Occupational Therapist-Led Mindfulness Training Program for Older Adults Living with Early Cognitive Decline in Primary Care: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Todd Tran, Marcia Finlayson, Emily Nalder, Tracy Trothen, Catherine Donnelly
Journal of Alzheimer's disease reports 2023 DOI: 10.3233/ADR-230006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 27 |
| Population | Older adults aged 60 years or older living with early cognitive deficits |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 4-week follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Alzheimer’s disease Health promotion Mild cognitive impairment Mindfulness meditation Occupational therapy Older adults Primary care Psychological outcomes Subjective cognitive decline |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training significantly improved anxiety scores for patients with early cognitive deficits post-intervention compared to a wait-list control group. |
Abstract
Community-dwelling older adults with early cognitive deficits experience less efficiency in performing everyday life tasks, resulting in decreased satisfaction and other adverse psychological outcomes. Mindfulness training has been linked to cognitive and psychological improvements and, most recently, has been identified as a potential intervention supporting performance of everyday life activities. This study aimed to evaluate whether mindfulness practice can improve perceived performance and satisfaction with everyday life activity and secondary psychological outcomes. This study is a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) in an interprofessional primary care team practice in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The participants were 27 older adults aged 60 years of age or older living with early cognitive deficits. Participants were randomized into an 8-Week mindfulness training program (n = 14) group or a Wait-List Control (WLC; n = 13) group compared at baseline, post-intervention and 4-weeks follow-up. MANOVAs with post-hoc independent t-tests were used to compare between groups at different time points. There was a significant improvement in anxiety for the intervention group compared to the WLC group at post-intervention; Time-2 (mean difference = 3.90; CI = 0.04-7.75; p = 0.04) with large effect size (d = 0.80). Mindfulness training significantly improved anxiety scores for patients with early cognitive deficits post-intervention. Further work is required to test the sustainability of reduced anxiety over time, but this study demonstrated that MBSR is a promising primary care intervention for those living with early cognitive deficits. This study warrants the pursuit of a future study in exploring how long the reduced anxiety effects would be sustained.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- The Effect of Meditation-Based Mind-Body Interventions on Older Adults with Poor Sleep Quality: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Behavioral Sleep Medicine 2025
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Occupational Therapy: A Systematic Review. Hong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapy December 29, 2025
Cites 25
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Neuroreport November 7, 2005
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- Mindfulness and psychological process. Emotion February 1, 2010
- The Effect of Mindfulness-based Programs on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Neuropsychology Review August 4, 2021
and 20 more in the library