Assessment of Virtual Mindfulness-Based Training for Health Care Professionals: Improved Self-Reported Respiration Rates, Perceived Stress, and Resilience

Background: Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) is a workplace resilience-building intervention that has shown reductions in perceived stress and burnout, as well as increased resilience and work engagement in health care workers. Objective: To evaluate effects of MIM delivered in a synchronous virtual format on self-reported respiratory rates (RR), as well as perceived stress and resiliency of health care workers. Methods: Breath counts were self-reported by 275 participants before and after 8 weekly MIM sessions. MIM was delivered virtually in a group format as a structured, evidence-based workplace intervention including a variety of mindfulness, relaxation, and resilience-building techniques. Participants counted their breaths for 30 seconds, which was then multiplied by 2 to report RR. Additionally, participants completed Perceived Stress Scale and Connor-Davidson Resiliency Scale. Results: According to mixed effect analyses there were main effects of MIM Session (P < .001) and Weeks (P < .001), but no Session by Week interaction (P = .489) on RR. On average, RR prior to MIM sessions were reduced from 13.24 bpm (95% CI = 12.94, 13.55 bpm) to 9.69 bpm (95% CI = 9.39, 9.99 bpm). When comparing average Pre-MIM and Post-MIM RR throughout the MIM intervention, Week-2 (mean = 12.34; 95% CI = 11.89, 12.79 bpm) was not significantly different than Week-1 (mean = 12.78; 95% CI = 12.34, 13.23 bpm), but Week-3 through Week-8 demonstrated significantly lower average Pre-MIM and Post-MIM RR compared to Week-1 (average weekly difference range: 1.36 to 2.48 bpm, P < .05). Perceived stress was reduced from Week-1 (17.52 +/- 6.25) to after Week-8 (13.52 +/- 6.04; P < .001), while perceived resiliency was increased from Week-1 (11.30 +/- 5.14) to after Week-8 (19.29 +/- 2.58); P < .001). Conclusion: Thus far, completion of MIM sessions has shown acute and long-term effects on self-reported RR, but more research is required to determine the extent of improved parasympathetic (relaxed) states. Collectively, this work has shown value for mind-body stress mitigation and resiliency-building in high stress acute health care environments.