Virtually-Delivered Emotion Focused Mindfulness Therapy (EFMT) Group vs. Wait-List Control for Late-Life Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Stacey Hatch, Marcia Finlayson, Soham Rej, Dorothy Kessler
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry October 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.04.007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 48 |
| Population | Older adults (≥55 years old) living in community settings |
| Intervention | Emotion Focused Mindfulness Therapy |
| Duration | 9-week intervention, 17-week follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation Anxiety |
| Keywords | Late-life anxiety Randomized control trial |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Video-delivered EFMT significantly reduced anxiety in older adults compared to a wait-list control at 9 weeks. |
Abstract
The worldwide annual prevalence of anxiety in older adults is estimated to be between 6% and 10%. Emotion Focused Mindfulness Therapy (EFMT) is a mindfulness-based group intervention that has been demonstrated to reduce symptoms of anxiety in community dwelling adults. No study has yet assessed EFMT for older adults with late-life anxiety. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of video-delivered group EFMT for older adults living in community settings, a novel and potentially scalable intervention. This was a feasibility randomized controlled trial (RCT) of 48 older adults (≥55 years old), recruited through primary care, community organizations and snowball methods. Participants were randomized to group EFMT delivered by Zoom vs. a wait-list control. Data were collected at baseline (T1), 9 weeks following baseline (T2, primary study endpoint) and 17 weeks following baseline (T3). Random allocation was conducted immediately after each group of 12 participants had been enrolled into the trial, with groups beginning on a rolling basis each time a block of 12 participants had been enrolled. The main efficacy outcome examined changes over time to anxiety. Recruitment was successfully completed in 32 weeks. Enrollment was calculated at 62.3% (48 of 77 people screened). Retention (80.0%) and adherence (100.0% for intervention group participants) were excellent. The EFMT group had significant improvements in anxiety at T2 compared to the wait-list control group (-3.47 [4.12] vs.-1.22 [3.25] points, p = 0.05). Virtually-delivered EFMT appears to be a feasible, acceptable, and efficacious group treatment to improve late-life anxiety.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A New Approach to Preventing Relapse Psychotherapy Research March 1, 2003
- What defines mindfulness-based programs? The warp and the weft Psychological Medicine December 29, 2016
- Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances JAMA Internal Medicine February 16, 2015
- Competence in Teaching Mindfulness-Based Courses: Concepts, Development and Assessment Mindfulness September 21, 2011
and 7 more in the library