Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Burnout

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course can reduce stress and burnout. Participants will complete short online surveys at various times to assess stress levels. The study targets physicians at The Mount Sinai Hospital System interested in an 8-week mindfulness course. Participation is voluntary, and anonymity is maintained. As an unphased trial, it offers participants the chance to explore mindfulness techniques to enhance their well-being.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications, so it's unclear. It's best to check with the study team or your doctor for guidance.

What prior data suggests that the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course is safe?

Previous studies have shown that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) helps reduce burnout and stress in healthcare workers. Research indicates that MBSR is generally manageable and lacks major negative effects. Participants in these studies reported feeling less burned out and stressed, without noting any harmful side effects. This suggests that MBSR is a safe method for managing stress and burnout. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is unique because it offers a non-pharmacological approach to tackling burnout, which is commonly managed with therapies or medications like antidepressants. Unlike these standard treatments, MBSR focuses on enhancing mental well-being through mindfulness and meditation techniques, allowing participants to develop their own coping strategies. Researchers are excited about this because it empowers individuals to manage stress and burnout proactively, potentially reducing reliance on medications and their side effects. Additionally, MBSR's structured yet flexible approach can be easily integrated into busy schedules, making it accessible for both trainees and faculty in demanding professions.

What evidence suggests that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is effective for reducing stress and burnout?

Research has shown that Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) can significantly lower stress and burnout. One study found that MBSR reduced stress levels by up to 33% and improved mental health by 40%, particularly in schools. Another study found that healthcare workers experienced less burnout after completing MBSR courses, even during challenging times like the pandemic. Participants often see the greatest reduction in stress immediately after finishing the MBSR course. Overall, MBSR has proven effective in reducing anxiety, depression, and stress, making it a promising method for managing burnout. Trainee or faculty physicians who choose to participate in this trial will take the free 8-week MBSR course. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Jeffrey Zahn, MD

Principal Investigator

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for physicians within The Mount Sinai Hospital System who are experiencing stress and burnout. There are no exclusion criteria, so all physicians in this system are eligible to participate.

Inclusion Criteria

A physician in The Mount Sinai Hospital System

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2 weeks

MBSR Course

Participants undergo an 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course delivered via Zoom, involving didactics, group discussions, and meditation practices.

8 weeks

Weekly virtual sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for stress and burnout levels using surveys at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months after the course.

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

Trial Overview The study is testing the effectiveness of an 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course on reducing medical trainees' and faculty members' stress and burnout levels through surveys taken before, during, and up to one year after the course.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course trainee participants Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Trainee physicians who have chosen to take the free 8-week course are offered the opportunity to anonymously enroll in the study.

Group II: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course faculty participants Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Faculty physicians who have chosen to take the free 8-week course are offered the opportunity to anonymously enroll in the study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Lead Sponsor

Trials

933

Recruited

579,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A shortened mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR-ld) program over 6 weeks significantly reduced perceived stress and increased mindfulness in healthy working adults, with 22 participants showing notable improvements (p = .0025 and p = .0149, respectively).

The MBSR-ld group also experienced significant improvements in sleep quality (p = .0018), while the wait-list control group showed some improvement as well (p = .0072), indicating that even a brief intervention can have positive effects on stress and well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of low-dose mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR-ld) on working adults. Klatt, MD., Buckworth, J., Malarkey, WB.[2023]

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 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]

Participation in a short-form mindfulness-based stress reduction course significantly reduced anxiety levels in 23 patients, as evidenced by a decrease in scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (from 7.8 to 4.4; P = .005).

The course also led to notable improvements in health-related quality of life, with significant enhancements in various areas such as mental health (+15.6; P < .001) and vitality (+16.1; P = .001), indicating its potential effectiveness in underserved populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Short-form mindfulness-based stress reduction reduces anxiety and improves health-related quality of life in an inner-city population. Smith, B., Metzker, K., Waite, R., et al.[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]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12210539/

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on burnout ... Mindfulness-based interventions could improve burnout, resilience and sleep quality among nurses. This suggests that mindfulness-based interventions can ...

2. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1347336/full

Exploring the sustained impact of the Mindfulness-Based ... The MBSR program appears to be most effective in reducing stress levels shortly after completion. Participants reported immediate benefits ...

3. human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12960-024-00959-0

Feasibility and effectiveness of the mindfulness-based stress ... The study provided preliminary evidence that the MBSR programs might be effective in reducing healthcare providers' burnout, even during the pandemic.

4. openpsychologyjournal.com openpsychologyjournal.com/VOLUME/18/ELOCATOR/e18743501379520/FULLTEXT/

A Systematic Review of Mindfulness-based Stress ... Results. Findings indicate that MBSR significantly reduces perceived stress (up to 33%) and mental health issues (by 40%), particularly in academic settings ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7511255/

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction ... The reviewed literature suggested that MBSR was effective in reducing HCPs experiences of anxiety, depression and stress.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8544467/

Mindfulness-Based Interventions to Reduce Burnout in ... Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are reported by experimental studies as practical approaches to reduce burnout in primary healthcare professionals ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388123000865

The influence of mindfulness-based stress reduction on ... Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have reported an association between burnout and patient safety outcomes such as medical errors [[7], [8], [9]].

8. bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-025-06923-3

The relationship between mindfulness and burnout in physicians Studies have shown that burnout is closely related to emotional exhaustion, depersonaliation, and decreased personal accomplishment.

9. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.956651/full

The impact of mindfulness practice on physician burnout The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program used by Shapiro et al.'s (2005) US RCT on 38 HCPs, reported decreased job burnout and distress. The ...

10. formative.jmir.org formative.jmir.org/2025/1/e63197

Digital Mindfulness Training for Burnout Reduction in Physicians The main outcome measure was cynicism, one dimension of burnout. The secondary outcome measures were emotional exhaustion (the second dimension ...