Female Mental Health Professionals’ Perspectives on Mindfulness Practice After a 10-Week Training: An Analysis of Final Essays

Abstract

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) seem to benefit mental health professionals. However, their perspectives have been studied rarely in cultural contexts where mindfulness is still little known. The objective of this study was to analyze the perceptions of change and experiences associated with the mindfulness meditation practice of Cuban mental health professionals who participated for the first time in a MBI. A total of 26 female participants were included in this study. Data were collected using the final essays written after completing the intervention. Content analysis was used for analyzing the data, carried out independently by two researchers. Six main categories were identified: (a) intrapersonal changes, including subcategories such as stress reduction and increase in self-awareness; (b) interpersonal changes, including subcategories related to family and social relationships; (c) changes at work, including empathy and improvement in interpersonal communication; (d) use of different types of practices, including informal practices and mindful movements; (e) negative aspects of practice, including difficulties during learning and unpleasant experiences; and (f) other aspects not related to practice, including subcategories related to the facilitator’s influence and group empathy. The outcomes suggest that mindfulness practices can be a beneficial complementary training for mental health professionals in Cuba.