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Comparison of the acceptability and benefits of two mindfulness-based interventions in women with breast or gynecologic cancer: a pilot study.

Lesley Stafford, Naomi Thomas, Elizabeth Foley, Fiona Judd, Penny Gibson, Angela Komiti, Jeremy Couper, Litza Kiropoulos

Supportive Care in Cancer April 2015 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-014-2442-6 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Non-randomized comparison of two group interventions Pilot study Peer reviewed
Sample size 66
Population Women with breast and gynecologic cancer
Interventions Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) Mindfulness meditation program (MMP)
Duration 8-week MBCT program (22 contact hours); 6-week MMP (9 contact hours); outcomes assessed pre- and post-intervention
Topics Meditation
Key points Distress, quality of life, and mindfulness improved from pre- to post-intervention with medium to large effect sizes for both the 8-week MBCT program and the 6-week MMP, and ANCOVA showed no main effect of intervention type on outcome change scores. Both programs were perceived as beneficial and acceptable, and the authors conclude that within the limits of a small, non-randomized study, the findings provide preliminary support for a brief mindfulness intervention for improving distress and quality of life in this heterogeneous group.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the relative benefits and acceptability of two different group-based mindfulness psychotherapy interventions among women with breast and gynecologic cancer. Data from 42 women who completed an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) program comprising 22 contact hours were compared to data from 24 women who completed a 6-week mindfulness meditation program (MMP) comprising 9 contact hours. Distress, quality of life (QOL), and mindfulness were evaluated pre- (T1) and post-intervention (T2). ANCOVA was used to analyse the relationship between intervention type and T1 score on outcome variable change scores. Participants' perceptions of benefit and acceptability were assessed. The participants did not differ on clinical or demographic variables other than MBCT participants were more likely than MMP participants to have a past history of anxiety or depression (p = .01). Scores on distress, QOL, and mindfulness improved from T1 to T2 with medium to large effect sizes for the MMP (p=.002, d=.7; p=.001, d=.8; p=.005, d=.6, respectively) and MBCT (p<.001,d = .6; p=.008, d = .4; p<.001, d=.9, respectively) interventions. [correted]. ANCOVA showed no main effect for intervention type on outcome change scores and no interaction between intervention type and respective T1 score. Distress and mindfulness scores at T1 had a main effect on respective change scores (p = .02, ηp (2) = .87; p = .01, ηp (2) = .80, respectively). Both programs were perceived as beneficial and acceptable with no differences between the intervention types. Within the limits of a small, non-randomized study, these findings provide preliminary support for the utility of a brief mindfulness intervention for improving distress and QOL in a heterogeneous group of women with cancer. Abbreviated interventions are less resource intensive and may be attractive to very unwell patients.

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

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