Smartphone-Based Meditation App Reduces Stress, Improves Mindfulness Among Pharmacy Students

Using a smartphone-based meditation app for an average of 5 days a week for 4 weeks, pharmacy students experienced reduced stress and improved well-being, mindfulness, and resilience according to findings published in the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.

Study authors recruited pharmacy students in a professional year of study to participate and instructed them to meditate for at least 5 days a week for 4 weeks using the Ten Percent Happier app. For weeks 5 to 12, students were responsible for using the app at their own discretion.

Researchers utilized the Perceived Stress Scale, Flourishing Scale, Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-15, and the Brief Resilience Scale to collect responses at baseline, week 4, and week 12.

Of 89 pharmacy students who volunteered for the study, 60 (67%) were enrolled by completing the baseline survey. The week 4 survey was completed by 28 (47%) students and the week 12 survey was completed by 22 (37%) students.

“Participants experienced a reduction in perceived stress (P = .0005) and increases in resilience (P < .0001) and well-being
(P = .0006),” reported researchers.

In 4 of 5 subscales in the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-15 (P ≤ .05), increases in mindfulness were observed. Benefits were noted at week 4 and maintained at week 12, according to study authors.

“Benefits experienced during the intervention were maintained at the 8-week follow up, despite app usage decreasing to an average of 4 days a week,” concluded study authors.

Reference:
Truhlar LM, Durand C, Cooper MR, Goldsmith C-AW. Exploring the effects of a smartphone-based meditation app on stress, mindfulness, well-being, and resilience in pharmacy students. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2022;zxac240. doi:10.1093/ajhp/zxac240