Feasibility of Online Based Mindfulness Interventions During COVID-19 Outbreak

Feasibility and Acceptability of Online Based Mindfulness Interventions to Relieve Distress During COVID-19 Outbreak in a Chinese Population: a Proof-of-concept Trial

The investigators had designed weekly mindfulness sessions (details see intervention below), which is free-of-charge and will be made available to general public who feel distressed during the outbreak of COVID-19. Face-to-face delivery of mindfulness interventions was not possible due to mandatory quarantine. The investigators hypothesize that this intervention is feasible and acceptable by the participants. As secondary outcomes, the investigators also hypothesize that the intervention can reduce stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms and enhance participants' sense of coherence

This will be a quasi-experimental study. Participants will be invited to fill in an online informed consent and questionnaire around 2 days before each mindfulness online session and another set of questionnaire immediately after each session (see outcome measures). Participants will be identified by their e-mail and therefore serial data could be obtained.

Inclusion Criteria:

• at least 18 years of old,
• able to speak and communicate in Cantonese
• can read Chinese or English (because they will be asked to fill in an online questionnaire).

Exclusion Criteria:

• actively suicidal,
• currently abusing restricted psychoactive substances
• diagnosed to have an active psychotic disorder and self-reported active psychotic symptoms (including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and dementia).