Improving depressive symptoms and maintaining cognitive abilities of seniors within the nursing homes: A pilot study of brief mindfulness-based interventions for seniors in a semi-randomized trial.
Daniela Aisenberg-Shafran, Margalit Harmatz
Frontiers in Psychology 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.994336 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Seniors in nursing homes |
| Duration | 8 half-hour sessions over either 8 weeks (weekly) or 4 weeks (twice weekly) |
| Topics | Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Cognitive control Emotional distress Nursing homes |
| Key findings | A brief, 8-session mindfulness intervention (MBIS) improved depression and mood in seniors, with cognitive improvements only in the 8-week version. |
Abstract
Seniors in nursing homes are at higher risk for depression and emotional distress. The COVID-19 crisis and isolation have even increased the risk for cognitive decline and suicidality. Since social media is often unfamiliar to older adults, their treatment options were diminished during quarantine. Recently, studies showed the potential for Mindfulness-Based Intervention in improving cognitive functioning and psychological well-being among healthy older adults. Standardized courses such as MBSR and MBCT are not suited to the majority of seniors for several reasons. First, the interventions are too long and demanding, physically and cognitively. Second, they require an instructed counselor for delivery, which makes it almost impossible in times of quarantine, and third, very expensive. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine whether similar improvements in emotional distress and cognitive functioning can be achieved through a brief intervention, that can be delivered by workers in nursing homes. A course of 8 half-hour sessions each (MBIS: Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Seniors) was employed in two versions: (1) An 8-week course with weekly meetings (2) A 4-week course with 2 sessions per week and compared to a control care-as-usual group. Depression and mood were measured, as well as cognitive abilities in the Simon task. In addition, the level of Mindfulness skills was measured before and after the interventions. We showed that brief interventions succeeded in improving mindfulness Non-reactivity and produced changes in the facets Acting with awareness and Non-judging. More importantly, the brief intervention, in both frequency versions, improved the level of depression and mood (BDI and PHQ-9). At the cognitive level, an adaptive sequential effect appeared after the intervention only in the 8-week MBIS group. These findings indicate the effectiveness of this pilot of a short, simple, mindfulness-based intervention, in improving depression and psychological distress, as well as improving cognitive control over time. This may enhance significant developments in the field of treatment solutions for seniors, with a ready-to-use protocol to administer in nursing homes.
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 5
- The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on suicidal thoughts and interleukin-6 levels in depressed adolescents. Journal of Affective Disorders October 1, 2025
- 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 an age-modified mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in improving mental health in older people with depressive symptoms: a non-randomised controlled trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies February 26, 2025
- Peer-supported mindfulness-based intervention for managing depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Contemporary Clinical Trials June 20, 2025
- Brief Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Seniors-An Exploratory Semi-Randomized Examination of Decentering Effects on Cognitive Functions and Psychological Distress. Behavioral Sciences April 3, 2025
Cites 19
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences October 11, 2007
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Effects of Low-Dose Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR-ld) on Working Adults Health Education & Behavior May 9, 2008
and 14 more in the library