JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Firefighters are often exposed to occupational stressors that can result in psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depression) and burnout. These occupational stressors have only intensified with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will likely persist in the post-pandemic world.

Objective:

To address occupational stressors confronting firefighters we pilot tested a novel, cost-effective smartphone-based meditation intervention created by Healthy Minds Innovations (Madison, WI) that focused on trainings in mindfulness (awareness) along with practices designed to cultivate positive relationships (connection), insight into the nature of the self (insight), as well as sense of purpose in the context of challenge (purpose) with a sample of professional firefighters from a large metropolitan area in the southwestern United States.

Methods:

Participants (N=35) were recruited from a closed online group listserv and completed the self-guided, 10-unit meditation app over the course of 10 days, with one unit per day. We assessed anxiety, depression, burnout, and negative affect as well as an objective indicator of stress-related biology, saliva diurnal cortisol rhythm, before and after use of the meditation app.

Results:

The study demonstrated the meditation app was both feasible and acceptable for use with the majority of N=35 firefighters. We also found significant reductions in firefighters’ anxiety (P=.01), burnout (P=.05), and negative affect (P=.04), as well as changes in cortisol diurnal rhythm (e.g., waking cortisol [P=.02]) from before to after use of the meditation app.

Conclusions:

Findings support future research to demonstrate efficacy of this meditation app to reduce psychological distress and burnout in firefighters. Clinical Trial: n/a