Stress and Response to Treatment: Insights From a Pilot Study Using a 4-week Contemplative Self-Healing Meditation Intervention for Posttraumatic Stress in Breast Cancer
E. Offidani, J. Peterson, J. Loizzo, A. Moore, M. Charlson
Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine May 17, 2017 DOI: 10.1177/2156587217708522 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Breast cancer survivors |
| Intervention | Contemplative Self-Healing program |
| Duration | 4-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation PTSD |
| Key points | Breast cancer survivors with chronic stress at baseline showed greater improvement in PTSD symptoms after the 4-week Contemplative Self-Healing program than those without chronic stress. |
Abstract
Along with symptoms of anxiety and depression, many breast cancer survivors experience symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that may worsen in the setting of other stressful life events. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate whether a 4-week version of our Contemplative Self-Healing program would have different effects in reducing PTSD symptoms between breast cancer survivors with or without chronic stress at baseline. PTSD symptoms were measured using the Impact of Events scale (IES). A linear mixed model analysis was used to evaluate within patients changes in IES score. Results showed that breast cancer patients who were experiencing chronic stress reported greater improvement in IES score than those without chronic stress. Our preliminary findings shed light on the need to evaluate life stressors in breast cancer patients. Evaluating chronic stress may be essential in predicting which cancer patients may benefit most from a psychological intervention.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Centering and counselor empathy: Examining the moderating effects of nondual awareness Journal of Counseling & Development June 17, 2024
- The Effectiveness of a Centering Meditation Intervention on College Stress and Mindfulness: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology October 21, 2021
- Effect of Raja Yoga Meditation on the Distress and Anxiety Levels of Women with Breast Cancer Religions July 31, 2021
- Meditation effect on psychological stress level in women with breast cancer: a systematic review. Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P 2019