Mindfulness-based stress reduction effects on resilience, individual independence and quality of life of spinal cord injury patients: A randomized clinical trial.
Reyhane Sarabandi, Omsalimeh Roudi Rashtabadi, Roghayeh Mehdipour-Rabori, Atefeh Ahmadi
The journal of spinal cord medicine July 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2025.2555661 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized clinical trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 56 |
| Population | Individuals with spinal cord injury |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 6-week intervention, 1-month post-intervention follow-up |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Individual independence Quality of life Rehabilitation Resilience Spinal cord injury |
| Key findings | MBSR significantly improved resilience and quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury, but did not improve individual independence. |
Abstract
to investigating the effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention on resilience, quality of life (QoL), and individual independence in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). In this randomized clinical trial, 56 individuals with SCI were recruited through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The intervention group received six weekly face-to-face MBSR sessions, while the control group continued with their routine home care. Patients completed assessments at three time points: baseline, immediately post-intervention, and one-month post-intervention. The assessments included demographic information, the spinal cord injury Quality of Life Questionnaire (SCIQL-23), Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM III), and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10-P). Data were analyzed using inferential statistics, including independent t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA, with SPSS version 26. The MBSR intervention significantly improved resilience and QoL in the intervention group at both post-intervention time points compared to baseline (P < 0.05). Resilience scores increased by approximately 4 points, and QoL scores improved by around 3 points. No significant changes were observed in the control group (P ≥ 0.05). However, no significant improvements in individual independence were detected either between or within groups after the intervention (P ≥ 0.05). MBSR, a simple, nurse-led, and non-invasive intervention, significantly enhanced resilience and QoL in individuals with SCI. These findings highlight the value of psychological interventions in improving mental well-being in this population. Nonetheless, the lack of improvement in individual independence suggests the need for further research to explore this outcome more thoroughly.Trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials identifier: IRCT20220813055673N1.