This study is designed to determine whether meditation is beneficial for genetic counselors and genetic counseling students. The main goal is to see if meditation can help with professional well-being (burnout for genetic counselors, stress for genetic counseling students). The investigators will also explore whether meditation has other benefits for the genetic counseling profession.
The investigators will recruit 390-420 genetic counselors and 189-210 genetic counseling students. Participants will be randomized into one of three groups of roughly the same size: two meditation groups and an observational group. All three groups will fill out online surveys at several points in the study. The only thing the observational group will be asked to do is fill out these surveys. The meditation groups will be asked to meditate for 10 minutes a day for 8 weeks. Participants will be provided with an app or website that instructs them on how to meditate. Outcome analyses will be done with an intention to treat approach. Outcomes will be assessed using linear regression with the outcome variable as the dependent variable and baseline outcome measure, baseline mindfulness, and treatment group as the independent variables. Secondary outcomes will be considered exploratory. The study is funded by the Jane Engelberg Memorial Foundation
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
605
10 minutes a day of meditation, done on your own time.
Stanford University
Stanford, California, United States
Burnout (genetic counselors)
The primary outcome for genetic counselors is burnout, measured with the Professional Fulfillment Inventory
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Stress (genetic counseling students)
The primary outcome for genetic counseling students is stress, measured with the Perceived Stress Scale
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Other dimensions of professional well-being: Stress (genetic counselors only)
Measured with the Perceived Stress Scale
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Other dimensions of professional well-being: Professional fulfillment (genetic counselors only)
Measured with the Professional Fulfillment Index
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Other dimensions of professional well-being: Reactive distress
Measured with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Other dimensions of professional well-being: Resilience
Measured with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Determinants of counseling effectiveness: Cognitive empathy
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Measured with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Determinants of counseling effectiveness: Affective empathy
Measured with the Interpersonal Reactivity Index
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Determinants of counseling effectiveness: Working alliance
Measured with the Working Alliance Inventory
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Determinants of counseling effectiveness: Empathic understanding
Measured with the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Determinants of counseling effectiveness: Unconditional positive regard
Measured with the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Determinants of counseling effectiveness: Non-judging
Measured with the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Determinants of counseling effectiveness: Non-reactivity
Measured with the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.
Retention in clinical roles
Retention in clinical roles, measured we will measure intention to reduce clinical load, using a custom item with a visual analogue scale.
Time frame: Measured at the end of the intervention period, typically 8 weeks after starting the study.