Investigating the feasibility of an 8-week mindful breathing programme on breathlessness and self-efficacy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an open-label study.
Shirley Harris, Jennifer Jordan, Amanda Wilkinson, Philippa Seaton
Pilot and Feasibility Studies April 29, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-025-01649-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Mixed method pre-post-study Open-label Qualitative Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Adults with COPD |
| Intervention | mindful breathing intervention |
| Duration | 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Breathlessness Copd Feasibility study Physiological Psychological Self-efficacy |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | This feasibility study aims to establish whether a self-delivered mindful breathing intervention is acceptable and practical for people with COPD, with preliminary estimates of change in self-efficacy. |
Abstract
High prevalences of anxiety and depression have been found in those with COPD which can exacerbate physically related impacts of increased levels of disability, and reduced enjoyment of life. Of particular concern is the anxiety-breathlessness cycle and reduced self-efficacy, which both adversely affect self-management of symptoms. Recognition of the need to address these issues has led to use of adjunctive psychologically based therapies including mindfulness. Standard mindfulness programmes have been found to be helpful in promoting a less distressing view of breathlessness and increasing self-efficacy in self-management; however, they can be difficult to access due to significant time commitments and need to travel for groups. This study examines a novel, portable, flexible mindfulness intervention for breathlessness that can be self-delivered in the person's home, enabling access to a potentially effective intervention to improve self-efficacy in COPD self-management. The primary aim of this study is to establish the feasibility of delivery of this intervention in terms of uptake and retention in the study, adherence to, and acceptability of the MBI. The secondary aim is to obtain preliminary estimates regarding change in self-efficacy in managing COPD. This mixed method pre-post-study with 3-month follow-up will assess feasibility of recruitment, acceptability, and report preliminary descriptive data regarding this novel mindful breathing intervention (MBI) in up to 30 adults with COPD. A secondary outcome measure is change in the COPD self-efficacy scale. Other self-report measures include the St. Georges Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the EQ-5D-5L, and a daily diary recording breathlessness and mindfulness practice. Descriptive statistics and pre-post-change scores will be reported for quantitative data. A qualitative interview exploring participant experiences of the MBI will be undertaken at the 3-month follow-up point with 10 participants. Qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis. Data collection is ongoing at the time of submitting this manuscript. This study is the first to assess feasibility of a self-delivered MBI for those with COPD in New Zealand. This study will also establish preliminary estimates of change on self-efficacy and other measures of health outcomes. If feasible, with preliminary evidence of positive impact on functioning, this will support the development of a larger clinical trial. Provision of self-delivered in-home mindfulness-based interventions for people with COPD may not only contribute to improved health, but potentially a reduction in resources, costs, and the time required for travel to group treatments), reducing barriers to treatment for people with COPD. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12623000560695 . Date registered: 24 May 2023.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Improving Health, Quality of Life, and Social Functioning in Adults Campbell Systematic Reviews 2012
- A pilot study: mindfulness meditation intervention in COPD International Journal of COPD March 1, 2015
- Psychometric properties of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in depressed adults and development of a short form. Assessment May 17, 2011
- Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness-based therapy for dyspnea in chronic obstructive lung disease. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 2009
- An outpatient program in behavioral medicine for chronic pain patients based on the practice of mindfulness meditation: theoretical considerations and preliminary results. General Hospital Psychiatry April 1, 1982