Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Perinatal Grief in Rural India: Improved Mental Health at 12 Months Follow-Up.
Lisa R Roberts, Susanne B Montgomery
Issues in Mental Health Nursing December 2016 DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2016.1236864 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational, mixed-methods pre-post study Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 22 |
| Population | Women with a history of stillbirth in rural Chhattisgarh, India |
| Intervention | culturally adapted mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) |
| Duration | 6-week and 12-month follow-up assessments |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The shortened, culturally adapted mindfulness-based intervention was associated with significant reductions in perinatal grief and psychological symptoms at 6-week and 12-month follow-up, with four of five mindfulness facets changing in the desired direction and resilience scores indicating thriving. Participants reported continued use of mindfulness skills in daily life. |
Abstract
Stillbirth is a significant global health problem that frequently results in perinatal grief with compound negative psychosocial impact. In low-resource settings with exceedingly high stillbirth rates, such as rural Chhattisgarh, India, it is vital to utilize low-cost, effective interventions. Mindfulness-based stress reduction is an evidence-based intervention utilized for a broad range of physical and mental health problems, and is adaptable to specific populations. The objective of this study was to explore the sustained effectiveness of a shortened, culturally adapted mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) designed to address complex grief after stillbirth. We used an observational, mixed-methods pre-post study design with 6-week and 12-month follow-up assessments among women with a history of stillbirth (N = 22). Analyses explored study outcomes and continued use of mindfulness skills. Pretest results showed elevated psychological symptoms and high levels of perinatal grief. General linear modeling repeated measures was used to explore 6-week and 12-month follow-up changes from baseline, controlling for significantly correlated demographic variables. Longitudinal results indicated significant reductions in perinatal grief and psychological symptoms; four of the five facets of mindfulness changed in the desired direction; and resilience scores indicated thriving. The shortened, culturally adapted, MBI pilot brought about sustained, significant reductions of perinatal grief and mental health symptoms, and participants reported use of mindfulness skills in day-to-day life. This study shows that the significant mental health needs among rural women of various castes and ethnicities in Chhattisgarh following stillbirth were successfully addressed by a promising MBI with potential scalability and sustainability.
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
Cites 9
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Assessment February 29, 2008
- Minding one’s emotions: Mindfulness training alters the neural expression of sadness. Emotion February 1, 2010
- Investigating efficacy of two brief mind–body intervention programs for managing sleep disturbance in cancer survivors: a pilot randomized controlled trial Journal of Cancer Survivorship January 21, 2013
- The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Interventions in the Perinatal Period: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS One 2016
and 4 more in the library