Mindfulness Training Has Long-term Therapeutic Benefits in Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Mindfulness September 16, 2024 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-024-02435-1 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 75 |
| Population | Adult women meeting Rome II criteria for irritable bowel syndrome |
| Interventions | Mindfulness training IBS support group |
| Duration | 8 weekly 2-hour sessions plus one half-day intensive; 6- and 12-month follow-up |
| Measures | IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS), IBS-Quality of Life (IBS-QOL), Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI), Brief Symptom Inventory-18 |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Mindfulness training produced greater reductions in IBS symptom severity than a support group at six months (123.79 vs 51.82 points), but the advantage narrowed by 12 months, when the support group also improved substantially, leaving a 61-point between-group difference. Visceral sensitivity improved at both follow-ups only in the mindfulness group, and anxiety and depression improved at six months only in that group. The authors conclude benefits of the 8-week program may persist up to 12 months. |
Abstract
Objective: Mindfulness training (MT) has been shown to have substantial therapeutic effects on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom severity, health-related quality of life, and psychological symptoms at 3 months following an 8-week group MT intervention. This study reports a secondary analysis to examine the long-term trajectory of change in these IBS symptoms.
Methods: This study analyzed 6- and 12-month follow-up data collected in a randomized controlled pilot study involving 75 adult women meeting Rome II criteria for IBS assigned to 8 weekly 2-hour sessions plus one half-day intensive of either a group Mindfulness Training (MT) or a validated IBS support group (SG). Outcome measures included the IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS), the IBS-Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) and Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI) questionnaires, and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 psychological distress measure. Measures were mailed to all participants who attended at least one treatment session. Analysis included mixed effects models comparing the trajectory of change over time between groups.
Results: At six months follow-up, MT patients had significantly lower mean IBS-SSS scores than SG patients (-M 123.79 points vs. -51.82 points, respectively, p=0.004). At 12-month follow-up, effects were attenuated, with IBS-SSS scores of -88.93 (p=0.001) for MT and -353.63 (p=0.158) for SG participants, with a clinically important between-group difference of 61 points (p=0.). VSI scores significantly improved at both 6- and 12-month follow-up compared to baseline, for the MT group only. Anxiety and depression significantly improved at six months, in the MT group only.
Conclusions: Beneficial effects of an 8-week MT program tailored for IBS persist for up to 12 months after the training.
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 2
- Mindfulness research in Saudi Arabia: a scoping review of mental health applications in a non-WEIRD context Middle East Current Psychiatry April 22, 2026
- The Effectiveness and Exploratory Cost-Effectiveness of Regular Meditation for Improving Quality of Life: Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. JMIR Research Protocols July 17, 2026
Cites 9
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
- Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators The Journal of Positive Psychology April 11, 2012
- Mindfulness for irritable bowel syndrome: protocol development for a controlled clinical trial BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine July 28, 2009
- Meditation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine November 2, 2022
and 4 more in the library