Mindfulness-based intervention to promote psychological wellbeing in people with epilepsy: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundWe investigated the efficacy of mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) in promoting psychological wellbeing in people with epilepsy (PWE) using an assessor-blinded randomized controlled design. MethodsA total of 28 PWE were randomly assigned to either intervention (n = 14 cases) or control group (n = 14 controls). The intervention group received a six 2.5-hour weekly MBI, while the control group did not receive any intervention. They were assessed at three timepoints (T0: before intervention, T1: immediately after intervention, and T2: 6 weeks after intervention). Repeated measures of analyses of variance (RM-ANOVAs) were used for inter-group comparisons to determine intervention effect from baseline –to T1 and –to T2 for all outcome measures. The individual changes were calculated using the reliable change index (RCI). Key outcomes included depression (BDI-II), anxiety (BAI), epilepsy-related quality of life (QOLIE-31), satisfaction with life (SWLS), and level of mindfulness (MAAS). ResultsParticipants who participated in the MBI showed significant reduction in BDI-II (p = 0.001), significant increases in MAAS (p = 0.027) and QOLIE-31 (p = 0.001) at T1 when compared with the control group. However, BAI and SWLS were not significant. The trend was similar at 6-week follow-up, all outcome measures of MBI remained significant (p < 0.05) except for BAI and SWLS. Beyond the 6-week intervention, RCI analysis showed a significant improvement in levels of mindfulness (45.45% vs. 21.43%, p = 0.009), depression (45.45% vs. 0.00%, p = 0.016), quality of life (45.45% vs. 14.29%, p = 0.017) with MBI, as compared to the no-intervention phase. ConclusionMindfulness-based intervention is effective in reducing psychological distress and improving the quality of life in PWE.