Effect of Mindfulness-Based Protocols on Psychological Parameters and Biological Markers in Populations Exposed to Conditions of Persistent Distress

Effect of Mindfulness-Based Protocols on Psychological Parameters and Biological Markers in Populations Exposed to Conditions of Persistent Distress: a Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthcare Workers

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training can improve the mental health and well-being of healthcare professionals (HCPs) exposed to prolonged severe stress conditions.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does an 8-week MBSR training lower the cortisol levels of HCPs exposed to prolonged severe stress conditions?
• Does an 8-week MBSR training modify the psychological condition of HCPs exposed to prolonged severe stress conditions? Researchers will compare an 8-week MBSR training to no-training to see if MBSR training works to improve the mental health and well-being of HCPs.

Participants will:

• Partecipate or not partecipate to the MBSR training for 8 weeks
• Visit the clinic at baseline, after the 8-week intervention (T1), and at follow-up after 6 months for checkups and tests

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthcare workers belonging to the Dept. of Mental Health, Onco-hematology, Medicine, and Intensive Care, who are frequently exposed to situations of severe and prolonged stress
• age between 18 and 65 years
• informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Use of psychotropic drugs in the previous 2 months
• Previous mindfulness training
• Medical conditions preventing participation in group sessions
• Current pregnancy.