Effects of a mindfulness based intervention in mental health professionals: burnout and stress symptoms at work

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION The work of mental health care professionals involves coping with stressful situations that may lead to the development of the burnout syndrome. Studies of prevalence of burnout in this population indicate a variation between 21% and 67%. Mindfulness-based intervention programs have presented promising results in reducing stress in health care professionals. The present study aims to investigate the effects of a mindfulness course on mental health professionals from a public institution in the interior of São Paulo. METHOD A non-randomized and uncontrolled clinical trial with a sample of 20 professionals was carried out to measure the participants' level of burnout, mindfulness and self-compassion before, after and four months after the intervention, through five instruments 1) Questionnaire of Type and Volume of mindfulness practice, 2) Maslach Burnout Inventory, 3) Burnout Clinical Subtypes Questionnaire, 4) Mindfulness Awareness and Attention Scale and 5) Self Compassion Scale. The data were tabulated and analyzed by the SPSS-19 program. RESULTS The socio-demographic profile of the participants indicates a female majority (100%), with high education (76%), in a statutory work regime (81%) with a partial working day scheme (61.9%) and acting directly in the patient care (81%). On average, professionals attended 8 out of 9 course sessions. After the intervention, there was an increase in the level of mindfulness (mean before 58.14 and mean after 66.80), in the level of self-compassion (mean before 81.76 and mean after 97.95) and the reduction of the negative factors of this last scale. Regarding burnout levels, there were no significant changes except for the reduction of a factor related to lack of development. The deepening of the analysis may show correlations between these variables and other measures related to socio demographic aspects and the type and volume of practice.(AU)