Audio recordings of mindfulness-based stress reduction training to improve cancer patients' mood and quality of life--a pilot feasibility study.
Andrea Altschuler, Elana Rosenbaum, Peter Gordon, Sandra Canales, Andrew L Avins
Supportive Care in Cancer June 2012 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-011-1216-7 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 23 |
| Population | Cancer patients receiving chemotherapy with HADS score at least 8 |
| Dose | at least 5 days/week for 3 months |
| Duration | 3 months |
| Measures | Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | The audio MBSR intervention was feasible, with 87% completing the protocol. Mean HADS scores declined by 6.1 points (from 18.3 to 12.2), and participants reported improved mood and quality of life, suggesting preliminary efficacy. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), typically taught in eight weekly classes, helps patients cope with illness, including cancer. Current research is almost exclusively based on post-treatment class attendance. Research suggests that short courses and alternative delivery techniques may also be beneficial. This pilot study assessed whether it would be feasible for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy to listen to MBSR audio recordings individually during treatment and at home and evaluate whether the intervention shows preliminary evidence of efficacy to improve patients' mood and quality of life (QoL). Patients were recruited from two oncology clinics. Inclusion criteria included a score ≥ 8 on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Participants were asked to listen to study CDs containing MBSR instructions at least 5 days/week for 3 months and to maintain study diaries of their meditation practices. Twenty-three patients enrolled in the study, and 20 (87%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 66% to 97%) completed the study protocol. Analysis showed that participants listened to study CDs an average of 39 times during the study; mean HADS scores declined from 18.3 to 12.2 (change = -6.1 points; 95% CI, -2.9 to -9.4). Participants reported subjectively that participation improved their mood and QoL. This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of investigating an individual audio MBSR intervention for patients with cancer and provides preliminary evidence that MBSR may benefit chemotherapy patients' mood and QoL. Fully powered comparative clinical trials to asses this MBSR modality to help improve mood and QoL for patients receiving chemotherapy are feasible and needed.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 11
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
- Being Mindful at University: A Pilot Evaluation of the Feasibility of an Online Mindfulness-Based Mental Health Support Program for Students Frontiers in Psychology January 11, 2021
- Implementation Readiness and Initial Effects of a Brief Mindfulness Audio Intervention Compared With a Brief Music Control During Daily Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer: A Randomized Pilot Study. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health 2024
- Meditation for Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review RAND Corporation eBooks 2015
and 6 more in the library
Cites 12
- A Randomized, Wait-List Controlled Clinical Trial: The Effect of a Mindfulness Meditation-Based Stress Reduction Program on Mood and Symptoms of Stress in Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine September 1, 2000
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- How long does a mindfulness‐based stress reduction program need to be? A review of class contact hours and effect sizes for psychological distress Journal of Clinical Psychology March 23, 2009
- Feasibility of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program for early-stage breast cancer survivors. Journal of Holistic Nursing June 2011
- Effect of mindfulness based stress reduction on immune function, quality of life and coping in women newly diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity August 2008
and 7 more in the library