Learning to be mindful ─ experiences of mindfulness-based stress reduction for young adults with moderate to severe mental disorders.
Maria Strömbäck, Erica Wiik, Malin Hägglund Oja, Johan Kakko
Journal of bodywork and movement therapies October 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.10.046 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 11 |
| Population | Young adults aged 18-27 with moderate to severe mental disorders in psychiatric outpatient care |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week program; interviews conducted approximately 3 months or 2 years after program completion |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Body awareness Emotional regulation Health promotion Qualitative research Young adults |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | MBSR was experienced as a learning process that improved the longstanding ability to cope with emotional stress in daily life. |
Abstract
Mental disorders among young adults are a major health challenge. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has in previous research shown positive effects on mental health. However, research evaluating MBSR for young adults with mental disorders is insufficient and qualitative research exploring experiences of the programme is scarce. The aim of this study was to explore experiences of MBSR as a supplementary treatment in psychiatric outpatient care among young adults with moderate to severe mental disorders, from a short- and long-term perspective. Eleven young adults (aged 18-27 years) who had participated in an MBSR programme were interviewed approximately three months or two years later. The analytic method was Grounded Theory. The analysis resulted in a theoretical model including one core category and five categories. The model illustrated a learning process, explaining the participants' short- and long-term experiences of learning to pay attention to the body, regulate emotions, a change of attitude towards oneself, and still using skills two years after the programme. The MBSR programme was experienced as a learning process which improved the longstanding ability to cope with emotional stress in daily life. Tailoring MBSR to individual needs may further enhance its effectiveness. The experienced short- and long-term health-promotion benefits of an MBSR programme among young adults with mental disorders support its implementation in psychiatric and primary health care. Future research should investigate how to optimise implementation and tailor to individual needs.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 16
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Women Benefit More Than Men in Response to College-based Meditation Training. Frontiers in Psychology 2017
- Clinical effectiveness of training for awareness, resilience, and action for adolescents and young adults with depression: The pilot phase of a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychiatry March 31, 2023
- Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on anxiety symptoms in young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research May 7, 2020
and 11 more in the library