The effect of mindfulness-based positive psychology on COVID-19 fear in nurses

The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed significant psychological burdens on healthcare workers, particularly nurses, who are at the forefront of patient care and face elevated risks and emotional stressors. Mindfulness-based positive psychology interventions have emerged as promising strategies for enhancing psychological well-being and reducing fear in high-stress environments. This quasi-experimental study investigated the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based positive psychology program in reducing COVID-19-related fear among nurses in Rafsanjan, Iran. Sixty nurses were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups using a minimization method to ensure balanced age and gender distribution. The intervention group participated in six structured sessions focusing on mindfulness practices and positive psychology techniques, while the control group received no intervention. COVID-19-related fear was measured before and after the intervention using a researcher-developed questionnaire with established content validity and internal consistency. Post-intervention analysis revealed a significant reduction in fear levels among nurses in the mindfulness-based positive psychology group compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.001), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.5), indicating a substantial impact of the intervention. The findings demonstrate that mindfulness-based positive psychology training is an effective approach for reducing COVID-19-related fear among nurses. Integrating such psychological interventions with organizational support is recommended to promote nurses’ mental well-being and improve their ability to manage stress during health crises.