Yoga and compassion meditation program improve quality of life and self-compassion in family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients: A randomized controlled trial.
Marcelo Ad Danucalov, Elisa H. Kozasa, Rui F. Afonso, José Cf Galduroz, José R Leite
Geriatrics & gerontology international 2017 DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12675 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 46 |
| Population | Family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease |
| Intervention | Yoga and compassion meditation program |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Attention Caregiver Quality of life Self-compassion Vitality Yoga |
| Key findings | An 8-week yoga and compassion meditation program improved quality of life, attention, vitality, and self-compassion in family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients. |
Abstract
To investigate the effects of the practice of yoga in combination with compassion meditation on the quality of life, attention, vitality and self-compassion of family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease. A total of 46 volunteers were randomly allocated to two groups, the yoga and compassion meditation program group (n = 25), and the control group (CG) that received no treatment (n = 21). The program lasted 8 weeks, and comprised three yoga and meditation practices per week, with each session lasting 1 h and 15 min. Quality of life, attention, vitality, and self-compassion scores were measured pre- and postintervention. The yoga and compassion meditation program group showed statistically significant improvements (P < 0.05) on quality of life, attention, vitality and self-compassion scores as compared with the control group, which showed no statistical significant differences at the postintervention time-point. The findings of the present study suggest that an 8-week yoga and compassion meditation program can improve the quality of life, vitality, attention, and self-compassion of family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 85-91.
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
Cited by 11
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction for family carers of people with dementia Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews August 14, 2018
- A meta-analysis of mindfulness-based interventions for improving mental health and burden among caregivers of persons living with dementia. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing April 1, 2024
- Efficacy of yoga for caregivers of persons with dementia: An integrative review. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences December 1, 2023
- Yoga-A complementary and traditional medicine for human health. Journal of integrative medicine March 1, 2025
- Mental health and family quality of life after yoga and compassion meditation: A randomised feasibility study among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities in Nepal. Journal of intellectual & developmental disability July 15, 2026
and 6 more in the library
Cites 10
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Health Care Professionals: Results From a Randomized Trial. International Journal of Stress Management May 1, 2005
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on Psychological Well-being and Quality of Life: Is Increased Mindfulness Indeed the Mechanism? Annals of Behavioral Medicine June 1, 2008
- “Thinking about Not-Thinking”: Neural Correlates of Conceptual Processing during Zen Meditation PLoS One September 2, 2008
and 5 more in the library