Exploring the use of mindfulness for prevention of burnout in allied health professionals in Singapore.
Shun Hwa Yap, Liyana Nabilah Bte Zainal, Siti Zubaidah Binte Yusoff and 1 others
PMID 39973715WHAT IT FOUND
In eight allied health professionals, emotional exhaustion scores on a burnout questionnaire fell after a 10-week program that included mindfulness, Emergenetics, group support, and daily practice; depersonalization and personal accomplishment did not show clear change.
Key findings
01Only emotional exhaustion showed a significant decrease after the program; depersonalization and personal accomplishment decreased but not significantly.
02All participants described greater awareness of their emotions, and six of eight said their stress regulation improved.
03Three participants wanted shorter, more condensed sessions, and three did not complete all sessions.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only eight allied health professionals from one Singapore community healthcare institution were included, so the findings cannot be generalised. The program combined mindfulness, the Emergenetics psychometric tool, small-group support, and encouragement to practice in daily life, so the effect of mindfulness alone cannot be separated. The study used pre- and post-program scores only, so it cannot show what would have happened without the program. Three participants did not complete all sessions, so not everyone received the full program. Participants may have known the study aimed to explore mindfulness, which could affect their responses. Burnout was measured only with the MBI-HSS-MP before and immediately after the program, with no longer follow-up.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that mindfulness prevents burnout in allied health professionals. This pilot had only eight participants, combined mindfulness with Emergenetics, group support, and daily practice encouragement, and only emotional exhaustion scores changed significantly.