classroom: Increasing self-compassion and coping self-efficacy through a mindfulness-based intervention. Taylor, SB., Kennedy, LA., Lee, CE., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Staff: Expanding Holistic Nursing Paradigms to the Whole System. [2021]

2. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness training: an adjunctive role in the management of chronic illness? [2019]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What do we really know about mindfulness-based stress reduction? [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of mindfulness meditation in promoting a culture of safety on an acute psychiatric unit. [2012]

5. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Mindfulness-based psychotherapy]. [2021]

6. Denmark pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Effect of mindfulness on symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression]. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for managers: a randomized controlled study. [2020]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention (bMBI) to Reduce Teacher Stress and Burnout. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Impact of an Innovative Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on the Health and Well-Being of Nurses Employed in a Corporate Setting. [2022]

10. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for medical students: a narrative review. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

There Is No Performance, There Is Just This Moment: The Role of Mindfulness Instruction in Promoting Health and Well-Being Among Students at a Highly-Ranked University in the United States. [2019]

12. India pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mindfulness-based stress reduction training is associated with greater empathy and reduced anxiety for graduate healthcare students. [2013]

13. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Common humanity in the classroom: Increasing self-compassion and coping self-efficacy through a mindfulness-based intervention. [2022]