Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in a Self-Selecting and Self-Paying Community Setting
Lise Juul, Karen Johanne Pallesen, Jacob Piet, Christine Elizabeth Parsons, Lone Overby Fjorback
Mindfulness December 18, 2017 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-017-0873-0 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post observational study Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 132 |
| Population | Adults self-referred and self-paid for a community MBSR course in three Danish cities; 79% women, mean age 45 ± 10.4 years, 75% with more than 15 years of education, 38% with baseline PSS ≥18, 27% with a history of mental disorder |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Measures | Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Symptom Check List 5, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | MBSR was followed by reduced perceived stress and improved mindfulness and psychological symptoms, with the largest within-group effect sizes among participants reporting the highest baseline stress (PSS d = 1.47 vs 0.50 overall). The authors conclude MBSR was effective in this self-selected, largely well-educated female sample, but note that reaching vulnerable groups would require other implementation strategies. |
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) when implemented in a community setting as a self-referred and self-paid course. Pre-post changes and Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated for questionnaire measures of mindfulness, perceived stress, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. We compared these effect sizes with those from intervention groups in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with populations similar to our study sample. These RCTs reported significant effects of MBSR compared to control condition. MBSR was delivered in three different Danish cities by ten different MBSR teachers with various professional backgrounds and MBSR teaching experience. One hundred and thirty-two participants were included in the study: 79% were women, mean age 45 ± 10.4 years, 75% of the participants had more than 15 years of education, 38% had a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) score≥18, and 27% had a history of mental disorder. Post MBSR, the proportion of participants with a PSS≥18 decreased by 16% points (95%CI −26 to −6), p = 0.0032. Within-group effect sizes for (i) the total study population (ii) the subgroup with PSS≥18 at baseline (iii) intervention group in reference RCTs were as follows: PSS: d = 0.50:1.47:1.00, Symptom Check List 5: d = 0.48:0.81:0.77, Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire: d = 0.67:1.09:1.00. Our results showed that MBSR was effective. The effects were largest among the participants reporting highest perceived stress level at baseline. Our participants were mainly women who were middle-aged, with high educational levels, and more perceived stress and a greater history of mental disorder than the general population, and who were able to seek out and pay for an MBSR course. Reaching vulnerable groups with a clear need for stress management will, however, require other implementation strategies.
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 8
- The effect of the Mindfulness‐Based Stress Reduction program on the level of perceived stress and geriatric depression in older adults: a randomised controlled study Psychogeriatrics January 3, 2023
- Effects of Online Versus In-Person Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): The Impact of Adding Brief Individual Interviews Mindfulness May 12, 2026
- Effectiveness of a one-year teacher training program in delivering school-based mindfulness on schoolteachers' mental health: A nationwide cluster-randomized trial. Social Science & Medicine November 19, 2025
- Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Job Satisfaction and Psychological Distress of Care Workers for Older Adults. Workplace Health & Safety July 1, 2026
- Exploring patient experiences with a mindfulness course in a general practice setting: a qualitative study. BMC primary care October 7, 2025
and 3 more in the library
Cites 13
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Mindfulness meditation training alters cortical representations of interoceptive attention Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience June 11, 2012
- Home practice in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of participants' mindfulness practice and its association with outcomes Behaviour Research and Therapy May 10, 2017
- Standardised Mindfulness-Based Interventions in Healthcare: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of RCTs PLoS One April 16, 2015
- Effects of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Intervention on Psychological Well-being and Quality of Life: Is Increased Mindfulness Indeed the Mechanism? Annals of Behavioral Medicine June 1, 2008
and 8 more in the library