Effects of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention Program on Psychological Symptoms and Well-Being Among Medical Students in Malaysia: A Controlled Study

Medical students often experience heightened psychological distress that may undermine their training experience. This study evaluated the effects of a 4-week mindfulness-based intervention program on psychological health among medical students and whether the effects were mediated by changes in mindfulness. The study also examined whether trait mindfulness moderated the effectiveness of the intervention. One hundred thirty-nine medical students participated in the study. They completed measures of mindfulness and psychological symptoms at pre- and post-intervention. Analysis showed that the intervention group reported significantly greater improvements in depressive symptoms, anxiety, general psychiatric symptoms, perceived stress, subjective happiness, and satisfaction with life compared to the control group. Low trait mindfulness at baseline predicted greater improvements on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Changes in mindfulness mediated several outcomes. The findings show that a brief mindfulness-based intervention program is efficacious in reducing psychological symptoms among medical students. Mindfulness may be a key mechanism of change of the intervention.