Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy in Improving Quality of Life Among Anesthesiology Residents

Abstract

Background: Anesthesiology residents face high levels of occupational stress that can negatively impact their well-being and quality of life. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has emerged as a promising intervention to support mental health in healthcare professionals. To evaluate the effectiveness of a modified MBSR program on quality of life among anesthesiology residents.

Material and Methods: This prospective, single-group pre-post intervention study included 27 third-year anesthesiology residents (mean age 28.8 ± 1.9 years; 59.3% female) from a tertiary care hospital. Participants completed a 6-week modified MBSR program consisting of three 15- minute sessions per week. Quality of life was assessed using the Short Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey before and after the intervention. Pre-post comparisons were conducted using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests as appropriate.

Results: Significant improvements were observed in five of eight SF-36 domains: Physical Functioning (91.67 ± 11.43 vs. 97.96 ± 4.65, p = 0.001), Role-Physical (60.19 ± 33.44 vs. 81.48 ± 22.56, p = 0.006), Bodily Pain (74.81 ± 19.01 vs. 89.44 ± 15.60, p = 0.049), Vitality (48.33 ± 15.75 vs. 71.67 ± 17.26, p = 0.001), and Mental Health (59.89 ± 13.39 vs. 78.96 ± 14.73, p = 0.004). No significant sex-based differences in treatment response were observed.

Conclusions: A brief, modified MBSR program significantly improved multiple dimensions of quality of life in anesthesiology residents. These findings support the integration of mindfulness-based interventions into residency training programs to enhance resident well-being.