Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Correctional Officers: A Biopsychosocial Approach, Kentucky, 2018-2020 (ICPSR 39132)
Version Date: Dec 2, 2025 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Kristin Swartz, University of Louisville
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39132.v1
Version V1
Summary View help for Summary
The goal of the study was to explore whether a mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) was effective in reducing multiple measures of stress including biological, psychological, and sociological measures. This study includes correctional officers from 7 adult correctional institutions in Kentucky. All data were collected in person between 2018 and 2020. Data includes measures of biological stress, psychological measures such as perceived stress, mental health measures such as PHQ-9 and PCL-5, job outcomes including Maslach's job burnout, and stressors including violent and traumatic events experienced while on the job.
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Restrictions View help for Restrictions
Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reason for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.
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Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose
The purpose of this study is an attempt to identify an effective program at reducing the negative physical and mental effects of working in prisons, where violence and trauma are experienced at higher levels than other occupations. This study examines whether a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program is effective at reducing biological, psychological, and sociological measures of stress.
Study Design View help for Study Design
Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Both groups completed surveys that included questions regarding corrections work experience, family background, perceptions of the work environment, violent/traumatic experiences while at work and away from work, and assessments that measure the participants' levels of post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Some surveys and instruments were completed two to three times over a period of six months. Finally, at two different points in time, the research team collected participants' saliva samples in order to measure biomarkers of stress. Participants in the experimental group participated in eight two-hour sessions of a MBSR program, whereas those in the control group were given the option to participate in the MBSR program after all data were collected.
Time Method View help for Time Method
Universe View help for Universe
Correctional officers (custody staff) working in adult prisons in Kentucky
Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation
Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)
Mode of Data Collection View help for Mode of Data Collection
Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables
The Main Correctional Officer Data include demographic information, corrections work experience, family background, perceptions of the work environment, violent/traumatic experiences while at work and away from work, post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms. These data include baseline, post-intervention, and four-month follow-up results.
The Biological Correctional Officer Data include BMI and results of saliva samples.
The Medical Correctional Officer Data contain demographic information, medical conditions, medications, health habits, sleep, dental health, and alcohol and tobacco use.
Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Post-traumatic Checklist (PCL-5), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) for job burnout, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), Maladaptive Schema Scale (MSS), Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI), Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS).
HideOriginal Release Date View help for Original Release Date
2025-12-02
Version History View help for Version History
2025-12-02 ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Performed consistency checks.
- Created variable labels and/or value labels.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Notes
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One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.
This dataset is maintained and distributed by the National Archive of Criminal Justice Data (NACJD), the criminal justice archive within ICPSR. NACJD is primarily sponsored by three agencies within the U.S. Department of Justice: the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.