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Embodied health: the effects of a mind–body course for medical students

2013; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 18; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3402/meo.v18i0.20699

1087-2981

Allison Bond, Heather Mason, Chelsey Lemaster, Stephanie E. Shaw, Caroline S. Mullin, Emily A. Holick, Robert B. Saper,

Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout

An effective career in medicine requires empathy and compassion, yet the demands of a medical education increase stress and decrease students' ability to connect with patients. However, research suggests mind-body practices improve psychological well-being. This study aimed to evaluate the psychological effects on medical students of an 11-week elective course, Embodied Health or EH, which combines yoga and meditation with neuroscience didactics.The effects on 27 first- and second-year medical students were evaluated via surveys in four areas: empathy, perceived stress, self-regulation, and self-compassion. Scales used were 1. Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, which measures empathy among health students and professionals and medical students on a scale of 1 (least empathetic) to 7 (most empathetic); 2. Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, a measure of the perceived uncontrollability of respondents' lives, from 0 (least stressed) to 4 (most stressed); 3. Self-Regulation Questionnaire, which measures the development and maintenance of planned behavior to achieve goals, from 1 (least self-regulated) to 5 (most self-regulated); and 4. Self-Compassion Scale, which measures self-criticism, from 1 (least self-compassionate) to 5 (most self-compassionate). Students also reflected on EH's impact on their well-being in a post-course essay.Self-regulation and self-compassion rose 0.13 (SD 0.20, p=0.003) and 0.28 (SD 0.61, p=0.04), respectively. Favorable changes were also seen in empathy and perceived stress, which went up by 0.11 (SD 0.50, p=0.30) and down by 0.05 (SD 0.62, p=0.70), respectively; these changes did not reach statistical significance. Students' essays were found to discuss the following recurrent themes: 1) Reconnection between mind and body; 2) Community in a competitive environment; 3) Increased mindfulness; 4) Confidence in use of mind-body skills with patients; and 5) Stress management. These themes overlapped with the measures EH affected quantitatively.A mind-body course for medical students increased self-regulation and self-compassion. Qualitative themes discussed in students' post-course essays reflected these effects.