Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Massachusetts Correctional Facilities
Marlene Samuelson, James Carmody, Jon Kabat‐zinn, Michael A. Bratt
The Prison Journal June 1, 2007 DOI: 10.1177/0032885507303753 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post evaluation Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1,350 |
| Population | Inmates in drug units of six Massachusetts Department of Corrections prisons |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress-reduction courses |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Stress reduction Hostility Mood Maximum security Clinical psychology Criminology Prison |
| Citations | 239 |
| Key points | Highly significant pre- to post-course improvements were found on measures of hostility, self-esteem, and mood disturbance. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based stress-reduction courses were offered in drug units in six Massachusetts Department of Corrections prisons. A total of 1,350 inmates completed the 113 courses. Evaluation assessments were held before and after each course, and highly significant pre- to post-course improvements were found on widely accepted self-report measures of hostility, self-esteem, and mood disturbance. Improvements for women were greater than those for men, and improvements were also greater for men in a minimum-security, pre-release facility than for those in four medium-security facilities. The results encourage further study and wider use of mindfulness-based stress reduction in correctional facilities.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 44
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Standardised Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Healthcare: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of RCTs PLoS One April 16, 2015
- The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists PLoS One May 24, 2017
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction effects on moral reasoning and decision making The Journal of Positive Psychology September 11, 2012
and 39 more in the library
Cites 13
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition Choice Reviews Online July 1, 2005
- A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine September 1, 2000
- An Exploratory Study of a Meditation-based Intervention for Binge Eating Disorder Journal of Health Psychology May 1, 1999
- Four-Year Follow-Up of a Meditation-Based Program for the Self-Regulation of Chronic Pain Clinical Journal of Pain 1986
and 8 more in the library