SynthesisThe Cochrane database of systematic reviews2021
Mindfulness-based psychological interventions for improving mental well-being in medical students and junior doctors.
Synthesis in The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
27 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- The impact of mindfulness training and physical exercise on student academic burnout and academic achievement: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- The effects of mindfulness-based interventions on alleviating academic burnout in medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Burnout increased among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Scientific reports · 2024Pooled it
- Effects of standardized mindfulness programs on burnout: a systematic review and original analysis from randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in public health · 2024Pooled it
- Mindfulness-based psychological interventions for improving mental well-being in medical students and junior doctors.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021Pooled it
- Hypnosis reshapes multilevel stress response and enhances executive performance in stressed medical students.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Mindfulness-Based Eating Solution (MBES) for Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes in Nutrition Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomised Clinical Trial.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025Trial
- Evaluating the Accuracy of Large Language Models in Risk-of-Bias Assessment Using Version 2 of the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool for Randomized Trials: Exploratory Feasibility Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Longitudinal Effects of Mindfulness Combined with Gratitude Touch on Anxiety, Depression, and Stress: A 12-Month Portable EEG-Based Study.Brain sciences · 2026Article
- Associations of Emotion Regulation Difficulties, Psychological Well-Being, and Life Satisfaction with Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behaviour Among University Students in Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2026Article
- Personality Trait Dimensions and Depressive Symptoms Among Medical Students: Sequential Mediation Through Psychological Capital and Perceived Stress.Depression and anxiety · 2026Article
- How to Predict the Onset of Anxiety and Depression in Pediatric Residents? -- A Survey From China.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2026Article
- Stakeholder preferences for multidimensional attributes in the selection of health promotion programmes in Japan: a discrete choice experiment.BMJ public health · 2026Article
- Article
- Developing a mindfulness program for pre-clinical medical students in Indonesia: a mixed-methods study on suitability and appropriateness.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Change in quality of life in medical students across graduation: results of POLLEK study.International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health · 2024Article
- Coronavirus pandemic derived demands and inclusive leadership on junior doctors' well-being.Occupational medicine (Oxford, England) · 2024Article
- The role of mindfulness in stress, productivity and wellbeing of foundation year doctors: a mixed-methods feasibility study of the mindful resilience and effectiveness training programme.BMC medical education · 2024Article
- The effects of loving-kindness meditation on doctors' communication anxiety, trust, calling and defensive medicine practice.BioPsychoSocial medicine · 2024Article
- Interventions to promote medical student well-being: an overview of systematic reviews.BMJ open · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMindfulness interventions are increasingly popular as an approach to improve mental well-being. To date, no Cochrane Review examines the effectiveness of mindfulness in medical students and junior doctors. Thus, questions remain regarding the efficacy of mindfulness interventions as a preventative mechanism in this population, which is at high risk for poor mental health.
objectivesTo assess the effects of psychological interventions with a primary focus on mindfulness on the mental well-being and academic performance of medical students and junior doctors. SEARCH
methodsWe searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase and five other databases (to October 2021) and conducted grey literature searches. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials of mindfulness that involved medical students of any year level and junior doctors in postgraduate years one, two or three. We included any psychological intervention with a primary focus on teaching the fundamentals of mindfulness as a preventative intervention. Our primary outcomes were anxiety and depression, and our secondary outcomes included stress, burnout, academic performance, suicidal ideation and quality of life. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methods as recommended by Cochrane, including Cochrane's risk of bias 2 tool (RoB2). MAIN
resultsWe included 10 studies involving 731 participants in quantitative analysis. Compared with waiting-list control or no intervention, mindfulness interventions did not result in a substantial difference immediately post-intervention for anxiety (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.09, 95% CI -0.33 to 0.52; P = 0.67, I
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.