Benefit Of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Research Articles

Are Subjective Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Related to Changes in Cardiac and Cortical Responses to a Stress Task?

Abstract Objectives Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been shown to decrease general feelings of distress. It is not known to what extent such beneficial effects are associated with attenuation of physiological responses to challenging psychological situations. The aim of the present study was to examine potential associations between general decreases in subjective distress and changes in acute cardiac and cortical responses during recall of a recent stressful episode between pre- and post-MBSR. Method Fifty-eight MBSR participants (77.6% female, mean age 43.8 years, SD = 13.1) took part in a laboratory examination before and after MBSR. Measurements of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) were performed during the whole protocol including the stress recall task. Results The MBSR group showed overall decreases in general negative affect and an increase in heart rate variability from pre- to post-intervention. Out of six physiological outcomes (heart rate, heart rate variability, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma power at Fz), only a decreased response of gamma power during the stress task was significant. The subjective and physiological changes were unrelated. Conclusions The present results suggest that the favourable effects of MBSR on general stress reduction may not be clearly reflected in cortical electrical wave activity or vagal cardiac response during recall of a recent stressful episode. The few changes found in cardiac and cortical activity may be due to either effects independent of general subjective feelings or independent of the intervention altogether. Preregistration The study is not preregistered.

Promising Subjective and Objective Benefits of Modified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training for Chinese Adults with Chronic Pain: A Pilot Randomized Control Study.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing pain-related stress in adults with chronic pain. However, the implementation of MBSR needs modifications across cultures. This pilot study reports the findings of a randomized controlled trial that investigated the effects of a culturally adaptive MBSR program on self-report and neuroimaging outcomes for chronic pain adults in China. Sixty-seven participants were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n = 40) or the treatment-as-usual group (n = 27) group at a ratio of 1.5:1. Participants completed self-report measures of pain severity, pain interference, depression, perceived stress, pain catastrophizing, mindfulness, and resilience at baseline assessment (T1), post-treatment (T2), and 3-month follow-up (T3) assessments. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning was also performed at T1 and T3 assessments. For the intention-to-treat sample, the results of the mixed-effect model indicated that Group × Time interaction was significant for pain catastrophizing only (F (2, 130) = 3.51, p = 0.033). Compared with the control group, those in the MBSR group reported greater reductions in pain catastrophizing at T2 (d = - 0.60), though this effect was not maintained at T3 (d = - 0.05). Additionally, the results of completer analyses found significant Group × Time interactions for pain interference (F (2, 88) = 4.40, p = 0.015) and perceived stress (F (2, 88) = 3.13, p = 0.048), but not for other measures. Finally, both groups exhibited decreased regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the frontal lobe, while increased ReHo in the cerebellum anterior lobe was unique to the MBSR group. The present findings suggest that the minor modified MBSR program improves certain pain-related outcomes for Chinese adults with chronic pain. Future studies with larger samples of Chinese chronic pain patients are needed to detect the small-to-moderate benefit of MBSR on fMRI and/or other objective methods.

Comparative effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction and psychoeducational support on parenting stress in families of autistic preschoolers.

Parents of autistic children often experience high levels of parenting stress, which can have negative mental and physical effects on both the parent and child. This study tested the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction in reducing parenting stress in parents of preschool-aged autistic children compared to a psychoeducation and support intervention. We assessed parenting stress before and after the interventions and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Both interventions significantly decreased parenting stress, but mindfulness-based stress reduction reduced stress more than did psychoeducation and support, with the strongest effect observed 1 year later. This suggests that the stress-reducing benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction persist and may increase over time.

Mindful medicine: Exploring the benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction for doctors using statistical techniques

Stress is a societal feature that can impact doctors' ability to help patients manage their own stress. The present study compares the stress levels among doctors from private and government sector. This study employs the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and employee performance among government and private doctors. The study also examines the sources of occupational stress faced by doctors and how to address them. To ensure the research instrument's reliability and validity, factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were computed. The resulting data was reduced from 80 to 42 statements. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett's test of Sphericity were used to determine the instrument's consistency, and the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test showed no significant variation in the factors based on different age groups. This indicates that respondents' responses did not conflict, and there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the six variables examined. The significant value of the study ranged from 0.087 to 0.898.

Incorporating a Mindfulness Program in a Graduate Family Nurse Practitioner Program.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) activities have been shown to have psychological benefits. Studies have identified increased perceived levels of stress in graduate students; however, this is not specific to graduate nursing students. There is very little data on the use of MBSR as a nonpharmacologic tool to decrease stress levels in graduate nurse practitioner students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of MBSR improves the overall perceived stress of graduate nursing students. The pilot MBSR program covered topics such as different forms of mindfulness meditation practice, mindful awareness during yoga postures, and mindfulness during stressful situations. Perceived stress scores mean for the sample (n = 25) was elevated at 26 (+4) indicating moderate stress prior to the MBSR training and significantly decreased post 14-week MBSR training (+6) (p < .05). This finding suggests that the MBSR activities have contributed to the overall reduction in stress in these students. The graduate family nurse practitioner students are now familiar with the benefits of MBSR and can share this practice with their patients. Having this skill as a part of their clinical tool kit and practice will allow them to apply this to patient care and subsequently provide holistic care.

The neural correlates of mindfulness-induced depression reduction in adults with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot study.

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience high rates of depression and anxiety, and some evidence suggests mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is effective in reducing these symptoms. However, the neural mechanisms of symptom alleviation, and benefit of MBSR beyond education/support groups are unknown. Maladaptive forms of self-reflection are linked to ASD, depression, and anxiety. In this pilot study, we hypothesized (a) MBSR would reduce depression and anxiety in adults with ASD and (b) a mechanism of symptom alleviation would beincreased blood oxygen level-dependent signal in neural self-reflection hubs. Twenty-eight adults were randomly assigned to an 8-week MBSR group (n=15) or a support group (n=13) that met for the same amount of time with relaxation education materials. Based on previous self-reflection literature in ASD, regions of interest (ROIs) were middle cingulate cortex (MCC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). Only the MBSR group demonstrated significant reductions in depression, and neither group significantly changed in anxiety. Only the MBSR group increased activity of right MCC duringself-reflection, and the increase correlated with depression alleviation. There were no changes in vmPFC for the MBSR group or either ROI for the support/education group. Seed-to-voxel connectivity analysis revealed that only the MBSR group increased functional connectivity between right MCC and pre/postcentral gyrus, suggesting MBSR may increase primary sensorimotor input to higher order cognitive brain regions. Taken together, MBSR may be effective for reducing depression in adults with ASD, and the neural mechanism may be increasing frontal circuit involvement during self-directed thought.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction training yields improvements in well-being and rates of perceived nursing errors among hospital nurses.

This pilot study aims to further document mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)'s effect on well-being while exploring its impact on errors among hospital nurses. The concept of mindfulness has been found to be highly relevant to holistic nursing practices but remains understudied and underused. Preliminary evidence suggests that MBSR can reduce stress among nurses. As stress and mental processes such as inattention are potential sources of error, MBSR may also help to improve patient safety. Reducing errors is of significant relevance in healthcare settings. A randomized controlled trial with a matched pair design was conducted. Seventy Registered Nurses and licensed practical nurses were randomized to MBSR (N=37) or a waitlist control condition (N=33). Intention-to-treat ANCOVAs revealed that MBSR produced significant improvements in distress. High levels of treatment satisfaction were reported by a majority of participants. Of the nurses who reported that errors had been a problem for them (28.6%), a perceived improvement was noticed by over a third (37.5%) at 3months post-treatment. These initial findings suggest that the benefits of MBSR may extend to nursing errors.

A pilot randomised controlled trial investigating a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention in individuals with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH): the PATHWAYS study

BackgroundPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an uncommon condition with progressive heart failure and premature death. Treatment costs up to £120,000 per patient per year, and the psychological burden of PAH is substantial. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is an intervention with the potential to reduce this burden, but to date, it has not been applied to people with pulmonary hypertension. We wished to determine whether a trial of MBSR for people with PAH would be feasible.MethodsA customised gentle MBSR programme of eight sessions was developed for people with physical disability due to PAH, and they were randomised to group-based MBSR or treatment as usual. The completeness of outcome measures including Beck Anxiety Index, Beck Depression Inventory and standard physical assessment at 3 months after randomisation were recorded. Health care utilisation was measured. Attendance at the sessions and the costs involved in delivering the intervention were assessed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the acceptability of the MBSR intervention and when appropriate the reasons for trial non-participation.ResultsFifty-two patients were recruited, but only 34 were randomised due to patients finding it difficult to travel to sessions. Twenty-two completed all questionnaires and attended all clinics, both routine and additional in order to collect outcomes measures. The MSBR sessions were delivered in Bristol, Cardiff and London, costing, on average, between £2234 (Cardiff) and £4128 (London) per patient to deliver. Attendance at each session averaged between two patients in Bristol and Cardiff and three in London. For those receiving treatment as usual, clinician blinding was achievable. Interviews revealed that people who attended MBSR found it interesting and helpful in managing their symptoms and minimising the psychological component of their disease.ConclusionsWe found that attendance at group MBSR was poor in people with chronic PAH within the context of a trial. Achieving better MBSR intervention attendance or use of an Internet-based programme might maximise the benefit of MBSR.

Mindfulness-Based Processes of Healing for Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

U.S. veterans are at increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Prior studies suggest a benefit of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for PTSD, but the mechanisms through which MBSR reduces PTSD symptoms and improves functional status have received limited empirical inquiry. This study used a qualitative approach to better understand how training in mindfulness affects veterans with PTSD. Qualitative study using semistructured in-depth interviews following participation in an MBSR intervention. Outpatient. Eight-week MBSR program. Participants' narratives of their experiences from participation in the program. Interviews were completed with 15 veterans. Analyses identified six core aspects of participants' MBSR experience related to PTSD: dealing with the past, staying in the present, acceptance of adversity, breathing through stress, relaxation, and openness to self and others. Participants described specific aspects of a holistic mindfulness experience, which appeared to activate introspection and curiosity about their PTSD symptoms. Veterans with PTSD described a number of pathways by which mindfulness practice may help to ameliorate PTSD. MBSR holds promise as a nontrauma-focused approach to help veterans with PTSD.

Both Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Are Useful for Low Back Pain

Recommendations for nonpharmacological approaches to managing low back pain often focus on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT); benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) are less clear. In this Seattle study, researchers compared CBT or MBSR to usual care in 342 adults (mean age, 49) …

Mindfulness based stress reduction improves psychological well-being and restores immune function in women with breast cancer, from diagnosis through 6-months post-cancer treatment

We previously demonstrated that women diagnosed with breast cancer who completed a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program exhibited improved coping, better quality of life, and more rapid restoration of immune function, compared to a non-attention control group. The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychological and immunological benefits of MBSR in a randomized study of women with breast cancer compared to women completing a Health Education Program (HEP). After confirmation of breast cancer staging, women were randomized to either an 8-week MBSR program or an 8-week HEP. Women completed psychometric instruments and provided blood for Natural Killer Cell Activity (NKCA) and cytokine levels at pre-, mid-, and completion of program, as well as at 1- and 6-months post-program. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze trajectories of outcomes over time and between groups. Findings revealed that compared to the HEP group, women in the MBSR group exhibited decreasing trajectories of perceived stress, depressive symptoms, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Further, compared to women randomized to HEP, women in the MBSR group exhibited significantly more rapid restoration of NKCA, accompanied by higher post-MBSR intracellular IFN-gamma levels, as well as lower circulating TNF-alpha levels, lower IL-6 production, and greater IFN-gamma production. These results demonstrate early provision of MBSR during the cancer diagnostic/treatment phase provides not only psychological benefit, but also optimizes immune function important for cancer control.

A meta-analysis of the benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on psychological function among breast cancer (BC) survivors.

Psychological issue is the most common co-morbidity of women with breast cancer (BC) after receiving treatment. Effective coping with this problem is significant importance. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on psychological distress among breast cancer survivors. PUBMED, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched from their inception to June 30, 2014. Two reviewers independently reviewed and extracted the data. The primary outcomes of interest were psychological domains. Review Manager 5.3 was used to pool collected data. Nine articles involving 964 participants were identified. Compared with those in control group, patients in MBSR group have a significant improvement on psychological domains: depression [mean difference (MD), 5.09; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.63-6.55; P<0.00001], anxiety (MD, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.62-3.96; P<0.00001), stress (MD, 4.10; 95% CI, 2.46-5.74; P<0.00001). MBSR can also improve the overall quality of life (QOL) (MD, -1.16; 95% CI, -2.21 to -0.12; P=0.03). On the basis of our findings, MBSR shows a positive effect on psychological function and QOL of breast cancer survivors. This approach can be recommended to breast cancer patients as a part of their rehabilitation.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction for older adults with worry symptoms and co-occurring cognitive dysfunction.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has the potential to reduce worry and improve cognitive functioning. In this treatment development project, we examined MBSR in older adults with worry symptoms and co-occurring cognitive dysfunction. We examined (i) acceptability of MBSR, (ii) whether MBSR needs to be lengthened providing more repetition, (iii) MBSR's benefits for worry reduction and cognitive improvements, and (iv) continued use of MBSR techniques during follow-up. Two sites (St. Louis and San Diego) enrolled individuals aged 65 years or older with significant anxiety-related distress plus subjective cognitive dysfunction, into traditional 8-session MBSR groups and 12-session groups that had the same content but more repetition of topics and techniques. We examined measures of mindfulness, worry, and a neuropsychological battery focused on memory and executive function before and after the MBSR program, and we followed up participants for 6 months after the completion of MBSR regarding their continued use of its techniques. Participants (N = 34) showed improvements in worry severity, increases in mindfulness, and improvements in memory as measured by paragraph learning and recall after a delay, all with a large effect size. Most participants continued to use MBSR techniques for 6 months post-instruction and found them helpful in stressful situations. There was no evidence that the extended 12-week MBSR produced superior cognitive or clinical outcomes, greater satisfaction, or greater continuation of MBSR techniques than 8-week MBSR. These preliminary findings are promising for the further testing and use of MBSR in older adults suffering from clinical worry symptoms and co-occurring cognitive dysfunction. These are common problems in a broad range of older adults, many of whom have anxiety and mood disorders; therefore, stress reduction intervention for them may have great public health value.

Emotional benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction in older adults: the moderating roles of age and depressive symptom severity

Objectives: To examine the effects of age and depressive symptom severity on changes in positive affect among older adults randomly assigned to a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program or a Waitlist Control group. Drawing from the Motivational Theory of Life-Span Development, we hypothesized that lower levels of depressive symptom severity and older age would be associated with greater positive affect in response to the MBSR intervention. Methods: Data were collected from a sample of community-dwelling English-speaking adults (n = 200) aged ≥ 65, randomly assigned to an eight-week MBSR program or a Waitlist Control group. Our main outcome variable was a five-item measure of positive affect, which was measured at study entry as well as eight weeks and six months later. Results: At the six-month follow-up, we observed group by baseline depressive symptom severity (β = −.17, p = .02) and group by baseline depressive symptom severity by age (β = −.14, p = .05) interactions. Among MBSR participants, greater baseline depressive symptom severity was also associated with less improvement in positive affect at the six-month follow-up (β = −.30, p = .003). Findings were qualified by a significant depressive symptom severity by age interaction (β = −.25, p = .01), such that MBSR participants who were 70 and over with lower baseline depressive symptom severity having the greatest improvement in positive affect at the six-month follow-up. Conclusion: MBSR improves positive affect for older adults with lower depressive symptom severity, perhaps because it capitalizes on naturalistic changes in control strategies.

Cultivating mindfulness in health care professionals: A review of empirical studies of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR)

Demands faced by health care professionals include heavy caseloads, limited control over the work environment, long hours, as well as organizational structures and systems in transition. Such conditions have been directly linked to increased stress and symptoms of burnout, which in turn, have adverse consequences for clinicians and the quality of care that is provided to patients. Consequently, there exists an impetus for the development of curriculum aimed at fostering wellness and the necessary self-care skills for clinicians. This review will examine the potential benefits of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs aimed at enhancing well-being and coping with stress in this population. Empirical evidence indicates that participation in MBSR yields benefits for clinicians in the domains of physical and mental health. Conceptual and methodological limitations of the existing studies and suggestions for future research are discussed.