Mindfulness, gratitude and perceived stress among counsellor trainees

• Main Author: Kam, Jessica C.
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2015
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/53952

This study uses data from a larger mindfulness study to investigate the impact of a mindfulness and gratitude intervention on mindfulness, gratitude and perceived stress among graduate counselling psychology students in clinic. Twelve participants took part in a weekly meditation and gratitude journaling intervention, and three participants were in a control group. Participants also completed a questionnaire package four times: pre-intervention, one week after mindfulness training (during the first week of the intervention), at six weeks of intervention, and at twelve weeks. The questionnaires completed were the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS; Baer, Smith, & Allen, 2004), Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item Form (GQ-6; McCullough, Emmons, & Tsang, 2002) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS; Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983). No significant differences for the main of effect of intervention or the interaction between time and intervention were found between the control and intervention groups on the dependent variables. The main effect of time was found to be significant for the Observing subscale of the KIMS. Significant negative correlations were found between perceived stress and gratitude at 6 and 12 weeks. There were also significant negative correlations between perceived stress and the Observing and Describing subscales of the KIMS at pre-intervention, 1 week and 12 weeks. At 1 and 12 weeks, there was a significant negative correlation between perceived stress and the Acting with Awareness subscale of the KIMS. Finally, there was a significant correlation between perceived stress and Accepting without Judgement subscale of the KIMS at 6 weeks. Findings are discussed in context of the literature, as well as implications and future research. === Education, Faculty of === Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of === Graduate