Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Interventions on Mindfulness and Stress Symptoms for Cancer Patients: A Quantitative Assessment
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine March 13, 2024 DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2401019 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Cancer patients and survivors |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | MBSR interventions increased mindfulness by an average of 7.93% and reduced stress symptoms by an average of 22.58%, with a strong negative correlation between the two. |
Abstract
The aim of this article is to provide a quantitative assessment of the correlation between heightened mindfulness and stress reduction among cancer patients and survivors who engaged in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) interventions. Utilizing data from eight studies, we conducted quantitative analyses to provide the effectiveness scores of MBSR interventions on mindfulness, assessed using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and stress symptoms, evaluated through standardized self-reported questionnaires. The effectiveness scores are standardized as percentages relative to baseline (pre-intervention) levels, which allows for the comparison of two variables: mindfulness and perceived stress, on a common scale, facilitating a regression analysis to generate a correlation trendline. The findings reveal that MBSR interventions yielded an average increase in mindfulness levels of 7.93%, with a standard deviation of 4.97%, while concurrently reducing stress or stress-like symptoms by an average of 22.58%, with a standard deviation of 8.77%. Subsequent linear regression analyses were performed on these effectiveness metrics to establish a correlation trendline, demonstrating a robust negative correlation between mindfulness and stress among cancer patients and survivors. In conclusion, MBSR interventions are effective in enhancing mindfulness and alleviating stress or stress-like symptoms in cancer patients and survivors. This finding suggests a causal relationship between mindfulness and stress reduction, endorsing the integration of MBSR as a complementary therapy for cancer management.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being Diverse adult clinical populations | 2014 | Meta-analysis | n = 3,515 |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis Healthy subjects | 2009 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | |
| The psychological effects of meditation: A meta-analysis. Nonclinical groups of adult meditators | 2012 | Meta-analysis | n = 163 |
| Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in Prevention of Depressive Relapse Adults with recurrent depression in full or partial remission | 2016 | Meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized controlled trials | n = 1,258 |
| Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness‐Based Cognitive Therapy – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials | 2011 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Assessing the Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Programs in Reducing Anxiety and Depression in Chronic Illness Patients International Journal of Public Health Excellence January 22, 2025
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Pediatric Surgical Nursing: A Review of Evidence and Practice Journal of Pediatric Surgical Nursing April 24, 2026
- The impact of effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on mindfulness and perceived stress in healthy adults Advances in Complementary and Integrative Medicine September 11, 2025
Cites 19
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Stress Management in Healthy People: A Review and Meta-Analysis The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine May 1, 2009
- Mindfulness‐based approaches: are they all the same? Journal of Clinical Psychology January 19, 2011
- Psychological benefits for cancer patients and their partners participating in mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Psycho-Oncology November 16, 2009
- Increased Mindfulness Is Related to Improved Stress and Mood Following Participation in a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program in Individuals With Cancer Integrative Cancer Therapies April 13, 2012
- Effectiveness of Meditation-based Interventions on Health Problems Caused by COVID-19 Pandemic: Narrative Review. International Journal of Yoga 2023
and 14 more in the library