A Pilot Feasibility Study of Mindful Walking in Older Adults: Exploratory Bayesian Estimates of Psychological Distress and Alexithymia
Alessandro Germani, Antonella Lopez, Claudia Mirenghi, Manuela Nicoletta di Masi, Andrea Bosco
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health June 25, 2026 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph23070836 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot human trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 13 |
| Population | Community-dwelling older adults |
| Intervention | Mindful walking |
| Duration | 8-week intervention, one-month follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychological intervention Alexithymia Exploratory research Population Intervention counseling Clinical psychology Psychological distress Trait anxiety Depressive symptoms Randomized controlled trial |
| Key findings | An 8-week mindful walking program was feasible and acceptable in older adults, with exploratory within-person improvements in depressive symptoms, alexithymia, somatic symptoms, mindfulness, mind wandering, and psychological quality of life. |
Abstract
Population aging demands accessible interventions for psychological well-being in later life. This work evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of an 8-week mindful walking program in community-dwelling older adults and generated exploratory estimates of within-person change across emotional, psychosomatic, and psychological outcomes. Thirteen community-dwelling older adults participated in a pilot human trial with assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Measures included depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms, mindfulness, mind wandering, alexithymia, quality of life, and attachment style. Primary feasibility outcomes indicated high acceptability and participant satisfaction, good physiological tolerance and full adherence. Secondary exploratory analyses suggested within-person reductions in depressive symptoms and alexithymia, while somatic symptoms decreased notably by follow-up. Mindfulness increased and was maintained over time, while mind wandering displayed a probable long-term decrease. Psychological quality of life improved and remained elevated, whereas physical, social, and environmental quality-of-life domains showed uncertain trends. Trait anxiety decreased post-intervention but returned toward baseline at follow-up, while state anxiety and attachment styles remained stable. Within pilot design limits, mindful walking may be a feasible intervention for older adults, associated with exploratory within-person patterns suggesting possible improvements in certain psychological outcomes, which should be interpreted as preliminary and descriptive signals pending confirmation in controlled trials. These preliminary findings support further investigation in controlled trials to determine effectiveness and to formally test hypothesized mechanisms.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 14
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mindfulness and mind-wandering: Finding convergence through opposing constructs. Emotion February 6, 2012
- Effects of mindfulness-based interventions on alexithymia: a systematic review Evidence-Based Mental Health August 4, 2018
- Effects of a Body-Based Mindfulness Program on Alexithymia, Dispositional Mindfulness, and Distress Symptoms: A Pilot Clinical Trial. Behavioral Sciences January 8, 2025
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based Approaches on Stress, Depression, and Serum Cortisol among Elderly in Old Age Homes. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences September 1, 2025
and 9 more in the library