Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Medical and Premedical Students

Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The inability to cope successfully with the enormous stress of medical education may lead to a cascade of consequences at both a personal and professional level. The present study examined the short-term effects of an 8-week meditation-based stress reduction intervention on premedical and medical students using a well-controlled statistical design. Findings indicate that participation in the intervention can effectively (1) reduce self-reported state and trait anxiety, (2) reduce reports of overall psychological distress including depression, (3) increase scores on overall empathy levels, and (4) increase scores on a measure of spiritual experiences assessed at termination of intervention. These results (5) replicated in the wait-list control group, (6) held across different experiments, and (7) were observed during the exam period. Future research should address potential long-term effects of mindfulness training for medical and premedical students.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anderson, K. O., and Masur, F. T. III (1989). Psychological preparation for invasive medical and dental procedures. J. Behav. Med. 6: 1–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. (1987). Unraveling the Mystery of Health: How People Manage Stress and Stay Well, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

    Google Scholar 

  • Astin, J. (1997). Stress-Reduction Through Mindfulness Meditation: Effects on Psychological Symptomatology, Sense of Control, and Spiritual Experiences. Master's thesis, submitted for publication.

  • Bandura, A., O'Leary, A., Taylor, C. B., Gauthier, J., and Gossard, D. (1987). Perceived self-efficacy and pain control: Opioid and nonopioid mechanisms. J. Person. Soc. Psychol. 53: 563–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders, International Universities Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benson, H. (1975). The Relaxation Response, Morrow, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berkman, L. (1995). The role of social relations in health promotion. Psychosomat. Med. 57: 245–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. (1977). The SCL-90-R: Administration, Scoring and Procedures Manual 1, Clinical Psychometric Research, Baltimore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egbert, L. D., Battit, G. E., Welch, C. E., and Bartlett, M. K. (1964). Reduction of postoperative pain by encouragement and instruction of patients. A study of doctor-patient rapport. New Engl. J. Med. 270: 825–827.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy, Lyle Stuart, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fawzy, F., Fawzy, N., Hyun, C., Elashoff, R., Guthrie, D., Fahey, F., and Morton, D. (1993). Malignant melanoma: Effects of an early structured psychiatric intervention, coping, and Affective state on recurrence and survival 6 years later. Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 50: 681–689.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallegos, K. V., Bettinardi-Angres, K., and Talbott, G. D. (1990). The effect of physician impairment on the family. Maryland Med. J. 39: 1001–1007.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawks, S. R., Hull, M. L., Thalman, R. L., and Richins, P. M. (1995). Review of spiritual health: Definition, role, and intervention strategies in health promotion. Am. J. Health Promot. 9: 37–1378.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jemmott, J. B., Borysenko, J. Z., Borysenko, M., McClelland, D. C., Chaptman, R., Meyer, D., and Benson, H. (1983). Academic stress, power motivation, and decrease in salivary secretory immunoglobulin A secretion rate. Lancet 1: 1400–1402.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, N. P., Michels, P. J., and Thomas, J. C. (1990). Screening tests identify the prevalence of alcohol use among freshman medical students and among students' family of origin. J. South Carolina Med. Assoc. 86: 13–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J. (1982). An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness mediation: Theoretical considerations and preliminary results. Gen. Hosp. Psychiat. 4: 33–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J. (1993). Mindfulness meditation: Health benefits of an ancient Buddhist practice. In Goleman and Gurin (Eds.), Mind / Body Medicine, Consumer Reports Books, New York, pp. 259–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J. (1996). Mindfulness meditation: What it is, what it isn't, and its role in health care and medicine. In Haruki, Ishii, Y., and Suzuki, M. (Eds.), Comparative and Psychological Study on Meditation, Eburon, Netherlands, pp. 161–170.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J., and Chapman-Waldrop, A. (1988). Compliance with and outpatient stress reduction program: Rates and predictors of program completion. J. Behav. Med. 11(4): 333–352.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J., Lipworth, L., and Burney, R. (1985). The clinical use of mindfulness meditation for the self-regulation of chronic pain. J. Behav. Med. 8: 163–190.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kabat-Zinn, J., Massion, A. O., Kristeller, J., Peterson, L. G., Fletcher, K. E., Pbert, L., Lenderking, W. R., and Santorelli, S. (1992). Effectiveness of a meditation based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders. Am. J. Psychiat. 149: 936–943.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kass, J. (1995). Contributions of religious experience to psychological and physical well-being: Research evidence and an explanatory model. In VandeCreek, L. (Ed.), Spiritual Needs and Pastoral Services: Readings in Research, Journal of Pastoral Care Publications, Decatur, Georgia, pp. 189–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kass, J., Friedman, R., Leserman, J., Zuttermeister, P., and Benson, H. (1991). Health outcomes and a new measure of spiritual experience. J. Sci. Study Rel. 30(2): 203–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kass, J. (1997). Tapping into Something Greater than Ourselves: The Health Effects of Spirituality (manuscript submitted).

  • La Monica, E. (1981). Construct validity of an empathy instrument. Res. Nurs. Health 4: 389–400.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S., and Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, Appraisal, and Coping, Springer, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, C. (1987). Professionals in medical settings: The research evidence in the 1980s. J. Org. Behav. Mgt. 8: 195–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lesh, T. V. (1970). Zen meditation and the development of empathy in counselors. J. Human. Psychol. 10: 39–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levin, J. S. (1994). Religion and health: Is there an association, is it valid, and is it causal? Soc. Sci. Med. 38: 1475–1482.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCabe, P. M., and Schneiderman, N. (1985). Psychophysiologic reactions to stress. In Schneiderman, N., and Tap, J. T. (Eds.), Behavioral Medicine: The Biopsychosocial Approach, Erlbaum, Hillsdale, NJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • McClelland, D. C. (1989). Motivational factors in health and disease. Am. Psychol. 44(4): 675–683.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pastore, F. R., Gambert, S. R., Plutchik, A., and Plutchik, R. (1995). Empathy Training for Medical Students. New York Medical College (unpublished manuscript).

  • Pennebaker, J. W., Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., and Glaser, R. (1988). Disclosure of traumas and immune function: Health implications for pschotherapy. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 56: 239–245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pitts, F. N., Winokur, G., and Stewart, M. A. (1961). Psychiatric syndromes, anxiety symptoms and responses to stress in medical students. Am. J. Psychiat. 118: 333–340.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richings, J. C., Khara, G. S., and McDowell (1986). Suicide in young doctors. Brit. J. Psychiat. 149: 475–478.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, C. R. (1961). On Becoming a Person, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russek, L., and Schwartz, G. E. (1997). Feelings of Parental Caring Predict Health Status in Midlife: A 35-year follow-up of the Harvard Mastery of Stress Study. Behav. Med. 20: 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salt, P., Nadelson, C., and Notman, M. (1984). Depression and Anxiety Among Medical Students. New Research Abstract 13, APA Annual Meeting, Los Angeles.

  • SAS Institute (1985). SAS User's Guide: Statistics, Version 5, SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sbarbaro, J. A. (1990). The patient-physician relationship: Compliance revisited. Ann. Allergy 64: 325–331.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz, G. E. (1984). Psychobiology of health: A new synthesis. In Hammonds, B. L., and Scheirer, C. J. (Eds.), Psychology and Health: Master Lecture Series (Vol. 3), American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C., pp. 145–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seligman, M. E. P. (1975). Helplessness: On Depression, Development and Death, Freeman, San Francisco.

    Google Scholar 

  • Selye, H. (1976). The Stress of Life (rev. ed.), McGraw-Hill, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, D. H. (1982). Overview: Clinical and physiological comparisons of meditation with other self-control strategies. Am. J. Psychiat. 139: 267–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, D. H., Schwartz, C. E., and Astin, J. (1996). Controlling ourselves, controlling our world: Psychology' s role in understanding positive and negative consequences of seeking and gaining control. Am. Psychol. 51(12): 1213–1230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shapiro, S. L., and Schwartz, G. E. (in press). The role of intention in self-regulation: Toward intentional systemic mindfulness. In Boekaerts, M., Pintrich, P. R., and Zeidner, M. (Eds.), Handbook of Self-Regulation, Academic Press, New York.

  • Smith, T. C., and Thompson, T. L. (1993). The inherent, powerful therapeutic value of a good physician-patient relationship. Psychosomat. Med. 34: 763–766.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spiegel, D., Bloom, J., Kraemer, H. C., and Gottheil, E. (1989). Effect of psychosocial treatment on survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer. Lancet 2: 888–891.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. C., and Lushene, R. E. (1970). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Consulting Psychologists, Palo Alto.

    Google Scholar 

  • White, L., Tursky, B., and Schwartz, G. E. (Eds.) (1985). Placebo: Theory, Research and Mechanisms, Guilford Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, R. B., Jr., Barefoot, J. C., and Shekelle, R. B. (1985). The health consequences of hostility. In Chesney, M. A., and Rosenman, R. H. (Eds.), Anger and Hostility in Cardiovascular and Behavioral Disorders, Hemisphere/McGraw-Hill, New York, pp. 173–185.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shapiro, S.L., Schwartz, G.E. & Bonner, G. Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Medical and Premedical Students. J Behav Med 21, 581–599 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018700829825

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018700829825

Navigation