The Comparative Effect of Reduced Mindfulness-Based Stress on Heart Rate Variability among Patients with Breast Cancer.
Shu-Jung Wang, Yun-Chen Chang, Wen-Yu Hu, Yuh-Ming Chang, Chi Lo
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health May 27, 2022 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116537 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quasi-experimental, nonrandomized controlled study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 50 |
| Population | Women with breast cancer after receiving treatment |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Measures | heart rate, standard deviation of the RR interval (SDNN), root-mean-square difference in the RR interval (RMSSD), high-frequency power |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Breast cancer |
| Key findings | Among women who had completed breast cancer treatment, those in the MBSR group showed significant pre-to-post improvements in heart rate and several heart rate variability measures, with a significant time-by-group interaction for heart rate. The authors state this provides preliminary evidence that MBSR may be clinically useful for facilitating parasympathetic activity associated with relaxation. |
Abstract
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a powerful tool for observing interactions between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. This study evaluated HRV during a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program among women with breast cancer after receiving treatment. A quasi-experimental, nonrandomized design was used. Patients were allocated to usual care (n = 25) and MBSR (n = 25) groups. HRV was measured using recognized methods to assess the autonomic nervous system. Two-way ANOVA and t-tests were used to examine HRV changes between and within groups, respectively. A significant interaction effect of time with group was observed on heart rate (F (1, 96) = 4.92, p = 0.029, η2 = 0.049). A significant difference was also observed within the MBSR group preintervention and postintervention with regard to heart rate (t (24) = −3.80, p = 0.001), standard deviation of the RR interval (t (24) = 5.40, p < 0.001), root-mean-square difference in the RR interval (t (24) = 2.23, p = 0.035), and high-frequency power (t (24) = 7.73, p < 0.001). Large effect sizes for heart rate and SDNN of 0.94 and 0.85, respectively, were observed between the MBSR and usual care groups. This study provides preliminary evidence that an MBSR program may be clinically useful for facilitating parasympathetic activity associated with feelings of relaxation in treated breast cancer survivors.
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 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Effects of mindfulness breathing meditation on stress and cognitive functions: a heart rate variability and eye-tracking study Scientific Reports October 24, 2025
- Global landscape and hotspot analysis of meditation research in cancer: a bibliometric study. Journal of Cancer Survivorship April 5, 2025
- Virtual EMO-Mind: Exploring the Benefits of Virtual Mindfulness for Heart Rate Variability and Emotional Skills in Young Students Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback January 3, 2026
- The efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction vs. standard or usual care in patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Translational cancer research November 2022
- Autonomic Modulation with Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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- Neural mechanisms of symptom improvements in generalized anxiety disorder following mindfulness training NeuroImage: Clinical 2013
and 18 more in the library