Trial reportPloS one2023
A compassion-based program to reduce psychological distress in medical students: A pilot randomized clinical trial.
Trial report in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 16 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Prospective Mixed-Methods Quasi-Experimental Study Evaluating Burnout Variation Over 12 Months and the Influence of a Self-Care and Burnout Prevention Program in First-Year Medical Oncology Residents
Choice and Autonomy in Learning Mindfulness for Pediatric Residents
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The efficacy of compassion and self-compassion training programs for healthcare university students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC medical education · 2026Pooled it
- The effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance and maintain medical student wellbeing: a systematic review.BMC medical education · 2026Pooled it
- The effectiveness of second-generation mindfulness interventions on anxiety and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Clinical psychology review · 2026Pooled it
- The effect of resilience training on resilience and stress in medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC medical education · 2025Pooled it
- A synthesis of RCTs on psychological interventions fostering strengths and virtues: Evidence from 21 systematic reviews.Applied psychology. Health and well-being · 2025Pooled it
- Digital resilience interventions for healthcare workers: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Strategies and goals in Emotion Regulation models: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Pooled it
- Mechanisms of change in compassion-based programs for medical students.Scientific reports · 2024Trial
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Psychological Stress in Medical Students: A Systematic Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Compassionate Understanding in Dementia Care.Health care analysis : HCA : journal of health philosophy and policy · 2026Article
- Exploring medical students' reflections and well-being during clinical training: a qualitative study of "peer reflecting teams".BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Five Practical Video Modules to Reduce Physician Burnout Through Mindfulness and Systematic Review of Evidence.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- A qualitative investigation of social service workers' experiences with compassion training in the workplace.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- Mindfulness meditation as a tool for enhancing recovery and reducing burnout in elite tennis players.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- State Abortion Policy and Moral Distress Among Clinicians Providing Abortion After the Dobbs Decision.JAMA network open · 2024Article
- Enhancing self-care education amongst medical students: a systematic scoping review.BMC medical education · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesPhysicians and medical students are subject to higher levels of psychological distress than the general population. These challenges have a negative impact in medical practice, leading to uncompassionate care. This pilot study aims to examine the feasibility of Compassion Cultivation Training (CCT) to reduce psychological distress and improve the well-being of medical students. We hypothesize that the CCT program, as compared to a waitlist control group, will reduce psychological distress (i.e., stress, anxiety, and depression) and burnout symptoms, while improving compassion, empathy, mindfulness, resilience, psychological well-being, and emotion-regulation strategies after the intervention. Furthermore, we hypothesize that these improvements will be maintained at a two-month follow-up.
methodsMedical students were randomly assigned to an 8-week CCT or a Waitlist control group (WL). They completed self-report assessments at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and a 2-month follow-up. The outcomes measured were compassion, empathy, mindfulness, well-being, resilience, emotional regulation, psychological distress, burnout, and COVID-19 concern. Mixed-effects models and Reliable Change Index were computed.
resultsCompared with WL, CCT showed significant improvements in self-compassion, mindfulness, and emotion regulation, as well as a significant decrease in stress, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion component of burnout. Furthermore, some of these effects persisted at follow-up. No adverse effects of meditation practices were found.
conclusionsCCT enhanced compassion skills while reducing psychological distress in medical students, this being critical to preserving the mental health of physicians while promoting compassionate care for patients. The need for institutions to include this type of training is also discussed.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.