Cited by 34Mindfulness and Compassion InterventionsCOVID-19 and Mental HealthSocial Work Education and Practice

A randomized controlled trial of a mindfulness-based intervention in social workers working during the COVID-19 crisis

Open access
Hosseinzadeh Asl, Navid R.·2022·Current Psychology

Abstract

As one of the frontline professionals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, social workers can face tremendous pressure, which can lead to mental health problems. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a brief mindfulness-based intervention had short- and middle-term effects on social workers working during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a randomized controlled trial, 49 social workers were assigned to an experimental group (n = 28) or a waitlist control group (n = 21). The intervention was a four-week mindfulness-based program. The outcome variables were measured at pre- and post-test, and at one-month follow-up test. At post-test and follow-up, the workers in the experimental group reported higher mean scores in psychological flexibility and self-compassion and lower mean scores in depression compared to the workers in the waitlist control group. Although the experimental group also showed lower mean scores than the waitlist control group in anxiety and stress at both post-test and follow, the differences were not statistically significant. The findings suggest that a brief mindfulness-based intervention can improve psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and depression in social workers working during the COVID-19 crisis, leading to protected mental health, adding support to continuing development of such efficient mindfulness-based programs. Future studies should use larger samples and examine brief interventions’ working mechanisms. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1007/s12144-021-02150-3

Cites

53 of 53 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

6 of 14 cited sources checked · 3 supported · 0 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

  • Premisecitation

    Online mindfulness-based approaches are successful for enhancing mental health outcomes.

    “A significant body of research has shown that online mindfulness-based approaches are also successful for enhancing mental health outcomes (Spijkerman et al. 2016)”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Spijkerman et al. 2016 source
  • Premisecitation

    Brief mindfulness interventions can improve many health-related outcomes, even after a single session and with interventions as short as five minutes.

    “The effectiveness of these interventions has been backed by evidence that they can improve numerous health-related outcomes, even after a single session and with interventions as brief as five minutes (Howarth et al. 2019).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Howarth et al. 2019 source
  • Findingown data

    At the follow-up, the experimental group showed significantly greater psychological flexibility than the waitlist control group.

    “the results of follow-up tests also indicated that the experimental group reported better and statistically significant outcomes in psychological flexibility [F(1, 46) = 5.89, p < .05, η2 = .114], self-compassion [F(1, 46) = 10.71, p < .01, η2 = .189], and depression [F(1, 46) = 5.67, p < .05, η2 = .110].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    At the post-test, the experimental group showed significantly greater psychological flexibility than the waitlist control group.

    “The results revealed that participants in the experimental group reported statistically significant improved outcomes in psychological flexibility [F(1, 46) = 10.24, p < .01, η2 = .182], self-compassion [F(1, 46) = 12.24, p < .01, η2 = .210], and depression [F(1, 46) = 7.63, p < .01, η2 = .142].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    At the follow-up, the experimental group showed significantly lower depression than the waitlist control group.

    “the results of follow-up tests also indicated that the experimental group reported better and statistically significant outcomes in psychological flexibility [F(1, 46) = 5.89, p < .05, η2 = .114], self-compassion [F(1, 46) = 10.71, p < .01, η2 = .189], and depression [F(1, 46) = 5.67, p < .05, η2 = .110].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 12
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 5
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Mindfulness-based interventions can effectively reduce psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) and improve self-compassion and psychological flexibility.

    “Research has shown that mindfulness-based interventions can effectively decrease participants’ psychological distress (the parameters such as depression, anxiety, and stress) and improve their self-compassion and psychological flexibility”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Vonderlin et al. 2020 source

      Table 3 reports reduced perceived stress and subsyndromal symptoms, a category that includes anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, as well as increased compassion. The paper does not report an intervention effect on psychological flexibility; that term appears in a reference, not as an analyzed outcome. The findings also concern workplace programs rather than mindfulness-based interventions in every setting. (LLM, conf=0.91)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites Dawson et al. 2020 source
    • cites Zhou et al. 2020 source
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Mindfulness practices can cultivate self-compassion and psychological flexibility.

    “The research supported that mindfulness practices can cultivate self-compassion and psychological flexibility (Marais et al. 2020; Wasson et al. 2020).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim2 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Marais et al. 2020 source

      The Discussion reports that the mindfulness-program group improved in psychological flexibility compared with the wait-list control group. The paper does not report an effect on self-compassion; a search for that term found no supporting passage in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites Wasson et al. 2020 source

      The Discussion reports that mindfulness-based interventions improved self-compassion in health care students and professionals. The introductory passage describes cultivating “response flexibility” as a component of these interventions, but the paper does not establish psychological flexibility as an outcome. (LLM, conf=0.82)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The Turkish version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 is valid and reliable.

    “The Turkish version of the scale has demonstrated to be valid and reliable (Sariçam 2018).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Sariçam 2018 source
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    At the follow-up, the experimental group had lower stress than the waitlist control group, but this difference was not statistically significant.

    “although the experimental group had lower mean scores in anxiety and stress, the differences were not statistically significant (p > .05; see Table 1).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    At the post-test, the experimental group had lower stress than the waitlist control group, but this difference was not statistically significant.

    “compared to the waitlist control group, the experimental group reported lower anxiety and stress levels in post-tests; however, the differences were not statistically significant (p > .05).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    At the follow-up, the experimental group had lower anxiety than the waitlist control group, but this difference was not statistically significant.

    “although the experimental group had lower mean scores in anxiety and stress, the differences were not statistically significant (p > .05; see Table 1).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • The quote only partly states this claim.

    Findingown data

    At the post-test, the experimental group showed significantly lower depression than the waitlist control group.

    “The results revealed that participants in the experimental group reported statistically significant improved outcomes in psychological flexibility [F(1, 46) = 10.24, p < .01, η2 = .182], self-compassion [F(1, 46) = 12.24, p < .01, η2 = .210], and depression [F(1, 46) = 7.63, p < .01, η2 = .142].”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    At the post-test, the experimental group had lower anxiety than the waitlist control group, but this difference was not statistically significant.

    “compared to the waitlist control group, the experimental group reported lower anxiety and stress levels in post-tests; however, the differences were not statistically significant (p > .05).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

    Interpretationreasoning

    Brief mindfulness programs can be efficient ways to protect social workers' mental health not only during the COVID-19 pandemic but also in other emergencies such as earthquakes or wars.

    “such interventions can be efficient ways of protecting social workers’ mental health, not only in the Covid-19 pandemic but also in other emergencies such as earthquakes or wars”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The Turkish version of the Self-Compassion Scale is reliable and valid.

    “The studies that investigated psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the SCS have reported that the scale is reliable and valid (Deniz et al. 2008).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Deniz et al. 2008 source
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data

    The AAQ-II had alpha coefficients ranging from .88 to .93 in this study.

    “In the current study, the alpha coefficients for the scale ranged from .88 to .93.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductown data

    Baseline measures showed no statistical difference between the experimental and control groups, supporting the validity of randomization.

    “In the baseline measures (pre-tests), there was no statistical difference between the experimental and control groups, supporting the validity of randomization.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data

    The SCS had alpha coefficients ranging from .85 to .92 in this study.

    “In the current study, the alpha coefficients for the overall scale ranged from .85 to .92.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductown data

    There was differential attrition: two participants from the experimental group and eight from the control group dropped out.

    “two participants from the experimental group did not continue participating in the program, and eight participants from the control group did not fill the post- and follow-up tests; consequently, they dropped out.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Social workers already faced higher levels of work stress before the COVID-19 pandemic, which could lead to physical and mental health issues.

    “social workers, who were already facing higher levels of work stress, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, that could lead to both physical and mental health issues (Coyle et al. 2005; Kagan and Itzick 2019; Stanley et al. 2006; Storey and Billingham 2001; Grise-Owens 2016).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Coyle et al. 2005 source
    • cites Kagan and Itzick 2019 source
    • cites Stanley et al. 2006 source
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    The Turkish version of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II is a valid and reliable measure.

    “The Turkish version of the AAQ-II has been found to be a valid and reliable measure (Yavuz et al. 2016).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Yavuz et al. 2016 source
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductown data

    Participants were randomly allocated to the experimental and control groups.

    “Then, the author randomly allocated the participants to two WhatsApp (a messaging app) groups, one as the experimental group and the other as the control group.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
17 of 17

Statistics recomputed

Every reported test result, recomputed from its test statistic and degrees of freedom. A result shows as not adding up only once an independent check has confirmed it.

  • ConsistentF(1, 46) = 10.24reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .002

    “F(1, 46) = 10.24, p < .01”

  • ConsistentF(1, 46) = 12.24reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .001

    “F(1, 46) = 12.24, p < .01”

  • ConsistentF(1, 46) = 7.63reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .008

    “F(1, 46) = 7.63, p < .01”

  • ConsistentF(1, 46) = 5.89reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .019

    “F(1, 46) = 5.89, p < .05”

  • ConsistentF(1, 46) = 10.71reported p < .01 · recomputed p = .002

    “F(1, 46) = 10.71, p < .01”

  • ConsistentF(1, 46) = 5.67reported p < .05 · recomputed p = .021

    “F(1, 46) = 5.67, p < .05”

6 of 6

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Self-check results appear here once an independent check has confirmed them.

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Authors
Hosseinzadeh Asl, N. R.
Venue
Current Psychology
Published
2021-08-09
Volume
41
Issue
11
Pages
8192-8199
ISSN
  • 1046-1310 (ISSN-L)
  • 1936-4733
OpenAlex
W3191728039
Cited by
34
References
53
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 4
FWCI
4.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Current Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Public Administration › Social Work Education and Practice
Keywords
mindfulness-based interventions, social workers, COVID-19 pandemic, occupational stress, psychological flexibility, self-compassion, depression, anxiety, stress, mental health, frontline workers

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