Mindfulness-based interventions for caregivers and family members of individuals in palliative care
Juliano Teixeira Moraes, Michele Mileib de Vasconcelos, Tauãna Terra Cordeiro de Oliveira, Talles Fernandes de Souza
Medicina (Ribeirão Preto) December 31, 2025 DOI: 10.11606/issn.2176-7262.rmrp.2025.225207 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAn integrative review of 13 studies found that mindfulness-based interventions improved the quality of life of caregivers and family members of people receiving palliative care, though the literature is scarce. The review searched multiple databases and included studies that administered mindfulness practices to caregivers. The authors conclude that the interventions were satisfactory and effective, but they call for more research to explore the effects of guided and unguided formats, different delivery methods such as face-to-face or computerized, and associations with specific practices.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Integrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Caregivers and family members of people receiving palliative care |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based interventions |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Psychological intervention Palliative care Inclusion mineral Medline |
| Key finding | Mindfulness-based interventions improved the quality of life of caregivers and family members of people receiving palliative care, though the evidence base is limited. |
Abstract
Introduction: Mindfulness-based interventions have significant contributions to individuals affected by illness or facing challenging situations such as caring for a loved one with a life-threatening illness. Objective: To identify and synthesize scientific evidence on the contributions of mindfulness-based practices in improving the quality of life of caregivers and family members of people receiving palliative care. Methods: An integrative review was conducted by searching the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS, PsycINFO, PEP (Psychoanalytic Electronic Publishing), BVS-Psi/PePSIC (Electronic Journals in Psychology), and Embase databases. The search terms and Boolean operators used were Caregiver OR “Family Caregivers” AND Mindfulness AND “Palliative Care”. Results: The database search yielded 147 studies, of which 13 articles were included in the final sample after analysis under the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Despite the scarce literature on the subject, it is clear that the interventions carried out with the practice of mindfulness with caregivers proved to be satisfactory and effective. Conclusion: New research on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for caregivers is needed to more fully explore the effects of both guided and unguided formats of practice in different delivery formats (i.e., face-to-face or computerized) in addition to associations with specific practices.