The impact of a mindfulness-based intervention on the quality of life of Spanish national police officers

Abstract

Purpose: Police officers belong to a profession with a high risk of stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. Incorporating mindfulness practices into the health and occupational-risk prevention programs run by the national police forces in Spain could provide a new approach to reducing stress and enhancing the psychological and emotional balance of these officers. Methods: A 7-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) was conducted in a group of 20 national police officers in Mallorca (Spain). Mindfulness, self-compassion, burnout, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction and perceived stress were measured and compared before and after the intervention. Results: We identified significant differences in mindfulness (F(5, 14) = 7.441, p = 0.001, η2 = 0.727), compassion satisfaction (F(1, 19) = 5.929, p = 0.025, η2 = 0.238) and perceived stress levels (t(18) = 2.863, p = 0.010, d = 0.611) after the intervention; non-significant improvements were observed for the remaining variables assessed. Conclusions: MBIs could be an effective way of reducing stress levels among police officers in Spain.