Effects Of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction Research Articles

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction on emotion regulation and test anxiety in female high school students.

BACKGROUND:Test anxiety is one of the most disabling disorders and annual school academic performance will affect millions of students. Hence, it needs attention and treatment. Therefore, this research aimed to examine the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy on emotion regulation and test anxiety of students and test the remaining effect of this treatment after 3 month.METHODS:Sample size of fifty participants randomly divided into experimental (MBSR) and control groups. The MBSR training interventions were implemented to the experimental group, in eight weekly sessions using MBSR manual by John Kabat-Zinn (2013). Participants in both groups were evaluated using the Test Anxiety Scale and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The study findings were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measures.RESULTS:The result shows that the MBSR program has had continuous significant effects on test anxiety (P < 000) and emotion regulation (P < 000) but was not significant only for the self-blame subscale (P = 0.126).CONCLUSIONS:The study results indicated that the effects of MBSR lasted through the follow-up, for both of these variables. Using the results of this study may be proposed school counselors use mindfulness to reduce the anxiety of their pupils.

The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Emotional Regulation and Psychological Well-being of Iranian Veteran's Homemakers with Secondary Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Background: Problems of emotional regulation and lack of social skills in veterans' families are very common and like psychological complications have unpleasant consequences for them. Therefore, effective and helpful interventions and therapies are highly important. Objectives: The current study aimed at evaluating the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the improvement of emotional regulation and psychological well-being in veterans' homemakers with secondary posttraumatic stress disorder. Patients and Methods: In the current study, the permuted blocked randomization method was used. Participants were selected from veterans' homemakers referred to the counseling center of veterans in Kashan city (Iran) in 2015. They were randomly assigned into two groups (30 controls and 31 cases). The case group underwent the MBSR treatment. Results: Results showed no significant difference between the two groups at the baseline (P

The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on social anxiety of the deaf

Background and Aim: Individuals with social phobia do not have flexible approach to deal with stress, and they are weak to practice social skills. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on social anxiety of the deaf. Research Methodology: In a quasi-experimental pre- and post-test study with a control group, in 2015, 24 deaf individuals in Sabzevar city were selected for sampling and were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. Subjects completed Social Anxiety Inventory (SPIN) in pre-test and post-test. Then, ANCOVA was used to analyze the data. Results: Data analysis showed that MBSR leads to a reduction in the total score of social anxiety and physiological responses component related to the experimental group compared with the control group treated. Conclusion: It was concluded that teaching MBSR resulted in decreased social anxiety of the deaf.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Blood Pressure (MBSR) Among Patients with Type-2 Diabetes - A Randomised Pilot Study

Hypertension affects approximately 70 percent of patients with diabetes. Diabetic mellitus with elevated blood pressure is a stressful health problem for middle aged and older adults. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has been shown to decrease the blood pressure for individual with diabetes. Therefore the randomised pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effects of MBSR on blood pressure among type 2 diabetes, aged 35-60 years in a selected rural community, Bangalore. Forty participants were selected by simple random sampling method and equally randomised into experimental and control groups. Blood pressure was measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Experimental group had undergone MBSR training session, whereas control group did not receive any training. The study results showed that MBSR was effective in reducing the systolic blood pressure and it was found statistically significant (p=0.018). But there was no change in diastolic blood pressure in both groups. Hence it was statistically not significant (p=0.119). The study concluded that MBSR programme was effective in controlling blood pressure of individuals with type 2 diabetes.

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Perceived Stress, Resilience and Quality of Life in Nurses

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Perceived Stress, Resilience and Quality of Life in Nurses

Male Representation in Randomized Clinical Trials of Mindfulness-Based Therapies

Mindfulness-based treatments for health issues and psychological disorders have increased in popularity and use. A large amount of empirical evidence indicates that these treatments are effective. However, it is possible that these scientific investigations of mindfulness-based treatments have not been conducted with representative samples. In particular, it seems like most participants in these studies are female. In order to explore this, we conducted a systematic review and examined the sample demographics of 117 articles that investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy via randomized controlled trials. Male participants accounted for less than 29% of the 9820 total participants. These findings suggest that the evidence supporting the effectiveness of mindfulness-based treatments is based on non-representative samples, and future research should work to correct this.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction combined with progressive muscle relaxation training on cancer-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer chemotherapy

Objective To explore the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) combined with progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) training on cancer-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer chemotherapy. Methods Totally 98 patients with breast cancer chemotherapy were randomly divided into the control group and the intervention group. Patients in the intervention group received MBSR therapy combined with PMR training, while the control group received routine nursing care. Cancer-related fatigue, and the level of anxiety and depression in two groups before and after intervention were compared. Results After intervention, the cases of patients in the intervention group without fatigue, and with mild, moderate, severe fatigue were respectively 27, 10, 10 and 3; in the control group, the cases of patients without fatigue, and with mild, moderate, severe fatigue were respectively 7, 12, 23 and 6 (Z=-3.994, P<0.05). The level of anxiety and depression in the intervention group was significantly improved compared with the control group (t=29.399, 17.960; P<0.05). Conclusions MBSR therapy combined with PMR training can effectively improve the cancer-related fatigue in patients with breast cancer chemotherapy, and improve anxiety and depression status of patients. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Cancer-related fatigue; Mindfulness-based stress reduction; Progressive muscle relaxation training

The effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on cardiac patients' blood pressure, perceived stress, and anger: a single-blind randomized controlled trial

This study aimed at assessing the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on cardiac patients' blood pressure (BP), perceived stress, and anger. In total, 60 cardiac patients were recruited between April and June 2015 from a specialized private cardiac clinic located in Kashan, Iran. Patients were allocated to the intervention and control groups. Patients in the experimental group received MBSR in eight 2.5-hour sessions, while patients in the control group received no psychological therapy. The main outcomes were BP, perceived stress, and anger. Analysis of covariance revealed a significant difference between the study groups regarding the posttest values of systolic BP, perceived stress, and anger (P < .001). However, the study groups did not differ significantly in terms of diastolic BP (P = .061; P = .17). This study reveals that MBSR is effective in reducing cardiac patients' systolic BP, perceived stress, and anger.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on anxiety, depression and immune function in patients with gastric cancer

Objective To explore the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on anxiety, depression and immune function in patients with gastric cancer. Methods The study investigated 118 patients with gastric cancer who were hospitalized from March 2011 to February 2015. The participants were randomly divided into the intervention group (n=59) and the control group (n=59). Both groups received conventional mental health education while the intervention group complemented with MBSR intervention once a week (six weeks in total). Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to evaluate patients′ anxiety and depression status before and after the intervention. Moreover, T-cell subsets status could reflect the immune function using phosphatase bridging ELISA. Results Before the intervention, the scores of SAS and SDS had no significant differences between the two groups(P>0.05). However, after the MBSR intervention, the scores for the intervention group significantly reduced and lower than the control group (P 0.05). Furthermore, the CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+ /CD8+ had little differences between the two groups before the intervention(P>0.05). However, the CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+ /CD8+ for the intervention group significantly increased with CD8+ reduced after MBSR (P 0.05). Conclusions The MBSR intervention can significantly reduce the negative emotions such as anxiety and depression, and can increase the immunity in patients with gastric cancer. Key words: Anxiety; Depression; Immune function; Gastric cancer; Mindfulness-based stress reduction

8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction induces brain changes similar to traditional long-term meditation practice – A systematic review

The objective of the current study was to systematically review the evidence of the effect of secular mindfulness techniques on function and structure of the brain. Based on areas known from traditional meditation neuroimaging results, we aimed to explore a neuronal explanation of the stress-reducing effects of the 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) program. MethodsWe assessed the effect of MBSR and MBCT (N=11, all MBSR), components of the programs (N=15), and dispositional mindfulness (N=4) on brain function and/or structure as assessed by (functional) magnetic resonance imaging. 21 fMRI studies and seven MRI studies were included (two studies performed both). ResultsThe prefrontal cortex, the cingulate cortex, the insula and the hippocampus showed increased activity, connectivity and volume in stressed, anxious and healthy participants. Additionally, the amygdala showed decreased functional activity, improved functional connectivity with the prefrontal cortex, and earlier deactivation after exposure to emotional stimuli. ConclusionDemonstrable functional and structural changes in the prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, insula and hippocampus are similar to changes described in studies on traditional meditation practice. In addition, MBSR led to changes in the amygdala consistent with improved emotion regulation. These findings indicate that MBSR-induced emotional and behavioral changes are related to functional and structural changes in the brain.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic low back pain: similar effects on mindfulness, catastrophizing, self-efficacy, and acceptance in a randomized controlled trial.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is believed to improve chronic pain problems by decreasing patient catastrophizing and increasing patient self-efficacy for managing pain. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is believed to benefit patients with chronic pain by increasing mindfulness and pain acceptance. However, little is known about how these therapeutic mechanism variables relate to each other or whether they are differentially impacted by MBSR vs CBT. In a randomized controlled trial comparing MBSR, CBT, and usual care (UC) for adults aged 20 to 70 years with chronic low back pain (N = 342), we examined (1) baseline relationships among measures of catastrophizing, self-efficacy, acceptance, and mindfulness and (2) changes on these measures in the 3 treatment groups. At baseline, catastrophizing was associated negatively with self-efficacy, acceptance, and 3 aspects of mindfulness (nonreactivity, nonjudging, and acting with awareness; all P values <0.01). Acceptance was associated positively with self-efficacy (P < 0.01) and mindfulness (P values <0.05) measures. Catastrophizing decreased slightly more posttreatment with MBSR than with CBT or UC (omnibus P = 0.002). Both treatments were effective compared with UC in decreasing catastrophizing at 52 weeks (omnibus P = 0.001). In both the entire randomized sample and the subsample of participants who attended ≥6 of the 8 MBSR or CBT sessions, differences between MBSR and CBT at up to 52 weeks were few, small in size, and of questionable clinical meaningfulness. The results indicate overlap across measures of catastrophizing, self-efficacy, acceptance, and mindfulness and similar effects of MBSR and CBT on these measures among individuals with chronic low back pain.

Mindful Mates: A Pilot Study of the Relational Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Participants and Their Partners.

Very little is currently known about how increases in dispositional mindfulness through mindfulness training affect the quality of participants' romantic relationships, and no previous studies have examined how increases in specific facets of mindfulness differentially contribute to relationship health. Additionally, even less is known about how an individual's development of mindfulness skills affects the relationship satisfaction of his or her romantic partner. Thus, the purpose of this pilot study was to examine associations between changes in facets of mindfulness and relationship satisfaction among participants enrolled in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course and their nonenrolled romantic partners. Twenty MBSR participants and their nonenrolled partners (n=40) completed measures of mindfulness and relationship satisfaction pre- and post-enrolled partners' completion of an MBSR course. Results indicated that enrolled participants significantly improved on all facets of mindfulness and relationship satisfaction, while nonenrolled partners did not significantly increase on any facet of mindfulness or relationship satisfaction. Moreover, enrolled participants' increases in Acting with Awareness were positively associated with increases in their own and their nonenrolled partners' relationship satisfaction, whereas increases in enrolled participants' Nonreactivity were positively associated with increases in their nonenrolled partners' (but not their own) relationship satisfaction. These results suggest that increasing levels of mindfulness (particularly specific aspects of mindfulness) may have positive effects on couples' relationship satisfaction and highlight mindfulness training as a promising tool for education and intervention efforts aimed at promoting relational health.

Mindful Reading: Mindfulness Meditation Helps Keep Readers with Dyslexia and ADHD on the Lexical Track

This study explored the effects of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention on reading, attention, and psychological well-being among people with developmental dyslexia and/or attention deficits. Various types of dyslexia exist, characterized by different error types. We examined a question that has not been tested so far: which types of errors (and dyslexias) are affected by MBSR training. To do so, we tested, using an extensive battery of reading tests, whether each participant had dyslexia, and which errors types s/he makes, and then compared the rate of each error type before and after the MBSR workshop. We used a similar approach to attention disorders: we evaluated the participants’ sustained, selective, executive, and orienting of attention to assess whether they had attention-disorders, and if so, which functions were impaired. We then evaluated the effect of MBSR on each of the attention functions. Psychological measures including mindfulness, stress, reflection and rumination, lifesatisfaction, depression, anxiety, and sleep-disturbances were also evaluated. Nineteen Hebrew-readers completed a 2-month mindfulness workshop. The results showed that whereas reading errors of letter-migrations within and between words and vowelletter errors did not decrease following the workshop, most participants made fewer reading errors in general following the workshop, with a significant reduction of 19% from their original number of errors. This decrease mainly resulted from a decrease in errors that occur due to reading via the sublexical rather than the lexical route. It seems, therefore, that mindfulness helped reading by keeping the readers on the lexical route. This improvement in reading probably resulted from improved sustained attention: the reduction in sublexical reading was significant for the dyslexic participants who also had attention deficits, and there were significant correlations between reduced reading errors and decreases in impulsivity. Following the meditation workshop, the rate of commission errors decreased, indicating decreased impulsivity, and the variation in RTs in the CPT task decreased, indicating improved sustained attention. Significant improvements were obtained in participants’ mindfulness, perceived-stress, rumination, depression, state-anxiety, and sleep-disturbances. Correlations were also obtained between reading improvement and increased mindfulness following the workshop. Thus, whereas mindfulness training did not affect specific types of errors and did not improve dyslexia, it did affect the reading of adults with developmental dyslexia and ADHD, by helping them to stay on the straight path of the lexical route while reading. Thus, the reading improvement induced by mindfulness sheds light on the intricate relation between attention and reading. Mindfulness reduced impulsivity and improved sustained attention, and this, in turn, improved reading of adults with developmental dyslexia and ADHD, by helping them to read via the straight path of the lexical route.

Students and Teachers Benefit from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in a School-Embedded Pilot Study.

Objective: There is a research gap in studies that evaluate the effectiveness of a school-embedded mindfulness-based intervention for both students and teachers. To address this gap, the present pilot study reviews relevant literature and investigates whether students and teachers who participate in separate Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses show improvements across a variety of psychological variables including areas of mental health and creativity.Methods: The study applied a controlled waitlist design with three measurement points. A total of 29 students (n = 15 in the intervention and n = 14 in the waitlist group) and 29 teachers (n = 14 in the intervention and n = 15 in the waitlist group) completed questionnaires before and after the MBSR course. The intervention group was also assessed after a 4-month follow-up period.Results: Relative to the control group, significant improvements in self-reported stress, self-regulation, school-specific self-efficacy and interpersonal problems were found among the students who participated in the MBSR course (p < 0.05, Cohens' d ranges from 0.62 to 0.68). Medium effect sizes on mindfulness, anxiety and creativity indicate a realistic potential in those areas. By contrast, teachers in the intervention group showed significantly higher self-reported mindfulness levels and reduced interpersonal problems compared to the control group(p < 0.05, Cohens' d = 0.66 and 0.42, respectively), with medium effect sizes on anxiety and emotion regulation.Conclusion: The present findings contribute to a growing body of studies investigating mindfulness in schools by discussing the similarities and differences in the effects of MBSR on students and teachers as well as stressing the importance of investigating interpersonal effects.

The effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for survivors of breast cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundAfter treatment completion, breast cancer (BC) survivors frequently experience residual symptoms of pain, fatigue, high levels of psychological stress, anxiety, depression, fear of recurrence, and metastasis. Post-treatment stress, in particular, can adversely affect health-related quality of life, which, in turn, induces onset or recurrence of chronic diseases. Effective interventions that target these psychological symptoms and their physiological consequences are needed, especially for economically disadvantaged patients. However, in China, few evidence-based intervention strategies have been established among BC survivors. This study will formally adapt, develop, and evaluate an intensive mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention protocol to improve mental health, quality of life, and compliance with medication among Chinese BC survivors.MethodsA randomized, waitlist-controlled clinical trial will be conducted. Based on our power calculation, 418 BC survivors will be recruited from 10 low-income communities in Shanghai. All subjects will be randomly assigned either to the MBSR program or to a waitlisted usual care regimen that will offer the MBSR program after the completion of the other trial arm (after 6 months follow-up). Our 8-week MBSR intervention program will provide systematic training to promote stress reduction by self-regulating arousal to stress. Assessments will be made at baseline, 4 weeks (in the middle of the first MBSR intervention), 8 weeks (at the end of the first MBSR intervention), 6 months, and 12 months, and will include measures of psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety, and perceived stress), quality of life, and medication adherence. The expected outcome will be the improvement in psychological symptoms, quality of life, and medication compliance in the MBSR intervention group.DiscussionThis study will help develop an affordable, self-care psychological intervention protocol to help Chinese BC survivors improve their quality of life, and could be helpful in further developing affordable disease management plans for patients of other chronic diseases.Trial registrationChiCTR-IOR-14005390 (10/27/2014)

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction for adults with sleep disturbance: a protocol for an update of a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BackgroundSleep disturbance is a common and significant health problem that has been linked to decreased quality of life. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) can be a potentially effective intervention for insomnia. In previous systematic review examining the effects of MBSR for people with sleep disturbance, the authors highlighted the need for additional well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the effects of MBSR practice. Recently, several RCTs of the effectiveness of MBSR for individuals who have difficulties in sleep have been published. Therefore, the aim of this review is to update and synthesize evidence on the effects of MBSR for people with sleep disturbance or insomnia.Methods/designWe will search ovidMEDLINE, ovidEMBASE, Allied and Alternative Medicine, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and four representative Korean electronic databases including KoreaMed, the Korean Studies Information Service System, the Korean Medical Database, and the National Digital Science Library. Two reviewers will independently screen and select relevant studies. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool will be used to assess risk of bias in the included studies. The primary outcomes will be defined as the change in sleep quality before and after the intervention as evaluated by the polysomnography or self-reported questionnaires such as the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. If quantitative synthesis is not appropriate, a descriptive analysis might be undertaken.DiscussionMany published primary studies have investigated the positive effects of MBSR on sleep quality; however, there are no systematic reviews and meta-analyses synthesizing the evidence of up-to-date research on the effects of MBSR for sleep problems. The review findings will aid the general population and healthcare providers in making informed decisions on evidence-based intervention selection for sleep disturbance or insomnia.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42015027963.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13643-016-0228-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Usual Care on Back Pain and Functional Limitations in Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has not been rigorously evaluated for young and middle-aged adults with chronic low back pain. To evaluate the effectiveness for chronic low back pain of MBSR vs cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or usual care. Randomized, interviewer-blind, clinical trial in an integrated health care system in Washington State of 342 adults aged 20 to 70 years with chronic low back pain enrolled between September 2012 and April 2014 and randomly assigned to receive MBSR (n = 116), CBT (n = 113), or usual care (n = 113). CBT (training to change pain-related thoughts and behaviors) and MBSR (training in mindfulness meditation and yoga) were delivered in 8 weekly 2-hour groups. Usual care included whatever care participants received. Coprimary outcomes were the percentages of participants with clinically meaningful (≥30%) improvement from baseline in functional limitations (modified Roland Disability Questionnaire [RDQ]; range, 0-23) and in self-reported back pain bothersomeness (scale, 0-10) at 26 weeks. Outcomes were also assessed at 4, 8, and 52 weeks. There were 342 randomized participants, the mean (SD) [range] age was 49.3 (12.3) [20-70] years, 224 (65.7%) were women, mean duration of back pain was 7.3 years (range, 3 months-50 years), 123 (53.7%) attended 6 or more of the 8 sessions, 294 (86.0%) completed the study at 26 weeks, and 290 (84.8%) completed the study at 52 weeks. In intent-to-treat analyses at 26 weeks, the percentage of participants with clinically meaningful improvement on the RDQ was higher for those who received MBSR (60.5%) and CBT (57.7%) than for usual care (44.1%) (overall P = .04; relative risk [RR] for MBSR vs usual care, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.06-1.77]; RR for MBSR vs CBT, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.77-1.18]; and RR for CBT vs usual care, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.01-1.69]). The percentage of participants with clinically meaningful improvement in pain bothersomeness at 26 weeks was 43.6% in the MBSR group and 44.9% in the CBT group, vs 26.6% in the usual care group (overall P = .01; RR for MBSR vs usual care, 1.64 [95% CI, 1.15-2.34]; RR for MBSR vs CBT, 1.03 [95% CI, 0.78-1.36]; and RR for CBT vs usual care, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.18-2.41]). Findings for MBSR persisted with little change at 52 weeks for both primary outcomes. Among adults with chronic low back pain, treatment with MBSR or CBT, compared with usual care, resulted in greater improvement in back pain and functional limitations at 26 weeks, with no significant differences in outcomes between MBSR and CBT. These findings suggest that MBSR may be an effective treatment option for patients with chronic low back pain. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01467843.

The effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Intolerance of Uncertainty and Anxiety Sensitivity among Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

&lt;p class="a"&gt;&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;The Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is one of the most chronic and detrimental disorders and it is considered a common disorder in childhood and adolescence. Furthermore, this disorder is associated with many problems in the health domain. As such, this study attempted to gauge the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction on intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety sensitivity among students with generalized anxiety disorder. Therefore, it was attempted to run a quasi-experimental research, including a pre-test, a post-test and a control group, among high schools of Robat Karim in Tehran province. Having used the purposive sampling method, 30 students diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, intolerance of uncertainty and high anxiety sensitivity were selected. Then, they were randomly assigned to experimental (15 students) and control groups (15 students). Consequently, the mindfulness program was introduced to the experimental group in 8 sessions and the control group received no treatment. It should be noted that groups were assessed before and after treatment with generalized anxiety scale, anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. The results of analysis of covariance showed that mindfulness-based stress reduction programs significantly reduced the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty. Since mindfulness reduces the levels of two key components of generalized anxiety disorder, namely intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety sensitivity, it seems appropriate to make use of this program in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Mindfulness--What Works for Whom? Referral, Feasibility, and User Perspectives Regarding Patients with Mixed Chronic Pain.

The purpose of this study was to describe and predict the patients who would benefit from a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course and those for whom the conditions or timing are not optimal. The hypothesis was that patients' sociodemographic status would affect the effectiveness of MBSR. Data were collected by using mixed methods. Quantitative data were collected from a group of 58 patients who completed health-related questionnaires and from an evaluation 6 months after completion of a mindfulness course. Qualitative data were collected from three focus group interviews and seven case stories. There were no significant differences in positive or negative outcomes after MBSR regarding any sociodemographic variables, and no clear predictors to identify patients best suited for participating in mindfulness were found. Techniques used by most patients (with or without positive outcome) were meditation and focus on breathing. Patients expressed positive feedback and reported positive changes they felt would last for the rest of their lives. Focusing on the issue of what works, four categories of interest were identified from the transcribed interviews: lessons learned, being oneself, permanence, and continuity as a condition for success. Mindfulness meditation makes a difference for patients. Patients felt rested and in better control of their pain and its role in their life. Only older age predicted better outcome, but patients who recognized that pain is part of their life and were living under stable conditions may have been more likely to learn and put forth personal effort, which may have made change possible. More specific variables have to be developed to study good match between the specific intervention and the specific patient.

The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on coping style and quality of life in liver cirrhosis ascites patients

Objective To explore the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on coping style and quality of life in liver cirrhosis ascites patients. Methods Seventy-nine patients with liver cirrhosis ascites from March 2012 to May 2013 were selected as the control group with conventional treatment; 77 patients with liver cirrhosis ascites from October 2013 to December 2014 were selected as the observation group and were given mindfulness based stress reduction based on the control group. The coping style, the hope level and the quality of life between the two groups were compared by Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, Herth Hope Scale, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-c30). Results Before the treatment, two groups of positive and negative coping had no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). After the treatment of the observation group actively respond to score as follows: (25.44±2.61) points,significantly higher than the control group: (19.42±3.33) points, negative coping scores as follows: (9.76±1.89) points,significantly lower than the control group:(11.99±2.43) points, the differences between the two groups were significant (t=-10.468, 7.572, both P 0.05). The scores of the reality and the future of positive attitude, positive action, keep close relationship with others were (14.5±2.6), (15.1±2.4), (15.6±2.1) points after the treatment in the observation group, and (10.1±2.7), (10.5±2.3), (11.6±2.5) points in the control group, and there were significant differences (t=4.965, 5.569, 3.659,all P 0.05). The scores of physical function, role function, emotional function, cognitive function, social function, fatigue, pain, general health questionnaire, shortness of breath, insomnia, loss of appetite and the economic difficulties were (69.3±15.5), (74.1±22.6), (68.3±21.5), (79.7±23.4), (72.6±25.2), (42.1±26.1), (30.1±26.2), (55.6±15.6), (35.2±27.4), (36.2±28.7), (33.6±28.3), (25.6±24.3) points after the treatment in the observation group, and (58.6±21.2), (61.4±26.2), (75.6±20.4), (65.4±22.3), (55.4±28.7), (48.5±25.3), (37.6±29.2), (30.2±11.3), (41.6±28.7), (44.6±31.3), (40.2±30.4), (59.6±32.4) points in the control group, and there were significant differences (t=-39.369-15.621,P<0.01 or 0.05). Conclusions The mindfulness-based stress reduction can significantly improve the coping style in patients with liver cirrhosis and ascites, the level of hope and improve quality of life of patients, it is worth clinical promotion. Key words: Liver cirrhosis; Quality of life; Mindfulness-based stress reduction; Coping style