Abstract
Background:
To prevent the medical students from a deleterious psychophysiological activation, it is necessary to provide them a large variety of stress management techniques. The primary aim was to assess the efficacy of a short Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI) to reduce state-rumination following an exam (Objective Structured Clinical Examination: OSCE). The second aims were to assess the efficacy of the short MBI to reduce stress-response and to identify the determinants of state-rumination.
Methods:
Students were randomly allocated to two parallel groups: 6-minute MBI or 6-minute control video. Levels of state-rumination (Brief State-Rumination Inventory) and stress-response (psychological and physiological markers) were assessed. Feelings during the video were reported. OSCE performance, gender, sleep quality, and sport practice were assessed. Participants were blinded to the group assignment, but the administrators and outcome assessors were not. NCT05390879.
Results:
Four hundred eighty-two students participated (n = 239 in MBI and n = 243 in Control). Rumination did not differ between the groups (∆BSRIMBI -5 ± 12, ∆BSRIControl -5 ± 13, ∆BSRI t-test − 0.38 95% CI [-2.61:1.86], p = 0.740). The same applies to psychological stress (all p < 0.05). However, MBI students presented a lower physiological stress and reported more positive feelings during the video (all p < 0.05). Poor exam performance, female gender, poor sleep quality, and no sport practice were positively associated with state-rumination (all p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
MBI following an OSCE led to positive feelings and reduced physiological stress but neither psychological stress nor state-rumination. Performance, gender, sleep quality, and sport practice are determinants of state-rumination. This study offers insights that can inform the future development of specific interventions to reduce rumination in medical students.