A systematic review of 14 studies found that psychological interventions, particularly meaning-centered psychotherapy and dignity therapy, can reduce demoralization in patients with chronic diseases. Most studies treated demoralization as a secondary outcome, and ten used randomized controlled designs. Six of these investigated evidence-based meaning-centered therapy, and four investigated dignity therapy, showing the best empirical support. The review concludes that randomized controlled trials with demoralization as the primary outcome and adequate sample sizes are needed to more clearly evaluate effectiveness.
A brief, Spanish-language adaptation of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (Spanish B-MORE) was tested in a pilot randomized controlled trial with 20 Spanish-speaking adults experiencing chronic pain. Participants rated the intervention as highly acceptable, averaging 9.4 out of 10, and would recommend it to others. Immediately after sessions, pain intensity, pain unpleasantness, and anxiety all decreased with large effect sizes. At six weeks, those who received B-MORE showed greater improvements across all clinical outcomes compared to a waitlist control group. The intervention appears to be a brief, scalable, and culturally responsive option for chronic pain in Spanish-speaking populations, warranting further study in larger trials.
A migraine-specific adaptation of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) reduced headache frequency and improved psychological functioning in a randomized controlled trial with 54 migraine patients. The intervention did not significantly improve the primary outcome of headache-related impairment compared to a waitlist control. Secondary outcomes showed small-to-medium improvements in perceived stress, anxiety, rumination, and catastrophizing. Participants reported high contentment and achievement of personal goals. Effects were assessed at post-intervention and at a 7-month follow-up for the intervention group.
A Chinese version of the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES-C) was developed and evaluated in a sample of 245 staff at a large rehabilitation service complex. The translated 16-item scale showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97) and a factor structure similar to the original English version. Construct validity was supported by correlations with validation scales in expected directions. The term 'God' required an extended definition to fit Chinese cultural concepts of a higher power. The psychometric properties of DSES-C were comparable to the English version, supporting its transcultural applicability for measuring daily spiritual experience.