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Mindfulness, coping, and optimism as mechanisms of change in the 3RP-NF intervention.

Victoria A Grunberg, Jafar Bakhshaie, Heena R Manglani, Julia Hooker, Elizabeth A Rochon, Ana-Maria Vranceanu

Journal of Clinical Psychology February 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23623 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Secondary analysis of an intervention study Peer reviewed
Sample size 114
Population Adults with neurofibromatosis, ages 18-70, 72.80% female, 81.58% White
Topics Anxiety Depression Meditation
Keywords Mechanisms of change Neurofibromatosis Quality of life
Citations 4
Key points Improvements in quality of life were most explained by coping, followed by mindfulness and optimism; improvements in depression and anxiety were most explained by mindfulness, followed by optimism, but not by coping.

Abstract

Neurofibromatosis (NF) is chronic neurogenetic condition that increases risk for poor quality of life, depression, and anxiety. Given the lack of biomedical treatments, we developed the "Relaxation Response Resiliency for NF" (3RP-NF) program to improve psychosocial outcomes among adults with NF. To move toward effectiveness testing, we must understand mechanisms that explained treatment effects. We tested whether our hypothesized mechanisms of change-mindfulness, coping, and optimism-mediated improvements in quality of life, depression, and anxiety among adults in the 3RP-NF program (N = 114; ages 18-70; 72.80% female; 81.58% White). We conducted mixed-effects models to assess whether these mechanisms uniquely mediated outcomes. Improvements in quality of life were most explained by coping, (b = 0.97, SE = 0.28, CI [0.45, 1.56]), followed by mindfulness (b = 0.46, SE = 0.17, CI [0.15, 0.82]) and optimism (b = 0.39, SE = 0.12, CI [0.17, 0.65]). Improvements in depression and anxiety were most explained by mindfulness (b = -1.52, SE = 0.38, CI [-2.32, -0.85], CSIE = -0.26; b = -1.29, SE = 0.35, CI [-2.04, -0.67], CSIE = -0.23), followed by optimism (b = 0.39, SE = 0.12, CI [0.17, 0.65]; b = -0.49, SE = 0.20, CI [-0.91, -0.13]), but were not explained by coping (b = 0.22, SE = 0.43, CI [-0.62, 1.07]; b = 0.06, SE = 0.46, CI [-0.84, 0.97]), respectively. Targeting mindfulness, coping, and optimism in psychosocial interventions may be a promising way to improve the lives of adults with NF.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students 2006 Observational cohort
Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia 1992 Observational cohort n = 22
Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls 2005 Observational cohort n = 20
Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls 2011 Observational cohort
Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls 2004 Observational cohort

Citations in the library

Cites 3

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Anxiety Depression Meditation