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Application of Mindfulness Practices in Work on Stress Reduction during the War

L.P. Mishchykha, N.V. Cherniavska, Viktoriia Kravchenko, Nadiia Vityuk, Myroslava Kulesha-Liubinets, زنیرہ صدیق

Revista de Cercetare si Interventie Sociala June 30, 2023 DOI: 10.33788/rcis.81.2 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pre-post intervention study Peer reviewed
Sample size 20
Population Internally displaced persons in Ukraine affected by war consequences (loss of loved ones, property, housing, and employment)
Intervention cognitive processing
Duration 8 weeks, 8 sessions
Measures subjective introspective scale
Topics Meditation
Citations 6
Key points Among 20 internally displaced Ukrainians, an 8-week, 8-session group mindfulness program combining emotional work, cognitive processing, and meditation was followed by a drop in self-reported stress from 9 to 6 points on a subjective introspective scale. The authors argue that mindfulness practice has a beneficial effect on reducing stress reactions during wartime and can be used by clinical psychologists and psychotherapists.

Abstract

The mindfulness practice involves working with internal mental states based on awareness and the ability to be present in the here and now, contributing to stress reduction. Implementing a stress reduction program is highly relevant in the context of the war in Ukraine. Our research focused on internally displaced persons in Ukraine (20 persons) affected by the war's consequences (loss of loved ones, property, housing, and employment). The program spanned 8 weeks and consisted of 8 sessions in a group therapy format. The structure of the group sessions comprised three main components: working with personal emotions, cognitive processing, and using meditation. It was necessary to alleviate emotional tension by helping participants become aware of their feelings and cognitions and prepare them to enter a meditative state effectively. The results of our work showed that before the start of the therapy group, the stress level of the 20 persons, as measured by a subjective introspective scale, was 9 points (ϭ = 0.45; ϭ2 = 0.2), while after its completion, it reduced to 6 points (ϭ = 0.22, ϭ2 = 0.05). Our research results demonstrated that mindfulness practice has a beneficial impact on reducing stress reactions in individuals during times of war and can be successfully applied in the work of clinical psychologists and psychotherapists as a practical approach to addressing and overcoming stressful situations, particularly during the war.

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

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