Interpersonal mindfulness, empathy, and the potential role of early trauma in medical students: A mixed-methods investigation

In medical students, who are prone to burnout, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is not consistently beneficial. However, Interpersonal Mindfulness (IM) theoretically deepens insight, empathy, awareness, and self-compassion, despite a lack of research in this population. In a randomised controlled comparison pilot, a novel 5-week MBSR + IM course matched outcomes from MBSR related to empathy and social connectedness. However, stress only decreased following MBSR and not IM. The final study sample was 29 medical students (45% women, mean age 23.3 - sd 3.94) out of 60 completing the courses.

In Study Two, reducing the dyadic IM practice time resulted in matched improvements in mindfulness, self-compassion, and empathy with MBSR despite the IM group meditating significantly less at home. The design was the same as in Study One. The participants were 51 medical students (75% women, mean age 23.9 - sd 4.49) out of 78 completing the courses. Findings showed IM may have magnified the effects of MBSR in this sample, and further research is required.

Study three’s Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis explored six medical students’ experiences 6-8 months following IM. Differences related to ‘Self-knowledge’, ‘Depth of Intrapersonal Mindfulness’ and ‘Interpersonal Awareness’ converged acrosscohorts encountering either transformational experiences or limited benefits. Those who were beginning to understand the impact of past difficulties or traumas, managed to practice mindfulness even when stressed, resulting in profound changes. Those who struggling to acknowledge legitimate reasons behind their own distress or early trauma, experienced less mindful awareness, meditated little in the home environment, and found it impossible to meditate while stressed. Nevertheless, all participants reported gaining insight, suggesting IM can improve access to mindful awareness in a concentrated manner, reducing the reliance upon solo meditation practice.

For some, IM may improve the efficiency and depth of a mindfulness practice; requiring less home meditation time to encounter transformational awareness and reperceiving. The depth of insight could depend upon openness to integration of early childhood traumas or difficulties. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.