Feasibility and Effectiveness of Peer-led Virtual Mindfulness-based Art Workshops on Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Medical Students
Author
Wang, ChaoyangDarbari, Isha
Tolaymat, Mazen
Quezada, Sandra M.
Allen, John, M.D.
Cross, Raymond K.
Date
2022-04Type
Poster/Presentation
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Introduction: Medical students report high levels of psychological distress, yet they also underutilize mental health services. We investigated the feasibility and efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Art Workshops (MBAW), which combines two established, formal interventions: a) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR),and b) art therapy (AT), through a peer-led, virtual workshop series. Hypothesis: Medical student led virtual MBAW will be effective in reducing measures of stress, anxiety, and depression in medical students. Methods: In 2020, 24 University of Maryland School of Medicine first- and second-year medical students were randomized to either the MBAW or no-intervention control group. Primary outcomes included a) short-term change in State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores and b) difference between intervention and control group perceived stress scores immediately after, and 2, 4, and 6 weeks after a 6-session intervention. At specific time points, participants completed questionnaires, which included STAI and NIH Toolbox Perceived Stress survey. Paired t-test, McNemar’s test, and mixed-effects model for repeated measures analysis were used to test differences in questionnaire responses. Results: In the intervention group, post-MBAW STAI scores decreased by 16.2 (P = 0.0001), 5 (P = 0.09), 13.7 (P=0.0002), 13.6 (P=0.0001), 12.1 (P=0.0006), and 11.9 (P=0.002) points after sessions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively. Intervention group perceived stress scores decreased from baseline by 5.9 (P=0.07) and 4.7 (P=0.09) points more than the control group immediately after, and 2 weeks after the 6-session intervention. Conclusions: MBAW sessions are effective at reducing short-term anxiety, and a 6-session MBAW workshop intervention shows trends towards decreasing levels of perceived stress lasting at least 2 weeks following the intervention. Future studies should evaluate a larger population to confirm the positive findings of this pilot study, which will hopefully encourage medical schools to consider integrating and supporting such programs as a method of addressing the urgent need to aid student wellbeing, within logistical, time, and cost constraints of students and administrators.Description
Poster presented at the ACP Internal Medicine Meeting, April 28-30, 2022Rights/Terms
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 InternationalKeyword
Mindfulness-Based Art Workshops MBAWStudents, Medical--psychology
Mental Health Services
Mindfulness--education
Stress, Psychological
Anxiety
Depression
Art Therapy
Identifier to cite or link to this item
http://hdl.handle.net/10713/18706Collections
The following license files are associated with this item:
- Creative Commons
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International