Abstract
BackgroundMindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to have significant health benefits in studies conducted in the global North.AimThis study examined the effects of MBSR on stress, mood states and medical symptoms among urban South Africans to inform future research and clinical directions of MBSR in local settings.SettingParticipants completed an 8-week MBSR programme based in central Cape Town.MethodA retrospective analysis of 276 clinical records was conducted. Mindfulness, stress, negative and positive mood, medical symptoms and psychological symptoms were assessed before and after the intervention using self-report questionnaires. We compared pre and post-intervention scores and examined the relationship between changes in mindfulness and changes in stress, mood and medical symptoms.ResultsMindfulness scores were significantly higher after intervention, both on the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Changes on the KIMS were associated with reductions in stress, negative mood, psychological symptoms and total medical symptoms, and improvement in positive mood. Changes in mindfulness, as measured by the MAAS, were significantly correlated only with reduced total number of medical symptoms.ConclusionThis study provides preliminary evidence for the positive health impact of MBSR on urban South Africans, and in turn acceptability and feasibility evidence for MBSR in South Africa and supports the case for larger trials in different local settings.
Highlights
IntroductionMindfulness is the awareness that arises when paying attention intentionally, without judgement, to the phenomena (thoughts, feelings and sensations) moving through the present moment in service of insight, wisdom and compassion.[1]
Mindfulness is the awareness that arises when paying attention intentionally, without judgement, to the phenomena moving through the present moment in service of insight, wisdom and compassion.[1]
Multiple research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) in reducing a range of medical symptoms, including chronic pain, psoriasis, type-2 diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), obesity and the stress that accompanies daily life.[1,2,4]
Summary
Mindfulness is the awareness that arises when paying attention intentionally, without judgement, to the phenomena (thoughts, feelings and sensations) moving through the present moment in service of insight, wisdom and compassion.[1]. One of the most popular MBIs is Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) This standardised, eight-week group intervention was originally developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts in an effort to alleviate distress in chronic pain patients who had not achieved relief through traditional medical treatments.[3] Since its inception, multiple research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of MBSR in reducing a range of medical symptoms, including chronic pain, psoriasis, type-2 diabetes, cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), obesity and the stress that accompanies daily life.[1,2,4] The quality of much of this research is such that definitive inferences cannot be made, and as a result the wave of research should be orientated towards more standardised research methodologies and randomised trials.[5] In this regard, the data in physical disorders are relatively limited albeit promising. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to have significant health benefits in studies conducted in the global North
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