The effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training on serum cortisol levels, depression, stress, and anxiety in type 2 diabetic older adults during the COVID-19 outbreak
A. Sayadi, Seyed Hamid Seyed Bagheri, A. Khodadadi, Reza Jafari Torababadi
Journal of Medicine and Life December 1, 2022 DOI: 10.25122/jml-2021-0437 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 52 |
| Population | Older adult patients with type 2 diabetes |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, 3-month follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Key findings | MBSR training reduced serum cortisol levels and improved depression, anxiety, and stress scores in older adults with type 2 diabetes, with effects sustained at three months. |
Abstract
Old age is rapidly increasing and is linked to with chronic diseases, especially diabetes. Diabetes is associated with increased anxiety, stress, and depression and, in turn, can increase cortisol secretion. To this end, the present research studied the impact of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training on serum cortisol levels, depression, anxiety, and stress in type 2 diabetic (T2DM) older adults during the COVID-19 epidemic. The participants in this interventional work were 56 older adult patients with type 2 diabetes chosen through systematic random sampling and then randomly divided into control and intervention groups containing equal members. In the intervention group, the participants attended eight mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training sessions. The subjects in the control group received no intervention. Since four patients left the study, only data for 52 patients were collected using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) and a demographic and disease information questionnaire. Data were examined with SPSS18 software using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, chi-square test, Fisher test, independent samples t-test, and two-way ANOVA; the significance was p<0.05. Statistically significant differences were observed between the mean scores of anxiety, stress, depression, and cortisol levels in the intervention group (p<0.00001) before, directly after, and three months after the intervention. However, no statistically significant difference was observed in the mentioned variables in the control group. The mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention can improve anxiety, depression, stress, and cortisol levels in older adults suffering from T2DM.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
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- Mindfulness-based interventions for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Integrative Medicine Research June 1, 2025
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- Effects of online mindful stretching exercises for loneliness, mindfulness, and hair cortisol: A mixed method study. Explore June 26, 2025
- Impact of mindfulness training on depression and walking ability in patients with lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans and depression World Journal of Psychiatry August 19, 2026
- Efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Reducing Somatization and Attachment Anxiety: A Randomized Controlled Trial Journal of Personality and Psychosomatic Research 2023
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