A pilot study to examine the effects of a mindfulness-based stress-reduction and relaxation program on levels of stress hormones, physical functioning, and submaximal exercise responses.
Jacalyn J. Robert-McComb, Anna M. Tacón, Patrck Randolph, Yvonne Caldera
The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine October 2004 DOI: 10.1089/acm.2004.10.819 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 18 |
| Population | Women with documented histories of heart disease |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress-reduction program |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Measures | Spielberger's state anxiety scores, stress hormone levels, physical functioning, submaximal exercise responses, ventilation, breathing frequency |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The 8-week mindfulness-based stress-reduction program did not significantly affect resting stress hormones, physical functioning, or most submaximal exercise responses, but it did produce significant differences in breathing patterns during exercise, including ventilation and breathing frequency. There was also a trend for improved resting cortisol and physical function in the intervention group. |
Abstract
Stress has been cited as a causal factor in heart disease. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress-reduction program on the resting levels of stress hormones, physical functioning, and submaximal exercise responses in women with heart disease. Random selection with the numbers 1 and 2 were used to assign 18 women (60 +/-6.3 years old) with documented histories of heart disease to a treatment group (n = 9) or a control group (n = 9). Speilberger's state anxiety scores for the treatment (M = 37.88; standard deviation (SD) = 10.91) and control group (M = 43.22; SD = 12.26) were not significantly different prior to the start of the study. However, their scores fell in the upper percentile rank for normal adults in their age category. The intervention was provided one night each week for 2 hours over a period of 8 weeks. The intervention included didactic, inductive, and experiential modes of learning regarding stress responses and mindfulness skill-development training. Pre-post test hormonal measurements and physical function were analyzed using a 2 (group) by 2 (time) analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures following the 8-week program. Submaximal exercise responses were also compared between the treatment group and the control group following the 8-week program. A 2 (group) by 3 (time) ANOVA with repeated measures was used to analyze the data. Weekly meetings were held on a university medical school campus. Submaximal exercise responses were recorded while participants cycled on a stationary bike in an applied physiology laboratory following the 8-week program. There were no significant main effects or interaction for the resting levels of stress hormones or physical functioning. There were no significant interactions for the submaximal exercise responses, however, there were significant main effects between groups for ventilation [F(2,32) = 7.65, p < .01, f = 0.8], and between group [F(1,16) = 8.84, p < .01, f = 0.8] and time [F(2,32) = 10.42, p < .01, f = 0.9], for breathing frequency. While the 8-week stress reduction program for women with heart disease did not show significant interactions between groups for resting levels of stress hormones, physical functioning, or submaximal exercise responses, there was a significant difference in breathing patterns between the 2 groups during exercise following the mindfulness-based stress-reduction program. There was also a trend for change in the intervention group in the resting levels of cortisol and physical function scores that was not seen in the control group. Future studies could use the effect size generated from this pilot study to calculate the number of subjects needed for adequate power to detect significant differences between groups.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 23
- A systematic review of neurobiological and clinical features of mindfulness meditations Psychological Medicine November 27, 2009
- Short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of mindfulness body scan meditation Annals of Behavioral Medicine November 15, 2006
- Prospects for a clinical science of mindfulness-based intervention. American Psychologist October 1, 2015
- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Improving Health, Quality of Life, and Social Functioning in Adults Campbell Systematic Reviews 2012
- Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Physical Conditions: A Narrative Review Evaluating Levels of Evidence ISRN Psychiatry November 14, 2012
and 18 more in the library