The effect of mindfulness group counseling on the anxiety of pregnant women exposed to domestic violence: a randomized clinical trial.
Azam Khoshbin, Naiersadat Tahery, Pouran Nekoueian, Hamid Nasiri, Mahshid Bokaie
BMC Psychology September 29, 2025 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-025-03358-9 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental study with pre-post intervention design and follow-up, without a control group Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | Pregnant women between 14 and 26 weeks gestation exposed to domestic violence with mild to moderate anxiety |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based group counseling |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 4-week follow-up |
| Measures | Beck Anxiety Inventory |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Domestic violence Mindfulness-based stress reduction Pregnant women |
| Key findings | Mindfulness-based group counseling significantly reduced anxiety scores in pregnant women exposed to domestic violence, with mean Beck Anxiety Inventory scores decreasing from 13.63 at baseline to 8.08 post-intervention and 7.42 at four-week follow-up. |
Abstract
Violence against women has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a major public health concern worldwide. Research shows that Domestic violence is associated with a high rate of psychological problems, including anxiety. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness group counseling on the anxiety of pregnant women exposed to Domestic violence. this quasi-experimental study utilized a pre-post intervention design with follow-up, without a control group in Isfahan, Iran, in 2021. Initially, 108 pregnant women between 14 and 26 weeks gestation were recruited using cluster sampling from four prenatal clinics. Participants completed validated questionnaires assessing exposure to domestic violence and anxiety levels. From these, 40 women with documented experience of domestic violence and mild to moderate anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory scores between 8 and 25) were eligible and enrolled. The intervention comprised eight weekly mindfulness-based group counseling sessions, each lasting 120 min, focusing on present-moment awareness, breathing exercises, and meditation. Anxiety was measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and four weeks after intervention using the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Data analysis employed SPSS version 16, with significance set at P < 0.05. The results showed that the use of mindfulness group counseling significantly reduced the mean score of anxiety. The mean score of anxiety before the intervention (baseline), immediately after the intervention, and 4 weeks after the intervention (follow-up) obtained 13.63 ± 4.63, 8.08 ± 4.19, and 7.42 ± 4.00 respectively (P < 0.001). Mindfulness-based group counseling appears to be an effective intervention for reducing anxiety in pregnant women experiencing domestic violence. Integrating mindfulness programs into prenatal care services may offer a viable non-pharmacological approach to mental health support in this population. Further rigorous randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are warranted to confirm these findings and establish long-term benefits. Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT): IR.SSU. REC.1398.230.Date of registration: 28/01/2020.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 11
- Mindfulness-based interventions: an overall review British Medical Bulletin April 21, 2021
- Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for the treatment of current depressive symptoms: a meta-analysis Cognitive Behaviour Therapy February 8, 2019
- Differentiating mindfulness-integrated cognitive behavior therapy and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy clinically: the why, how, and what of evidence-based practice. Frontiers in Psychology 2024
- The path from mindfulness to self-esteem: self-concept-clarity and cognitive flexibility as mediators Current Psychology July 29, 2023
- The effects of the Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting Program (MBCP) on prenatal attachment, depression, stress, and anxiety in pregnant women: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders May 1, 2025
and 6 more in the library