Effectiveness of Mindfulness Protocols Among Occupational Therapy Students

The HOME Protocol is a newly developed nine-minute mindfulness and engagement protocol designed to decrease stress and to promote re-engagement in meaningful occupations of daily life by applying mindfulness strategies in a specific, timed format. The protocol requires special training for students: a) to recognize times of disengagement in occupations, and b) to learn how to apply specific mindfulness strategies to increase re-engagement in meaningful occupations. Five components of the HOME Protocol include Reflect (1 minute of self-reflection and self-talk), Reset (2 minutes for breathing with stillness/silence and body check), Reach (3 minutes for stretching and progressive muscular relaxation), Renew (2 minutes for breathing with meditation/gratitude), and Re-engage (1 minute for self-reflection and self-talk).

The control journaling protocol is a nine-minute mindfulness and engagement protocol designed to decrease stress and to promote re-engagement in meaningful occupations of daily life by applying mindfulness self-talk and journaling strategies in a specific, timed format. The protocol requires special training for students: a) to recognize times of disengagement in occupations, and b) to learn how to apply specific mindfulness strategies to increase re-engagement in meaningful occupations. Three components of the control journaling protocol include Reflect (1 minute of self-reflection and self-talk), Write (journaling), and Re-engage (1 minute for self-reflection and self-talk).