The moderating and mediating effects of mindful compassion with body-mind-spirit therapy using a blended approach of face-to-face with online for breast cancer patients' depression during COVID-19: A randomized controlled trial.
Fei-Hsiu Hsiao, Chiao Lo, Wen-Hung Kuo, Chia-Chen Hsieh, Chiun-Sheng Huang
Internet Interventions April 21, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2026.100947 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 39 |
| Population | Breast cancer patients |
| Intervention | Mindful compassion integrated with body-mind-spirit (BMS) therapy |
| Duration | 8-week intervention; assessments at baseline and 2nd, 5th, and 8th months |
| Measures | quality of life (QOL), anxiety, depressive symptoms, Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) |
| Topics | Meditation Depression |
| Keywords | Breast cancer Depressive symptoms Compassion Online intervention |
| Key findings | Both blended and online-only mindful compassion with body-mind-spirit therapy improved depressive symptoms, meaning in life, and quality-of-life functioning in breast cancer patients. The online-only group showed greater anxiety reductions, while the blended format had a stronger impact on depression and anxiety for patients with higher initial depressive symptoms and greater breast cancer-specific distress. Increased mindfulness was linked to fewer depressive symptoms through better quality-of-life functioning. |
Abstract
Objectives: To test the effectiveness of mindful compassion integrated with body-mind-spirit (BMS) therapy delivered through a blended face-to-face and online approach for breast cancer patients.
Methods: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) assigned 39 breast cancer patients to either a blended group (partial face-to-face and online sessions) or an online-only group. Both received eight weeks of therapist-guided mindful compassion with BMS group therapy. Assessments were conducted at baseline (T0) and then at 2nd (T1), 5th (T2), and 8th (T3) months, covering quality of life (QOL), anxiety, depressive symptoms, and meaning in life (MLQ).
Results: Both the blended and online-only formats improved depressive symptoms, MLQ presence, and QOL functioning. The higher anxiety reductions were in favor of the online-only group. The blended program had a stronger impact on alleviating depression and anxiety for patients with higher initial depressive symptoms and greater breast cancer-specific distress. Increased mindfulness was linked to fewer depressive symptoms through better QOL functioning.
Conclusions: Both delivery formats appear feasible and may provide psychological benefits for breast cancer patients. Future research is needed to determine the optimal balance between face-to-face and online sessions and to clarify the mechanisms underlying these effects.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on depression, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cites 9
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Depression in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Integrative Cancer Therapies 2023
- The Mindful Compassion Program Integrated with Body-Mind-Spirit Empowerment for Reducing Depression in Lung Cancer Patient-Caregiver Dyads. Psychosocial Intervention 2025
- Immediate impact of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) among women with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis BMC Women's Health June 22, 2023
- Use of Mobile Apps and Online Programs of Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Training in Workers: A Scoping Review. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science 2022
- A Self-Compassion and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Mobile Intervention (Serene) for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Promoting Adaptive Emotional Regulation and Wisdom Frontiers in Psychology March 22, 2021
and 4 more in the library