Mindfulness Meditation on Psychological Distress and Coping among Family Members of Patients Admitted in Critical Care Units: A Pilot Study

A 14-day mindfulness meditation program reduced anxiety in family members of ICU patients but did not significantly affect depression, stress, or coping strategies. In a quasi-experimental study with ten participants (five per group), the experimental group showed a significant decrease in anxiety scores (from 8.20 to 3.40) compared to the control group (from 10.00 to 7.20). No significant differences were found for depression, stress, or coping strategies between groups after the intervention. The program included daily 30-minute guided sessions of Breath Meditation, Body Scan, and Mountain Meditation, with initial in-hospital supervision.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Family members of ICU patients often experience significant psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and stress, which can affect their well-being and coping ability. Mindfulness meditation has shown promise in alleviating such distress, but its effect on ICU patient families remains underexplored. This quasi-experimental study evaluated the impact of a 14-day mindfulness meditation program on psychological distress and coping strategies among ICU patient family members at AIIMS Bhopal. Ten participants were assigned to an experimental group (n = 5) and a control group (n = 5). The intervention included daily 30-minute guided meditation sessions—Breath Meditation, Body Scan, and Mountain Meditation—with the first three days supervised in-hospital and the remaining days practiced independently with researcher follow-up. Data were collected pre- and post-intervention using the DASS-21 and Brief COPE Scale. Pre-test comparisons showed no significant differences between groups in depression (Exp: 11.40±6.92, Control: 10.80±8.44), anxiety (Exp: 8.20±6.38, Control: 10.00±7.62), stress (Exp: 8.60±6.44, Control: 9.20±6.84), and coping strategies (Exp: 64.60±7.58, Control: 62.00±9.17). Post-test results showed a significant reduction in anxiety in the experimental group (3.40±3.21 vs. 7.20±6.76, p = 0.048), while depression (Exp: 9.00±7.98 vs. Control: 10.40±10.90, p = 0.616), stress (Exp: 6.80±6.26 vs. Control: 5.20±5.59, p = 0.681), and coping strategies (Exp: 67.20±5.63 vs. Control: 65.20±8.59, p = 0.562) showed no statistically significant differences. These findings suggest that mindfulness meditation may be effective in reducing anxiety but has limited impact on depression, stress, or coping strategies among ICU patient family members. Further research with larger samples is warranted.