Police Officers’ Experiences of a Mindfulness-based Intervention: a Bottom-up Exploration of Perceived Changes and Mechanisms Using Mixed Methods

Abstract This study investigated the experienced changes in personal goals, well-being and the assumed working mechanisms of a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) for police officers. Data of three sources were used: goal attainment scaling, an evaluation survey, and interviews. Eighty-two police officers (43.9% male) participated in an effectiveness study of an MBI (Hoeve et al., 2021). Of the original sample, 45 participants completed a goal attainment instrument at baseline, post-test, and follow-up. Sixty police officers completed an evaluation survey and ten were interviewed at post-test. A mixed-methods approach was utilized to evaluate participant experience of change and mechanisms, using linear mixed models to analyze potential changes in personal goals, and qualitative methods to analyze data from the evaluation survey and interviews. Results showed an overall score of 8.2 (out of 10) for the training, and 90% of participants intended to keep meditating after the training. Experienced improvements in personal goals after the training, using linear mixed models, were of large effect sizes ( d = 1.14–1.23). All police officers who were interviewed, as well as those who completed the evaluation survey, experienced a decrease in stress-related symptoms and improvements in well-being, including behavioral, bodily and psychological aspects of well-being. Participants mentioned a variety of mechanisms of change, including attention monitoring, acceptance, putting into perspective, equanimity, self-compassion, and decentering. Participating in MBIs is a promising approach to enhancing resilience and managing the stress that can accompany a career in law enforcement. This study was not preregistered.