Mindfulness-based stress reduction and cancer: a meta-analysis.
Dianne Ledesma, Hiroaki Kumano
Psycho-oncology June 2009 DOI: 10.1002/pon.1400 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Cancer patients |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | MBSR may improve mental health in cancer patients (Cohen's d=0.48), but evidence for physical health is weaker (d=0.18). The authors suggest MBSR may enhance psychosocial adjustment to cancer. |
Abstract
This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on the mental and physical health status of various cancer patients. Ten studies (randomized-controlled trials and observational studies) were found to be eligible for meta-analysis. Individual study results were categorized into mental and physical variables and Cohen's effect size d was computed for each category. MBSR may indeed be helpful for the mental health of cancer patients (Cohen's effect size d=0.48); however, more research is needed to show convincing evidence of the effect on physical health (Cohen's effect size d=0.18). The results suggest that MBSR may improve cancer patients' psychosocial adjustment to their disease.