Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy in Reducing Stress among Senior Medical Students: A Single Subject Experimental Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in reducing stress levels among medical students. A single subject experimental design with multiple baselines was implemented on the sample of 5 medical students. It was hypothesized that MBCT intervention will reduce stress and enhance mindfulness among all participants. In order to measure the levels of stress, the Medical Student Stress Questionnaire MSSQ was utilized. Likewise, to measure the levels of mindfulness, Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) was used. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis. All participants showed a decrease in their stress levels and an increase in their level of mindfulness. MBCT was found effective in managing stress among medical students.