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Mindfulness and self-compassion as mediators of the Mindful2Work Training on perceived stress and chronic fatigue

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Abstract

Objective

There is increasing evidence that mindfulness-based interventions reduce stress and improve wellbeing in employees. However, less is known about the factors that mediate these effects. The aim of this study was to assess short- and long-term–mediating effects of mindfulness and self-compassion on the effects of the Mindful2Work training.

Methods

Employees with burnout complaints (N = 124) filled in questionnaires concerning perceived stress, chronic fatigue, mindfulness, and self-compassion. Assessments took place before, directly after the training and at 6 weeks follow-up. The intervention consisted of 6 weekly sessions of 2 h, combining mindful physical activity, yoga, and mindful meditation, and a follow-up session 6 weeks later.

Results

Multiple parallel and serial mediation analyses indicated that increases in mindfulness mediated the effects from pre- to post-test on stress and fatigue. Regarding the mindfulness facets; acting with awareness mediated the effects during the training on both stress and fatigue, and non-reactivity on stress. Furthermore, increases in self-compassion mediated the effects from post-test to follow-up on stress and fatigue. Lastly, it was found that during and after the training, increases in mindfulness led to more self-compassion, which in turn led to less stress (and after the training also to less fatigue).

Conclusion

This study indicates that part of employees’ stress and fatigue reduction over the course of the Mindful2Work training can be explained by increased mindfulness, and by increased self-compassion, directly and through increases of mindfulness.

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Funding

This study was partly supported by a grant from MIND, Netherlands Foundation for Mental Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Child Development and Education (RICDE), Research Priority Area Yield, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Rachel T. van der Meulen, Simon Valentin, Susan M. Bögels & Esther I. de Bruin

  2. UvA minds, Academic Treatment Center, Banstraat 29, 1071 JW, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    Rachel T. van der Meulen, Susan M. Bögels & Esther I. de Bruin

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany

    Simon Valentin

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  1. Rachel T. van der Meulen
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  2. Simon Valentin
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  4. Esther I. de Bruin
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Contributions

RvdM wrote the paper and collaborated on the data analysis. SV collaborated on the conceptualization, data analysis, and writing of the of article. SMB collaborated on the study design and editing of the final manuscript. EIdB designed the study and collaborated on the conceptualization and editing of the article.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Esther I. de Bruin.

Ethics declarations

All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee of the University of Amsterdam and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study.

Competing interests

Susan M. Bögels and Esther I. de Bruin are authors of the Mindful2Work books for which they receive royalties. Susan M. Bögels offers Mindful2Work teacher training for which she receives a honorarium.

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van der Meulen, R.T., Valentin, S., Bögels, S.M. et al. Mindfulness and self-compassion as mediators of the Mindful2Work Training on perceived stress and chronic fatigue. Mindfulness 12, 936–946 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01557-6

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