Impact of mindfulness training on emotion regulation in multiple sclerosis: Secondary analysis of a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Elizabeth Jean Duraney, Megan Fisher, Heena R Manglani, Rebecca Andridge, Jacqueline A Nicholas, Ruchika Shaurya Prakash
Rehabilitation psychology November 2022 DOI: 10.1037/rep0000456 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Secondary analysis of a pilot randomized controlled trial Longitudinal Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 61 |
| Population | People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) |
| Interventions | Mindfulness-based training (MBT) adaptive cognitive training (aCT) waitlist control |
| Duration | Four weeks |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Participants in the mindfulness-based training group used acceptance strategies more frequently after training than before, and this increase was significantly greater than changes in the adaptive cognitive training and waitlist groups. Training did not differentially affect maladaptive strategy use, cognitive reappraisal, or the success of acceptance use, and cognitive functioning did not moderate treatment gains. |
Abstract
Purpose/Objective Research: This secondary analysis of a pilot randomized controlled trial in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) aimed to compare mindfulness-based training (MBT), adaptive cognitive training (aCT), and a waitlist control (WL) on the use of emotion regulation strategies during daily worries and ruminations. Further, we examined cognitive functioning as a moderator of training effects. Sixty-one PwMS were randomized into an MBT, aCT, or a WL control group for four weeks. Participants completed daily diaries assessing their use of emotion regulation strategies and measures of cognitive functioning at pre- and posttraining. The frequency of acceptance use, maladaptive strategies, and cognitive reappraisal, as well as the success of acceptance use, were the primary outcomes of interest. We also examined whether a cognitive composite score moderated treatment gains. Relative to pretraining, at posttraining, participants in the MBT group used acceptance more frequently, and this change was significantly greater compared to the change in aCT and WL groups. Training did not have differential effects on the frequency of maladaptive strategy and cognitive reappraisal use or on the success of acceptance use. Cognitive functioning did not moderate observed treatment gains. Our findings, based on this pilot study, suggest that after brief training in mindfulness meditation, PwMS used more acceptance strategies to regulate their emotions. Future studies with larger sample sizes, longer duration of treatment, and longitudinal follow-up are needed to better understand the efficacy of mindfulness mediation for promoting affective and cognitive health in PwMS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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 |