The relationship between mindfulness and enduring somatic threat severity in long-term cardiac arrest survivors.
Alexander M Presciutti, Sarah M Bannon, Jolin B Yamin, Mary M Newman, Robert A Parker, Jonathan Elmer, Ona Wu, Michael W Donnino, Sarah M Perman, Ana-Maria Vranceanu
Journal of Behavioral Medicine October 2023 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-023-00405-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional survey study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 145 |
| Population | Long-term cardiac arrest survivors who were members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (mean age 51 years, 52% male, 93.8% white, mean time since arrest 6 years) |
| Measures | Anxiety Sensitivity Index-revised (4 cardiac threat items), Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Cardiac arrest Enduring somatic threat Trauma |
| Key findings | Enduring somatic threats were common among long-term cardiac arrest survivors, with 24.1% scoring in the upper quarter of EST severity. Greater mindfulness, older age, and longer time since arrest were associated with lower EST severity, while male sex was associated with greater EST severity. The authors propose that mindfulness may be a protective coping skill and should be considered a core component of future psychosocial interventions for this population. |
Abstract
Cardiac arrest (CA) survivors experience continuous exposures to potential traumas though chronic cognitive, physical and emotional sequelae and enduring somatic threats (ESTs) (i.e., recurring somatic traumatic reminders of the event). Sources of ESTs can include the daily sensation of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), ICD-delivered shocks, pain from rescue compressions, fatigue, weakness, and changes in physical function. Mindfulness, defined as non-judgmental present-moment awareness, is a teachable skill that might help CA survivors cope with ESTs. Here we describe the severity of ESTs in a sample of long-term CA survivors and explore the cross-sectional relationship between mindfulness and severity of ESTs. We analyzed survey data of long-term CA survivors who were members of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation (collected 10-11/2020). We assessed ESTs using 4 cardiac threat items from the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-revised (items range from 0 "very little" to 4 "very much") which we summed to create a score reflecting total EST burden (range 0-16). We assessed mindfulness using the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised. First, we summarized the distribution of EST scores. Second, we used linear regression to describe the relationship between mindfulness and EST severity adjusting for age, gender, time since arrest, COVID-19-related stress, and loss of income due to COVID. We included 145 CA survivors (mean age: 51 years, 52% male, 93.8% white, mean time since arrest: 6 years, 24.1% scored in the upper quarter of EST severity). Greater mindfulness (β: -30, p = 0.002), older age (β: -0.30, p = 0.01) and longer time since CA (β: -0.23, p = 0.005) were associated with lower EST severity. Male sex was also associated with greater EST severity (β: 0.21, p = 0.009). ESTs are common among CA survivors. Mindfulness may be a protective skill that CA survivors use to cope with ESTs. Future psychosocial interventions for the CA population should consider using mindfulness as a core skill to reduce ESTs.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |