The Effects of a Meditation Intervention on the Psychological Burden of Long-Term Care Professionals and Family Caregivers

This study was a randomized, stratified, wait-list-controlled pilot clinical trial conducted in Taiwan to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a digitally-supported mindfulness program for caregivers.

Participants were randomized 1:1 to either:

Immediate-intervention group (received the 5-week program immediately after randomization), or

Wait-list control group (received the same program after completing their post-intervention assessment at 5 weeks).

Participants were stratified by caregiver type (professional vs. informal), age (younger vs. older than the sample median), and perceived stress level (low vs. high). Randomization was computer-generated and implemented independently of outcome assessment.

The intervention was a 5-week program consisting of:

Weekly 90-minute live, instructor-led sessions delivered via Microsoft Teams.

Daily home practice supported by guided meditation audio tracks on the AIZEN digital platform.

Automated daily reminders through the LINE messaging service to encourage adherence.

Outcome assessments were collected at three time points:

T1 (Baseline, Week 0) - prior to randomization

T2 (Post-intervention, Week 5) - after completion of the immediate group's program

T3 (Follow-up, Week 10) - after the wait-list group completed the program

The primary outcomes were changes in burnout among professional caregivers, assessed with the Chinese version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), including personal, work-related, and client-related dimensions. A secondary exploratory outcome was caregiver burden among informal caregivers, assessed with the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI).

Statistical analyses used linear mixed-effects models with planned contrasts to evaluate three core hypotheses:

Primary intervention effect: whether changes from T1 to T2 differed between groups (difference-in-differences).

Replication effect: whether the wait-list group showed improvements after receiving the program (T2 to T3).

Maintenance effect: whether benefits for the immediate-intervention group were sustained at follow-up (T2 to T3).

In addition, exploratory analyses included adjustment for work over-commitment as a covariate and evaluation of whether daily home practice (logged via the AIZEN platform) mediated intervention effects.

This study was designed as a feasibility and proof-of-concept trial to inform the scalability of digital mindfulness interventions for caregivers in Taiwan.

Inclusion criteria

• Age 18 years or older
• Currently engaged in paid professional caregiving (e.g., nurse, care worker, case manager) or unpaid informal/family caregiving
• Able to attend weekly online sessions via Microsoft Teams
• Willing to complete web-based questionnaires
• Willing to undertake at least 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice
• No prior meditation experience within the three months preceding recruitment

Exclusion criteria

• Did not meet the definition of caregiver (professional or informal)
• Prior meditation practice within the three months before recruitment
• Unwilling or unable to provide written informed consent