Examining the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention on the health of urban South Africans.
Simon Whitesman, Michelle Hoogenhout, Linda Kantor, Katherine J Leinberger, Anik Gevers
African journal of primary health care & family medicine June 18, 2018 DOI: 10.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1614 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective analysis of clinical records Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 276 |
| Population | Urban South Africans attending an MBSR programme in central Cape Town |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week programme; assessments before and after the intervention |
| Measures | Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | South africa Health |
| Key points | Mindfulness scores increased significantly after the 8-week MBSR programme on the KIMS and MAAS. KIMS changes were associated with reductions in stress, negative mood, psychological symptoms and total medical symptoms, and with improved positive mood, while MAAS changes correlated only with fewer total medical symptoms. The authors present this as preliminary evidence of positive health impact and of MBSR's acceptability and feasibility in South Africa. |
Abstract
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to have significant health benefits in studies conducted in the global North. This study examined the effects of MBSR on stress, mood states and medical symptoms among urban South Africans to inform future research and clinical directions of MBSR in local settings. Participants completed an 8-week MBSR programme based in central Cape Town. A retrospective analysis of 276 clinical records was conducted. Mindfulness, stress, negative and positive mood, medical symptoms and psychological symptoms were assessed before and after the intervention using self-report questionnaires. We compared pre and postintervention scores and examined the relationship between changes in mindfulness and changes in stress, mood and medical symptoms. Mindfulness scores were significantly higher after intervention, both on the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). Changes on the KIMS were associated with reductions in stress, negative mood, psychological symptoms and total medical symptoms, and improvement in positive mood. Changes in mindfulness, as measured by the MAAS, were significantly correlated only with reduced total number of medical symptoms. This study provides preliminary evidence for the positive health impact of MBSR on urban South Africans, and in turn acceptability and feasibility evidence for MBSR in South Africa and supports the case for larger trials in different local settings.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Undergraduate students | 2006 | Observational cohort | |
| Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders Patients with generalized anxiety disorder or panic disorder with or without agoraphobia | 1992 | Observational cohort | n = 22 |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Long-term Buddhist practitioners and controls | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 13
- The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003
- Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Psychosomatic Medicine July 1, 2003
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Assessment of Mindfulness by Self-Report Assessment September 1, 2004
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
and 8 more in the library