Effects of an 8-Week App-Based Mindfulness Intervention on Mental Health in Working Women: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Summary

An 8-week mindfulness mobile app significantly boosted mental health for working women. In a randomized controlled trial of 213 women, those using the mHealth intervention (n=106) saw life satisfaction increase by 1.47 points and perceived stress drop by 2.00 points. Depressive and anxiety symptoms decreased by 1.24 points, while trait anger fell by 0.59 points. This application of mindfulness via mobile phone offers a promising health promotion strategy to reduce work-related stress and improve subjective well-being, though more intensive interventions may be needed for work-family balance.

Abstract

Although working women experience increased work-related stress, preventive interventions to reduce its negative effects on their mental health are insufficient. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 8-week mindfulness-based self-help intervention via a smartphone app across 4 domains (general psychological, work-related, family-related, and work-to-conflict) among working women. This study recruited women workers via various media sources, such as crowdsourcing sites and social networking services. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (n=106) or waitlist control groups (n=107). Participants in the intervention group practiced guided mindfulness meditation every day at their convenience via an app on their cell phones for 8 weeks. The app provides an 8-week program with 4 meditation contents per 2 weeks. Participants in the waitlist control group lived as usual for 8 weeks. We conducted web-based questionnaires to assess participants' general psychological (life satisfaction, perceived stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, trait anger, and mindfulness), work-related (work performance, job satisfaction, quantitative job overload, and job control), family-related (family satisfaction and partner satisfaction), and work-to-family conflict indicators. An analysis of covariance, controlled for preintervention scores, revealed that the intervention significantly increased life satisfaction (b=1.47, β=0.11; P=.005) and decreased perceived stress (b=-2.00, β=-0.17; P=.01), depressive and anxiety symptoms (b=-1.24, β=-0.15; P=.02), and trait anger (reaction; b=-0.59, β=-0.11; P=.04). The intervention group demonstrated significantly increased life satisfaction (t93=-3.36; P=.001) and decreased depressive and anxiety symptoms (t93=2.35; P=.02). The app was effective in reducing perceived stress, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and trait anger (reaction), and in improving life satisfaction among working women. However, to improve work- and family-related indicators, higher-intensity interventions may be required, such as modifying the intervention content or extending its duration. University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000051796; https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000059110.

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