A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Smartphone-Based Well-Being Training in Public School System Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Pragmatic randomized controlled trial
PubMed 36387982 · doi:10.1037/edu0000739
What was done
A pragmatic, preregistered randomized wait-list controlled trial evaluated a free, four-week smartphone-based meditation app (Healthy Minds Program; HMP) in 662 public school system employees (64% teachers) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were randomized to the intervention or a wait-list control. Outcomes included psychological distress (primary) and six secondary outcomes targeting app-trained skills (such as perseverative thinking, social connection, and well-being), measured at post-intervention and at a three-month follow-up.
What was found
Participants assigned to the HMP experienced significantly greater reductions in psychological distress than controls at post-intervention (Cohen's d = -0.52, 95% CI [-0.68, -0.37], p < .001) and at the three-month follow-up (d = -0.33, 95% CI [-0.48, -0.18], p < .001). Benefits were also observed across all six secondary outcomes (absolute d range = 0.19 to 0.42, all corrected p < .031, except mindful action at follow-up). There was no evidence of elevated adverse events, and effects were comparable in participants entering with elevated baseline anxiety and depressive symptoms.
Why it matters
This study demonstrates that a scalable, self-guided digital mental health intervention can meaningfully reduce distress and bolster psychological well-being among public school employees during periods of acute occupational stress.
Limits
The control group was a wait-list comparator rather than an active control, which cannot rule out expectancy effects or digital engagement artifacts. Long-term durability beyond three months and direct impacts on objective workplace performance or student outcomes were not evaluated.
Cited by
- supports Practicing meditation for 5 minutes per day for 30 days significantly reduces symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in randomized controlled trials.
- supports A randomized controlled trial of 832 public school educators practicing the digital Healthy Minds Program for under 5 minutes daily over 28 days showed decreases in depression, anxiety, and stress, along with increases in well-being and flourishing.
- supports Controlled studies by Richard Davidson demonstrate that short stretches of regular meditation have demonstrable health benefits.