Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Psychological Stress in Medical Students: A Systematic Review
Ana Leonor Couto1, Daniel Humberto Pozza1,2, Ricardo João Teixeira3,4
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|July 15, 2026
Summary
Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) may help reduce psychological stress in medical students. This systematic review found potential benefits, though more research is needed on intervention specifics.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Medical students face significant psychological stress from academic demands.
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) are explored for improving student well-being.
- Systematic review to assess MBI efficacy in medical students.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the impact of MBIs on psychological stress in medical students.
- Synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials and non-randomized studies.
- Identify potential benefits for mental well-being in medical education.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science.
- Inclusion of RCTs and non-randomized studies on MBIs for medical students.
- Risk of bias assessment using Cochrane RoB 2 and ROBINS-I tools.
Main Results:
- Twenty-one studies (14 RCTs, 7 non-RCTs) met inclusion criteria.
- Interventions included Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT).
- MBIs varied in type, duration, and format.
Conclusions:
- MBIs show potential for reducing psychological stress in medical students.
- Integrating mindfulness into medical education may enhance psychological resilience.
- Further research is needed to standardize MBI protocols and address methodological gaps.
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