Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Alleviates Depression, Anxiety, and Internalized Stigma Compared With Treatment-as-Usual Among Head and Neck Cancer Patients: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial.
Zheng Zhang, Qingqin Zhang, Ping Lu, Nurul Izzah Shari, Nik Ruzyanei Nik Jaafar, Mohd Razif Mohamad Yunus, Qiyue Qiu, Fuad Ismail, Nor Faizah Ab Muin, Mohammad Farris Iman Leong Bin Abdullah
Depression and Anxiety September 11, 2025 DOI: 10.1155/da/7499120 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 110 |
| Population | Head and neck cancer patients |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention; follow-up assessment 12 weeks after intervention completion |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Double-blind method Stress, psychological Adult Middle aged Female Social stigma Rct Internalized stigma |
| Registration | NCT06991309 |
| Key findings | MBSR significantly reduced depression and anxiety symptom severity and internalized stigma and its components across three timepoints, while the treatment-as-usual group showed no reduction. Internalized stigma, shame with appearance, and speech and social concerns partially mediated the relationship between MBSR and depression and anxiety severity. The authors conclude MBSR could be recommended as part of the treatment regimen for head and neck cancer patients. |
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to: (1) compare the rates of change in the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms (primary outcomes) as well as internalized stigma and its components (shame with appearance [SWA], speech and social concerns [SSCs], sense of stigma [SS], and regret [R]; secondary outcomes) between the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) group and the treatment-as-usual (TAU) control group across three timepoints (T 0 = baseline assessment, prior to intervention; T 1 = postintervention, immediately after completion of intervention or at 8 weeks after commence of intervention; T 2 = follow-up assessment, 12 weeks after completion of intervention), and (2) evaluate the mediating effects of reductions in internalized stigma and its components on the relationship between MBSR and the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients.
Methods: This multicenter, two-armed, parallel, and double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) recruited 110 HNC patients. All participants were assessed for the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms, and the degrees of internalized stigma and its components, at each timepoint.
Results: MBSR significantly reduced the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms and degrees of internalized stigma and its components across timepoints (T 0, T 1, and T 2). In contrast, no reduction in scores was observed in the TAU group. Furthermore, internalized stigma, SWA, and SSC partially mediated the relationship between MBSR and the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms. Sensitivity analyses confirmed that the changes in the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms and degrees of internalized stigma and its components according to intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis were similar to that of per-protocol (PP) and last observation carry forward (LOCF) analyses.
Conclusion: MBSR could be recommended as part of the treatment regimen for HNC patients.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT06991309.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on anxiety, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 12
- 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
- Using mindfulness-based stress reduction to relieve loneliness, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine September 15, 2023
- MBSR effects on positive psychological traits and experiential avoidance in head and neck cancer: a randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Psychotraumatology December 1, 2025
- Mindfulness-based interventions for patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders: A systematic review of the literature. Schizophrenia Research February 1, 2024
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Escitalopram for the Treatment of Adults With Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry January 1, 2023
and 7 more in the library