Psychiatria Danubina, 2018; Vol. 30, No. 2, pp 189-196 https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2018.

189 Original paper

© Medicinska naklada - Zagreb, Croatia

EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION

THERAPY ON WORK STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH
OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSES
Jiao Yang1, Siyuan Tang1 & Wen Zhou2
1
School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
2
The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China

received: 15.3.2018; revised: 11.5.2018; accepted: 25.5.2018

SUMMARY
Background: Psychiatric nurses are a special group of nursing staff, they experience greater work stress and lower mental
health levels than regular nurses. In order to address this problem, the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy
on work stress and mental health of psychiatric nurses is investigated in this study.
Subjects and methods: From August 2017 to November 2017, 100 psychiatric nurses, including 68 females and 32 males, were
selected as participants from three hospitals in Hunan Province of China. They were randomly divided into the intervention and
control groups, with 50 respondents in each group. MBSR therapy was used as psychological intervention in the intervention group.
Before and after the intervention, the two groups were assessed with the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) scale, Self-Rating
Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Nursing Stress Scale.
Results: (1) After the intervention, the SCL-90 score of the intervention group decrease significantly, and a statistically
significant difference is observed with the figure before the intervention (P<0.001). No statistically significant difference is found in
the control group (P>0.05). (2) After the intervention, the SDS and SAS scores of the intervention group decrease significantly, and a
statistically significant difference is observed with the figures before the intervention (P<0.001). No statistically significant
difference is found in the control group (P>0.05). (3) After the intervention, the Nursing Stress Scale score of the intervention group
Nursing Stress Scale decrease significantly, and a statistically significant difference is observed with the figure before the
intervention (P<0.001). No statistically significant difference is found in the control group (P>0.05).
Conclusions: MBSR therapy can reduce work stress, anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions among psychiatric nurses
and improve their mental health.

Key words: mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy - psychiatric nurses – stress - mental health

* * * * *

INTRODUCTION nal behaviors. In this state, the individual can adapt to

the current and future development, study, work, and
Health, the foundation of a happy life, mainly inclu- live happily and positively; have vitality; and fully exert
des two important dimensions, namely, mental health his physical and mental capabilities. Among the com-
and physical health (Sharpe & Naylor 2016). The defi- plex factors that affect mental health, the relationship
nition of mental health involves three core aspects: it is between stress and mental health has attracted the
a part of health; it is not only about the absence of attention of various researchers. Cunningham & Regan
disease but also covers psychology and behavior (Fan (2016) pointed out that the impact of stress on mental
2016). Undoubtedly, mental health has a very rich health is ubiquitous, regardless of age and industry. This
connotation. The World Health Organization pointed argument has been empirically studied both at home and
out in 2001 that mental health is a state of health or abroad. For example, Koenen et al. (2017) reviewed
well-being. Under this state, individuals can achieve literature on traumatic emergency stress and mental
their value, cope with normal life pressures, engage in health and found a significantly negative correlation bet-
fruitful and productive work, and have the ability to ween traumatic stress and mental health in infants, ado-
contribute to their community (Shadloo et al. 2016). lescents, and elderly people, normally at a degree above
Generally, mental health includes subjective well-being, the average level. In general, stress negatively affects
self-efficacy, autonomy, competency, and ability to the level of mental health (Ceobanu & Mairean 2015).
recognize others’ intelligence and potential emotions It is generally known that nursing groups are under
(Shadloo et al. 2016). Moreover, mental health also invol- high work stress, and psychiatric nurses have to work
ves the empowerment of individuals and groups to achie- under higher stress than nurses in other departments
ve their autonomic goals. Zhi et al. (2014) believed that because of the special nature of their work (Su 2011).
mental health is a highly effective, satisfying, and con- Noticeably, psychiatric nurses are a particular group of
tinuous mental state, reflected by the harmony and medical workers. This particularity is reflected in the
coordination between internal psychological activities, nature of patients that psychiatric nurses have to take
such as cognition, emotion, and personality, and exter- care of. As a result of this particularity, the work risk of

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AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSES Psychiatria Danubina, 2018; Vol. 30, No. 2, pp 189-196

psychiatric nurses is significantly higher than that of were 68 females and 32 males, with an average age of
general nurses (Zhang 2016). However, there is a 29.5±7.1 years. Eighteen (18%) respondents had
universal prejudice in society against mental patients, received polytechnic school education, 29 (29%) a
which leads to a lower social status of psychiatric college degree, and 53 (53%) a bachelor’s degree. The
nurses. For various reasons, psychological and social random number table was used to divide them into the
stresses of psychiatric nurses are greater than those of intervention and control groups, with 50 respondents in
general nurses (Goldberg 2017). At the same time, each group. The participants in this experiment had
psychiatric nurses suffer from low levels of mental already understood the purpose and method of the
health (Peng & Pang 2011), and work stress is an experiment before they proceeded, and all of them
important factor causing low mental health levels participated voluntarily in the study. The study was
among psychiatric nurses (Li 2013). Therefore, explo- approved by the Institutional Review Board of Xiangya
ring an effective way to reduce the stress of psychiatric Hospital of Central South University.
nurses and thereby increase their mental health level is
conducive to improving their work efficiency and job Methods
satisfaction.
Mindfulness therapy is a variety of meditations, Before the intervention, two psychological consul-
physical awareness, and yoga are used in mindfulness tants, a Doctor of Nursing and an associate professor of
therapy to awaken inner focus and improve self-regula- psychology, used the SCL-90 scale, Self-Rating Depres-
tion, so as to help people relieve stress, reduce pain, and sion Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and
treat diseases (Witteveen 1974). Particularly, mindful- Nursing Stress Scale to assess the two groups of nurses.
ness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a program that Then, psychological intervention was implemented in
incorporates mindfulness to assist people with pain and the intervention group, whereas the control group
a range of conditions and life issues that are initially received routine psychological support and activities.
difficult to treat in a hospital setting (Fleer 2014). This After the completion of MBSR therapy, the two groups
psychotherapy has gradually been applied to the adju- of nurses were again assessed using the same scales, and
vant treatment of emotional disorders (Crane 2009) and the results of the two assessments were compared and
chronic diseases (Morone & Greco 2014) in the medical analyzed. All the operators have correctly grasped the
field and has achieved positive results. MBSR has been operation method of this experiment.
used to reduce individual stress levels and enhance The period from August 2017 to November 2017
individual subjective well-being, achieving desirable was divided into three phases. Phase 1 is the assessment
results (Khoury et al. 2013). Another study showed that phase (August), during which the purpose, significance,
the use of MBSR in healthy people can reduce the stress content, and principles of the study were introduced to
levels of young and middle-aged individuals (Hofmann the psychiatric nurses. Under the guidance of the re-
et al. 2010). Notably, MBSR can not only improve searcher, nurses filled in the general situation scale, the
mental health but also affect physiological results. Chinese version of the SCL-90 scale, the Chinese
However, to date, there is no research on the use of version of SDS, and Nursing Stress Scale. Phase 2 is the
mindfulness therapy in stress reduction among psychia- implementation phase (September to October). The
tric nurses. In this study, stress intervention on psychia- nurses were intervened in the nurse station every Thurs-
tric nurses was conducted through the use of mindful- day morning or afternoon (once a week) for a total of
ness therapy, and the effect of such intervention on the eight times. The respondents selected training according
mental health of psychiatric nurses was examined. to their own spare time. The training content was the
same for two time periods. They either took part in the
SUBJECTS AND METHODS training or practiced at home. The specific content
includes the following: in the first stage, “relaxation”
Participants preparation (Morone et al. 2008), the nurses selected a
Psychiatric nurses were selected as the participants comfortable rest posture and were guided to gradually
from three large general hospitals in Hunan Province of relax using relaxing Chinese music; the operator used
China (The First Xiangya Hospital of Central South oral words to guide the nurses to focus on all parts of
University, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central the body from foot to head in turn. In the second stage,
South University, and The Fourth Xiangya Hospital of mindfulness breathing (Morone et al. 2008), the nurses
Central South University). Only those who were aged closed their eyes; felt their own body; perceived some
20–50 years old, had worked for more than 1 year, and tight, uncomfortable feelings; and acknowledged the
were engaged in psychiatric clinical work were included existence of these uncomfortable feelings; then, they felt
in the study; those with serious cardiovascular and other their breath and the air flowing in the respiratory tract
physical diseases were excluded. A total of 289 res- while breathing, gradually deepened their breathing, and
pondents were screened using Symptom Checklist-90 assumed that deep breathing can relieve these discom-
(SCL-90), and 106 of them were positive in more than forts in the body due to air flow. In the third stage, mind-
30 items of SCL-90, facilitating the selection of 100 fulness meditation, the nurses realized their thoughts,
volunteers to participate in the study. Specifically, there opinions, moods, impulses, and other emotions occurring;

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 Jiao Yang, Siyuan Tang & Wen Zhou: EFFECT OF MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION THERAPY ON WORK STRESS
AND MENTAL HEALTH OF PSYCHIATRIC NURSES Psychiatria Danubina, 2018; Vol. 30, No. 2, pp 189-196

experienced the process of their generation and disap- Statistical analysis

pearance; and persuaded themselves to objectively ac-
The data were analyzed by SPSS 15.0 statistical
cept these emotions. The operator appropriately taught
software. The quantitative data were expressed as mean
them to make timely and correct responses when
± standard deviation. Cross-group comparison of two
negative emotions appeared. Phase 3 is the completion
groups of means was conducted using independent
phase (the first week of November). According to the samples t test, and intra-group comparison was per-
effect of MBSR therapy and the experience of res- formed using paired t-test. The qualitative data were
pondents, they were encouraged to share their negative expressed by the number of cases and constituent ratio.
or positive emotional experiences and learn from each Cross-group comparison was conducted using chi-
other in the following exchange and discussion. Then, square test or Wilcoxon rank sum test. P<0.05 was
the respondents refilled the Nursing Stress Scale, considered statistically significant.
Nursing Stress Scale, and Stress Response Scale. The
effect assessment was completed correspondingly on the
day before and after the intervention, and answers were
RESULTS
collected through questionnaire. Comparison of General Information
of the Research Participants
Instruments There were 50 respondents in the intervention and
SCL-90 control groups, respectively, before the intervention.
After the intervention, due to the loss of some data of 3
This checklist, compiled by Derogatis et al. (1973),
respondents in the control group and 2 respondents in the
includes 90 items, hence the name SCL-90. This
intervention group, only 47 respondents in the control
checklist contains a wide range of psychotic symp-
group and 48 respondents in the intervention group were
tomatic contents, such as thinking, emotion, behavior,
actually included in the analysis. As shown in Table 1,
interpersonal relationship, and lifestyle habit. A 5-point
the two groups have no statistically significant difference
rating is used, including 0 = never, 1 = mild, 2 = mode-
in gender, age, education level, marital status, and family
rate, 3 = quite severe, and 4 = severe (Wang et al. 2017).
economic situation (P>0.05), suggesting that the two
The self-rating depression scale (SDS) groups are comparable in terms of general information.
SDS, compiled by Zung (1965), is a self-rating scale
consisting of 20 items. Each item is equivalent to a Table 1. Comparison of general information of the
related symptom. Points 1–4 correspond to never, research participants
sometimes, often, and always, respectively, and the Control Intervention
index range is 0.25–1.00. A higher index means a higher group group P
(n=47) (n=48)
degree of depression (Peng et al. 2013).
Gender
The self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) Male 15 16 0.883
SAS was compiled by Zung (1971). From the form Female 32 32
of scale construction to the specific assessment method, Age 29.2±6.9 0.646
it is quite similar to SDS. It also covers 20 items, has a Education
4-point rating, and is used to assess the subjective Polytechnic school 8 9 0.631
experience of patients with anxiety (Hao et al. 2016). College 13 15
Undergraduate and above 26 24
Nursing Stress Scale
Marital status
The Nursing Stress Scale was compiled by Li and Married 22 24 0.756
Liu (2000) by redesigning and revising the Nursing Unmarried 25 24
Stress Scale commonly used in foreign countries Working years 9.3±3.2 8.9±2.9 0.525
according to China’s specific national conditions. The
scale covers a total of 35 items, including questions Comparison of the Two Groups in SCL-90
concerning nursing professionals and work, problems after the Intervention
about time allocation and workload, problems regarding
work environment and equipment, problems associated As shown in Table 2, before the intervention, SCL-
with patient care, and problems related to management 90 and the positive number of SCL-90 (P>0.05) showed
and interpersonal relationships. A 4-point rating is no significant difference between the two groups. In the
used for each item. A higher score indicates a higher intervention group, they were significantly lower after
degree of stress. One point implies no stress, 1.01–2 the intervention than before the intervention, demon-
points mean mild stress, 2.01–3 points are classified as strating a statistically significant difference (P<0.001);
moderate stress, and 3.01–4 points are classified as meanwhile, in the control group, they were slightly
severe stress. The total Cronbach’s coefficient of the lower after the intervention than before the intervention,
scale is 0.96, with each dimension between 0.84 and demonstrating no statistically significant difference
0.93. (P>0.05). In addition, in terms of the changes in the two

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groups before and after the intervention, the changes of After the intervention, the SAS score of the intervention
the indicators in the intervention group before and after group was significantly lower than that before the inter-
the intervention were both greater than those of the vention, demonstrating a statistically significant difference
control group, demonstrating a statistically significant (P<0.001). The SAS score of the intervention group was
difference (P<0.001). slightly lower than that before the intervention, demon-
strating no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). In
Comparison of the Two Groups in SDS addition, in terms of the changes in the two groups before
after the Intervention and after the intervention, the change of the SAS score in
the intervention group before and after the intervention
As shown in Table 3, no significant difference was was greater than that of the control group, demonstrating
observed between the intervention group and the control a statistically significant difference (P<0.001).
group in the SDS scores before the intervention (P>0.05).
After the intervention, the SDS score of the intervention Comparison of the Two Groups
group was significantly lower than that before the in Nursing Stress Scale After the Intervention
intervention, demonstrating a statistically significant
difference (P<0.001). The SDS score of the intervention As shown in Table 5, no significant difference was
group was slightly lower than that before the inter- observed between the intervention group and the control
vention, demonstrating no statistically significant diffe- group in the Nursing Stress Scale score before the
rence (P>0.05). In addition, in terms of the changes in intervention (P>0.05). After the intervention, the Nur-
the two groups before and after the intervention, the sing Stress Scale score of the intervention group was
change of the SDS score in the intervention group significantly lower than that before the intervention, de-
before and after the intervention was greater than that of monstrating a statistically significant difference (P<0.001).
the control group, demonstrating a statistically signifi- The Nursing Stress Scale score of the intervention group
cant difference (P<0.001). was slightly lower than that before the intervention,
demonstrating no statistically significant difference
(P>0.05). In addition, in terms of the changes in the two
Comparison of the Two Groups
groups before and after the intervention, the change of
in SAS After the Intervention
the intervention group in the Nursing Stress Scale score
As shown in Table 4, no significant difference was before and after the intervention was greater than that of
observed between the intervention group and the control the control group, demonstrating a statistically signifi-
group in the SAS scores before the intervention (P>0.05). cant difference (P<0.001).

Table 2. Comparison of the two groups in SCL-90 after the intervention

Difference P of cross-group
Before After P of Intra-group
Indicator Group before and after comparison of
intervention intervention comparison
intervention difference
SCL-90 Control group (n=47) 134.5±25.6 132.6±24.9 1.9±8.4 0.128
P<0.001
Intervention group (n=48) 136.7±27.7 119.6±21.6 17.1±9.3 <0.001
Positive Control group (n=47) 34.2±4.6 33.2±4.1 1.0±4.9 0.168
P<0.001
number Intervention group (n=48) 36.1±5.1 25.6±5.6 10.5±4.3 <0.001

Table 3. Comparison of the two groups in SDS after the intervention

Before After Difference before and P of Intra-group P of cross-group com-
Group
intervention intervention after intervention comparison parison of difference
Control group(n=47) 43.3±7.9 41.2±8.7 2.1±8.4 0.093
P<0.001
Intervention group (n=48) 45.8±9.1 35.4±8.3 10.4±7.5 <0.001

Table 4. Comparison of the two groups in SAS after the intervention

Before After Difference before and P of Intra-group P of cross-group com-
Group
intervention intervention after intervention comparison parison of difference
Control group(n=47) 46.2±7.1 45.1±6.7 1.1±5.8 0.200
P<0.001
Intervention group (n=48) 44.8±6.1 36.4±7.1 8.4±6.0 <0.001

Table 5. Comparison of the two groups in Nursing Stress Scale after the intervention
Before After Difference before and P of Intra-group P of cross-group com-
Group
intervention intervention after intervention comparison parison of difference
Control group(n=47) 84.8±8.1 83.1±8.4 1.7±8.2 0.162
P<0.001
Intervention group (n=48) 83.9±8.3 68.2±9.1 15.7±7.5 <0.001

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DISCUSSION higher self-esteem levels because they are reluctant to

face their own negative situations. Through mindful-
MBSR Therapy Is Conducive to Promoting ness, psychiatric nurses can focus on their own expe-
Mental Health of Psychiatric Nurses rience at the present and actively perceive that their
previous experiences are actually not all negative, and
According to the results of this study, both the
that their understanding of their work is not all correct,
intervention and control groups had lower mental health
so that they can obtain a sense of self-affirmation
levels before the intervention. After the intervention, the
(Renaud 2014). In addition, mindfulness training can
mental health levels of the intervention group were
also assist psychiatric nurses to relax their bodies,
significantly higher than that of the control group and
leaving their bodies that have been in a state of intense
significantly higher than that before the intervention.
emergency for a long time to a more relaxing state,
This finding shows that MBSR therapy can increase the
which is conducive to improving their mental health
mental health levels of psychiatric nurses.
level (Wang et al. 2014).
First, psychiatric nurses suffer from low levels of
mental health. This finding is consistent with the finding
of Li & Yang (2011), who investigated 110 psychiatric MBSR Therapy Reduces Anxiety
nurses using SCL-90, and her results showed that the and Depression of Psychiatric Nurses
total scores of psychiatric nurses in somatization, obses- According to the results of this study, no significant
sive-compulsive disorder, depression, anxiety, psycho- difference in the anxiety and depression levels was
sis, and other dimensions are significantly higher than observed between the intervention group and the control
the corresponding national norms. The main recipients group before the intervention. Both the depression and
of care of psychiatric nurses are mental patients who do anxiety levels after the intervention are significantly
not have clear consciousness and may take various lower in the intervention group than in the control
actions that endanger themselves and others at any time group, demonstrating a significant difference in the
and at any place. Consequently, the psychiatric nurse’s intervention group before and after the intervention.
mentality remains in a state of tension. According to This finding illustrates that MBSR therapy effectively
stress-related models (Ko et al. 2008), when an reduces the levels of anxiety and depression in
individual is in a state of emergency for a long time, psychiatric nurses.
the stress level perceived by the individual also First, depression and anxiety are the most common
increases. If an organism remains stressed for a long mental health problems in the nursing community. Hui
time, the body function declines, resulting in various & Li (2015) investigated 800 community nursing staff
psychological problems. Therefore, the particularity of using a questionnaire survey. Their results showed that
the work of psychiatric nurses directly determines the incidence of depression and anxiety among nursing
greater work stress, which reduces their level of staff reaches 45%. However, different from the
mental health. It also indicates that it is imperative to community nursing staff, psychiatric nurses are facing
strengthen the mental health of psychiatric nurses. greater workload and work stress. The results of the
Second, the reason why MBSR therapy can reduce survey conducted by Xu et al. (2010) on psychiatric
the stress level of psychiatric nurses and increase their nurses showed that the detection rates of depression and
mental health is related to the essential characteristics anxiety are 51.9% and 45%, respectively, indicating that
of mindfulness therapy. Mindfulness therapy origi- psychiatric nurses suffer from more severe depression
nates from “meditation” in the field of religion and and anxiety. Furthermore, Xu et al. (2010) pointed out
philosophy (Renaud 2014), which emphasizes no that the intense work stress of psychiatric nurses is a
comment and critique upon any experience one is significant cause of their depression and anxiety.
undergoing but only on his or her own experience. Therefore, from the perspective of relieving work stress,
Applied in stress reduction, mindfulness highlights reducing the levels of depression and anxiety is a
mobilization of the active power of a person to focus feasible intervention method to improve the mental
on one’s own needs and experience (Evans et al. health of psychiatric nurses.
2008). Given the special nature of their patients, many Second, the use of MBSR therapy in this study has
psychiatric nurses themselves also have some mis- significantly reduced the depression and anxiety levels
understandings about their work of taking care of of psychiatric nurses. Mindfulness training can effec-
mental patients. They do not think it is a “glorious” tively activate the left prefrontal cortex of the brain,
job. Moreover, most people in society have a prejudice thereby enhancing the individual’s experience and
against mental patients and believe that they are “devils perception of positive emotions (Harris et al. 2016).
and ominous people.” According to the self-verification Positive attention to internal emotions also helps
theory of self-esteem, one’s view of the self is often increase the breadth of attention, strengthen indi-
influenced by others’ opinions (Li & Yang 2011). viduals’ self-monitoring and management of internal
Hence, the self-esteem level of psychiatric nurses is conflicts, and enhance their feelings of internal and
generally low. Individuals with lower self-esteem levels external activities and emotional flexibility (Palmieri
are less concerned with themselves than those with et al. 2009). The work of psychiatric nurses is full of

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stress and challenges. However, mindfulness training, emotional regulation, so as to enhance the individual’s
on the one hand, can effectively improve the ability of ability to deal with work stress and to adopt a more
psychiatric nurses to face negative emotional expe- effective stress-coping style to reduce work stress
rience in their daily work. In other words, psychiatric (Mann et al. 2010). Self-efficacy is one of the factors
nurses can perceive more positive aspects from the influencing the individual’s confidence in completing
negative events they are facing, reducing the impact of a task (Lai & Chen 2014). Different levels of the
the negative events on their mental health and the individual’s self-confidence in completing a task
levels of anxiety and depression caused by the determine the choice of different behaviors, the degree
negative events. On the other hand, through metacog- of effort, the time of persistence, and the attitude
nitive control, mindfulness training can also help orientation in the process of completing the task, thus
psychiatric nurses establish correct self-knowledge and affecting the progress and success of the task. Hence,
master correct methods to deal with stress. The self-efficacy has a decisive influence on the success or
mastery of various methods of managing depressive failure of the individual in fulfilling a task or achieving
emotions is also helpful for psychiatric nurses to a goal (Lai & Chen 2014). Emotional regulation self-
improve their self-efficacy. Previous studies have efficacy helps mobilize personal positive emotions and
shown that Improving one’s self-efficacy, especially relieve negative emotions, thereby enhancing one’s
emotional self-efficacy, contributes to the reduction of ability to cope with stress, promoting interpersonal rela-
depression, anxiety, and other undesirable emotions, tionships and happiness, and ultimately improving
thereby improving the mental health of psychiatric their personality. Students with high emotional regu-
nurses (Wen et al. 2010). lation efficacy are more likely to use positive emot-
ional coping styles to face stress and look at problems
MBSR Therapy Is Conducive to Reducing with optimism, so that they can relieve occupational
Work Stress of Psychiatric Nurses stress more effectively. However, students with low
emotional regulation self-efficacy cannot adjust and
According to the results of this study, before the deal with negative emotions, and they perceive more
intervention, no significant difference in the work stress stress from work tasks (Valois et al. 2015). Sun et al.
score was observed between the psychiatric nurses in (2013) investigated the relationship between emotional
the intervention group and in the control group. After regulation self-efficacy and stress coping and
the intervention, the work stress of the psychiatric discovered that emotional regulation self-efficacy can
nurses in the intervention group decreased significantly, assist the individual to adopt stress-oriented coping
whereas that of the psychiatric nurses in the control styles and reduce work stress.
group also decreased, but not obviously. This finding
shows that MBSR therapy reduces work stress of
psychiatric nurses to some extent.
CONCLUSION
First, psychiatric nurses face a higher workload due Psychiatric nurses are a special group of nurses.
to their special patients, so they usually have greater Given the unique nature of their work and the great
work stress (Su 2011). Previous studies have illustra- work stress, they do not have an optimistic mental
ted that MBSR therapy can effectively reduce occupa- health condition. In this study, the psychiatric nurses are
tional stress and stress response of operating room intervened using MBSR therapy. The respondents are
nurses. Wang and Jiang (2016) conducted a 12-week randomly divided into the intervention and control
intervention of MBSR for 50 operating room nurses. groups. Before and after the intervention, the
Occupational stress of the operating room nurses were respondents are assessed using the SCL-90 scale, SDS,
examined before and after the intervention by using SAS, and Nursing Stress Scale. Results of the study
Nursing Stress Scale, Stress Perception Scale, and show that no significant difference is observed between
Work Stress Response Scale. The results show that the two groups of nurses before the intervention in
work stress of the operating room nurses is signi- mental health, depression, anxiety, and work stress.
ficantly lower after the intervention and is significantly Nevertheless, after the intervention, the mental health
lower than those nurses who did not receive the level of the experiment group improves, and their levels
intervention. The reason why mindfulness therapy can of depression, anxiety, and work stress decrease. This
reduce work stress is related to its nature. MBSR finding shows that MBSR therapy is conducive to
allows individuals to focus their attention in a certain reducing work stress of psychiatric nurses and
moment, without any subjective judgment on his or her increasing their mental health. This study provides a
momentary experiences, and gradually develops their new perspective for improving the mental health of
ability to open up their inner thoughts and accept psychiatric nurses. The limitation of this study lies in
various imperfect experiences, thereby helping the the issue of sampling. Therefore, the sample should be
individual better meet their work requirements and expanded in future research, for example, including
reduce work stress. nurses from various departments. At the same time,
Second, to some extent, the training of MBSR other influencing factors of this experiment should be
therapy also improves the individual’s self-efficacy of explored.

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Health Care, Juvenile Justice. Prof Psychol Res Pract

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Correspondence:
Siyuan Tang, MD
School of Nursing, Central South University
Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China
E-mail: tsycongcong@126.com

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