Face-to-Face and Internet-Based Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Compared With Treatment as Usual in Reducing Psychological Distress in Patients With Cancer: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.
Felix R. Compen, Else Bisseling, Melanie P. J. Schellekens, Rogier Donders, L. Carlson, Marije L. van der Lee, Anne E. M. Speckens
Journal of Clinical Oncology June 28, 2018 DOI: 10.1200/jco.2017.76.5669 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 245 |
| Population | Patients with cancer and psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score ≥ 11) |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Internet-based mindfulness-based cognitive therapy |
| Duration | Postintervention assessment after the intervention period |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Both MBCT and eMBCT significantly reduced psychological distress compared to TAU in distressed cancer patients. |
Abstract
Purpose: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been shown to alleviate psychological distress in patients with cancer. However, patients experience barriers to participating in face-to-face MBCT. Individual Internet-based MBCT (eMBCT) could be an alternative. The study aim was to compare MBCT and eMBCT with treatment as usual (TAU) for psychological distress in patients with cancer. Patients and Methods We obtained ethical and safety approval to include 245 patients with cancer with psychological distress (≥ 11 on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) in the study. They were randomly allocated to MBCT (n = 77), eMBCT (n = 90), or TAU (n = 78). Patients completed baseline (T0) and postintervention (T1) assessments. The primary outcome was psychological distress on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Secondary outcomes were psychiatric diagnosis, fear of cancer recurrence, rumination, health-related quality of life, mindfulness skills, and positive mental health. Continuous outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed modeling on the intention-to-treat sample. Because both interventions were compared with TAU, the type I error rate was set at P < .025.
Results: Compared with TAU, patients reported significantly less psychological distress after both MBCT (Cohen's d, .45; P < .001) and eMBCT (Cohen's d, .71; P < .001) . In addition, post-treatment prevalence of psychiatric diagnosis was lower with both MBCT (33% improvement; P = .030) and eMBCT (29% improvement; P = .076) in comparison with TAU (16%), but these changes were not statistically significant. Both interventions reduced fear of cancer recurrence and rumination, and increased mental health-related quality of life, mindfulness skills, and positive mental health compared with TAU (all Ps < .025). Physical health-related quality of life did not improve ( P = .343).
Conclusion: Compared with TAU, MBCT and eMBCT were similarly effective in reducing psychological distress in a sample of distressed heterogeneous patients with cancer.
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 70
- Mindfulness‐based interventions for psychological and physical health outcomes in cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials Psycho-Oncology September 11, 2019
- Short-term effect of internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image among women with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic Frontiers in Psychology October 25, 2022
- The effect of universal school-based mindfulness on anhedonia and emotional distress and its underlying mechanisms: A cluster randomised controlled trial via experience sampling in secondary schools Behaviour Research and Therapy September 19, 2023
- Brief Mindfulness Intervention vs. Health Enhancement Program for Patients Undergoing Dialysis: A Randomized Controlled Trial Healthcare June 1, 2021
- Effectiveness of Web-Based Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Patients With Cancer: Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses. Journal of Medical Internet Research June 25, 2024
and 65 more in the library
Cites 13
- Competence in Teaching Mindfulness-Based Courses: Concepts, Development and Assessment Mindfulness September 21, 2011
- Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions for People With Physical Health Conditions: Systematic Review Journal of Medical Internet Research August 31, 2017
- Web-based individual Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for cancer-related fatigue — A pilot study Internet Interventions April 6, 2015
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer Patients Delivered via Internet: Qualitative Study of Patient and Therapist Barriers and Facilitators. Journal of Medical Internet Research December 18, 2017
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction added to care as usual for lung cancer patients and/or their partners: A multicentre randomized controlled trial. Psycho-Oncology December 2017
and 8 more in the library