Effects of Compassion Meditation on Psychological Status in Patients With Diabetes: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Seongkum Heo, Tammy Barbé, Justus Randolph, JinShil Kim
Western Journal of Nursing Research June 29, 2026 DOI: 10.1177/01939459261454836 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 46 |
| Population | Patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes |
| Intervention | Compassion meditation |
| Duration | 4-week intervention, 4-week follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | A 4-week compassion meditation intervention improved diabetes self-efficacy and reduced diabetes distress in patients with diabetes compared to a control group. |
Abstract
Background: Patients with diabetes often experience significant psychological distress, contributing to poor diabetes self-management and complications. Meditation may reduce psychological distress, but most meditation interventions have been lengthy and burdensome to both participants and interventionists.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preliminary effects of a 4-week compassion meditation intervention with recorded Zoom sessions (30-40 minutes/session) on psychological factors (depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, self-compassion, resilience, self-esteem, and self-efficacy) in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Methods: In this pilot randomized controlled trial, participants were recruited via ResearchMatch. Baseline and 4-week follow-up data on all the study variables and demographic characteristics were collected via Research Electronic Data Capture from April to July 2025. After baseline, each participant was randomly assigned to the intervention or control group based on a computer-generated list of random numbers. Independent samples t -tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, paired samples t -tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and analysis of covariance were used for data analysis.
Results: Between-group analyses showed higher levels of diabetes self-efficacy and lower diabetes distress in the intervention group ( n = 17, mean age: 51.8 years) at 4-week follow-up compared with the control group ( n = 29, mean age: 51.7 years). Within-group analyses showed reductions in diabetes distress and improvements in self-compassion and self-efficacy in the intervention group, while self-esteem decreased in the control group from baseline to follow-up.
Conclusions: This brief, virtual compassionate meditation intervention showed favorable effects on several psychological factors. It may be implemented to enhance psychological statuses in patients with diabetes.
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
Cites 8
- Effects of Meditation Intervention on Self-management in Adult Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis. The Journal of cardiovascular nursing February 3, 2023
- The effects of meditation on individuals facing loneliness: a scoping review. BMC Psychology May 22, 2021
- Evaluation of the effects of 12 weeks mindfulness-based stress reduction on glycemic control and mental health indices in women with diabetes mellitus type 2 Advanced Biomedical Research November 4, 2020
- Association between a guided meditation practice, sleep and psychological well-being in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine July 19, 2018
- The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Emotional Wellbeing and Glycemic Control of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Journal of Diabetes Research June 28, 2018
and 3 more in the library