The impact of a mindfulness-based intervention on the quality of life of Spanish national police officers

Purpose Police officers belong to a profession with a high risk of stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. Incorporating mindfulness practices into the health and occupational-risk prevention programs run by the national police forces in Spain could provide a new approach to reducing stress and enhancing the psychological and emotional balance of these officers. Methods A 7-week mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) was conducted in a group of 20 national police officers in Mallorca (Spain). Mindfulness, self-compassion, burnout, compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction and perceived stress were measured and compared before and after the intervention. Results We identified significant differences in mindfulness (F(5, 14) = 7.441, p = 0.001, eta(2) = 0.727), compassion satisfaction (F(1, 19) = 5.929, p = 0.025, eta(2) = 0.238) and perceived stress levels (t(18) = 2.863, p = 0.010, d = 0.611) after the intervention; non-significant improvements were observed for the remaining variables assessed. Conclusions MBIs could be an effective way of reducing stress levels among police officers in Spain.

Automated summary

A 7-week mindfulness-based intervention was conducted among 20 national police officers in Spain, showing significant improvements in mindfulness, compassion satisfaction, and perceived stress levels after the intervention. The study suggests that MBIs could be an effective way of reducing stress levels among police officers in Spain.