A Study of a Mental Fitness Intervention for Anesthesiology Resident Wellbeing and Self-Compassion

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if app-based wellness programs can help improve wellbeing and self-compassion for medical residents. This is a pilot study, which is done on a small group of people to learn if a larger study would be useful. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Are app-based wellness interventions feasible and acceptable in a high-stress population like medical residents?
2. Can app-based wellness programs improve wellbeing and self-compassion in medical residents?

Researchers will compare the app-based wellness program to a time- and attention-matched control program.

Participants will:

* Complete online questionnaires at the start of the study and again after completion of the wellness program
* Be assigned by chance (like a coin toss) to one of two different app-based programs, and will participate in the assigned program for 6 weeks. Both programs will involve weekly lessons and brief, daily exercises. Engagement with these exercises will not be mandatory but highly encouraged.

Conditions

• Wellness
• Self Compassion
• Burnout
• Anxiety
• Depression

Interventions

OTHER

App-based bundled mental fitness intervention

A structured 6-week, self-guided program delivered via smartphone and web platform. Participants complete one video-based lesson per week and brief daily practice exercises lasting a few minutes each. The curriculum trains three core skills: recognizing recurring self-sabotaging patterns of thought and emotion; interrupting them through short attention-shifting exercises that redirect focus to present-moment sensory experience; and strengthening adaptive responses such as empathy, curiosity, perspective-taking, and decisive action. The approach draws on cognitive-behavioral, mindfulness, and positive-psychology principles, with daily repetition intended to build durable habits. Lessons build cumulatively across the six weeks. Daily and weekly engagement is encouraged but not required. Participants may optionally invite one loved one to take part alongside them.

OTHER

App-based wellness module collection

A structured 6-week comparison program delivered via smartphone and web platform, matched to the experimental arm in format, duration, and time commitment. Participants complete one lesson per week and brief daily activities of a few minutes each, mirroring the cadence of the active program. Content delivers general health and lifestyle education through didactic material and light reflective prompts. Unlike the experimental program, it does not train the targeted cognitive and emotional self-regulation skills (recognizing self-sabotaging patterns, attention-shifting practice, or deliberate cultivation of adaptive responses). This holds participant time and attention constant across arms so the trial can isolate the effect of the active components. Daily and weekly engagement is encouraged but not required.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Massachusetts General Hospital

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-08-31

Primary Completion

2027-01-31

Completion

2027-01-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations