Pilot evaluation of a mindfulness-based intervention to improve quality of life among individuals who sustained traumatic brain injuries.
Michel Bédard, Melissa Felteau, Dwight Mazmanian, Karilyn Fedyk, Rupert Klein, Julie Richardson, William Parkinson, Mary-Beth Minthorn-Biggs
Disability and Rehabilitation July 8, 2003 DOI: 10.1080/0963828031000090489 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA mindfulness-based stress reduction program improved quality of life in individuals with mild to moderate traumatic brain injuries at least one year post-injury. Ten participants who completed the 12-week group program showed a mean improvement of 15.40 points on the SF-36 quality of life measure, compared to a decline of 1.67 points among three drop-outs used as controls. Improvements in the cognitive-affective domain of the Beck Depression Inventory II were also reported, while changes in overall depression and psychological distress approached but did not reach statistical significance. The authors argue the intervention encouraged acceptance and new perspectives on disability.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Pre-post design with drop-outs as controls Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Individuals with mild to moderate traumatic brain injuries, at least 1 year post-injury |
| Interventions | breathing exercises guided visualization |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Key finding | The mindfulness-based program improved quality of life scores in participants compared to controls. |
Abstract
To examine the potential efficacy of a mindfulness-based stress reduction approach to improve quality of life in individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries. Pre-post design with drop-outs as controls. We recruited individuals with mild to moderate brain injuries, at least 1 year post-injury. We measured their quality of life, psychological status, and function. Results of 10 participants who completed the programme were compared to three drop-outs with complete data. The intervention was delivered in 12-weekly group sessions. The intervention relied on insight meditation, breathing exercises, guided visualization, and group discussion. We aimed to encourage a new way of thinking about disability and life to bring a sense of acceptance, allowing participants to move beyond limiting beliefs. The treatment group mean quality of life (SF-36) improved by 15.40 (SD = 9.08) compared to - 1.67 (SD = 16.65; p = 0.036) for controls. Improvements on the cognitive-affective domain of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) were reported (p = 0.029), while changes in the overall BDI-II (p = 0.059) and the Positive Symptom Distress Inventory of the SCL-90R (p = 0.054) approached statistical significance. The intervention was simple, and improved quality of life after other treatment avenues for these participants were exhausted.