Abstract
Employees in the disability sector are subject to a range of stressors in the work place, and it is important that employers
provide stress-management interventions to optimize coping and psychological wellbeing of these staff. The purpose of this
preliminary study was to evaluate the impact of a group-based training program, known as ‘Occupational Mindfulness’ (OM),
on employee coping and wellbeing within a disability service in Australia. The study involved a longitudinal observational
design. Thirty-four participants (22 managers and 12 disability support workers, aged 23 to 60 years) completed a range of
mindfulness and psychological wellbeing measures prior to commencement of the OM training program and immediately following
completion of the program. The program was positively evaluated by participants and found to be associated with significant
increases in positive affect and the mindfulness facet of observing. In contrast, extrinsic job satisfaction decreased significantly
from baseline to post-training, while negative affect, perceived stress, anxiety and negative emotional symptoms increased
significantly. Depressive state, intrinsic job satisfaction, general job satisfaction, satisfaction with life, burnout, compassion
satisfaction, compassion fatigue, compassion for others, self compassion and the four mindfulness facets of describing, acting
with awareness, non-judging of inner experience and non-reactivity to inner experience did not change significantly from baseline
to post-training. Participants reported enhanced awareness of signs and sources of stress, and positive changes in self-care
attitudes and behaviours and interactions with clients and colleagues. Reasons for the seemingly paradoxical findings of highly
favourable participant evaluation of the OM training program alongside increases in perceived stress, anxiety, negative emotional
symptoms and negative affect and decreases in job satisfaction immediately following the program are discussed. Overall, the
OM program yielded a range of benefits to participants and holds significant potential to be transferred to other work settings
in the future.
provide stress-management interventions to optimize coping and psychological wellbeing of these staff. The purpose of this
preliminary study was to evaluate the impact of a group-based training program, known as ‘Occupational Mindfulness’ (OM),
on employee coping and wellbeing within a disability service in Australia. The study involved a longitudinal observational
design. Thirty-four participants (22 managers and 12 disability support workers, aged 23 to 60 years) completed a range of
mindfulness and psychological wellbeing measures prior to commencement of the OM training program and immediately following
completion of the program. The program was positively evaluated by participants and found to be associated with significant
increases in positive affect and the mindfulness facet of observing. In contrast, extrinsic job satisfaction decreased significantly
from baseline to post-training, while negative affect, perceived stress, anxiety and negative emotional symptoms increased
significantly. Depressive state, intrinsic job satisfaction, general job satisfaction, satisfaction with life, burnout, compassion
satisfaction, compassion fatigue, compassion for others, self compassion and the four mindfulness facets of describing, acting
with awareness, non-judging of inner experience and non-reactivity to inner experience did not change significantly from baseline
to post-training. Participants reported enhanced awareness of signs and sources of stress, and positive changes in self-care
attitudes and behaviours and interactions with clients and colleagues. Reasons for the seemingly paradoxical findings of highly
favourable participant evaluation of the OM training program alongside increases in perceived stress, anxiety, negative emotional
symptoms and negative affect and decreases in job satisfaction immediately following the program are discussed. Overall, the
OM program yielded a range of benefits to participants and holds significant potential to be transferred to other work settings
in the future.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category ORIGINAL PAPER
- Pages 1-15
- DOI 10.1007/s12671-012-0112-7
- Authors
- Joanne Brooker, Southern Synergy, Notting Hill Campus, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, c/- Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- John Julian, Southern Synergy, Notting Hill Campus, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, c/- Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Lynne Webber, Office of the Senior Practitioner, Department of Human Services, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Jeffrey Chan, Office of the Chief Practitioner Disability, Department of Communities, Child Safety & Disability, Brisbane, Australia
- Frances Shawyer, Southern Synergy, Notting Hill Campus, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, c/- Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Graham Meadows, Southern Synergy, Notting Hill Campus, School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, c/- Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
- Journal Mindfulness
- Online ISSN 1868-8535
- Print ISSN 1868-8527