A Mindfulness-Based Intervention to Reduce Stress Through the Cultivation of Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity in Healthcare Professionals

Part of paid clinical trials in Los Angeles, California.

Sponsor
University of California, Los Angeles
Study ID
NCT07283744
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Inflamation
  • Psychosocial Functioning
  • Stress (Psychology)

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - N/A
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Building Emotional Strength Training — BEHAVIORAL
    The BEST intervention was designed as a secularized version of the traditional Four Immeasurables practice to promote the distinct emotional states of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Each session provides structured training and exercises in mindfulness, including formal meditation practices and strategies for the daily informal use of mindfulness, as well as opportunity for questions and group discussion. Home practice is a key component of BEST and is particularly important for addressing stress in daily life. Participants will be instructed to practice mindfulness techniques on a daily basis, beginning with five minutes and increasing to 20 minutes, with practice prior to work or other stress-inducing situations.

Study Details

Nearly 50% of the adult workforce experience adverse psychological symptoms (e.g., stress, depression, burnout, etc.) stemming from workplace stressors, with healthcare workers experiencing rates as high as 80%. Some common complaints and downstream consequences of working in high-stress healthcare occupations are elevated levels of perceived stress, depression, and burnout. These conditions have been associated with unfavorable occupational (e.g., increased medical errors), patient (e.g., increased mortality rates), and provider-related outcomes (e.g., increased rates of cardiovascular disease), imposing a heavy burden on an already stretched system. Given the impact of perceived stress, depression, and burnout on employee and patient health, a clear need exists to develop effective interventions to reduce distress and promote well-being among healthcare professionals. In particular, interventions that target processes particularly vulnerable to provider stress (e.g., compassion) are needed. The present study will evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention inspired by the Buddhist Four Immeasurables practice on reducing perceived stress (primary outcome), depressive symptoms, burnout, and biological markers of inflammation, and enhancing psychological well-being and sleep quality (secondary outcomes) in 80 healthcare workers. Additionally, we will investigate several mediators (compassion, positive emotions, equanimity, and mindfulness) of intervention effects. Participants will be healthcare employees of UCLA Health. They will be enrolled in a six-week, two-arm randomized controlled trial. Participants will complete self-report questionnaires at baseline, mid-course, and post-intervention to assess study outcomes and mediators. We aim to advance the study of interventions that reduce distress and promote well-being using practices that cultivate kind feelings toward oneself and others.

Key Dates

Start date
Oct 10, 2025
Status verified
Dec 2025
Primary completion
Jan 31, 2027
Completion
Jan 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
80 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER

Arms

  • Experimental: Kindness and compassion-based meditation program
    Half of the participants will be randomly assigned to participate in the meditation intervention. This class will meet virtually once a week for six consecutive weeks, for one hour.
  • No Intervention: Waitlist control
    Half of the participants will be randomly assigned to the waitlist control. Participants assigned to this condition will have the opportunity to attend the meditation course after data collection is complete.

Primary Outcome Measure

Mean Change from Baseline in Perceived Stress as Assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale [ Time Frame: At baseline, mid-course at week 3, and post-intervention at week 6. ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCalifornia90095
J Richard T Korecki, M.A.
[email protected]
7204950812
Julienne E Bower, Ph.D. (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)
J Richard T Korecki, M.A. (SUB_INVESTIGATOR)

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