Effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction in a community sample over 2 years.
Laura Madson, Beverly Klug, Linda Madson, Tamara Stimatze, Kerri Eness-Potter, Justin MacDonald
Annals of Clinical Psychiatry February 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1177/154733251803000108 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Longitudinal observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 247 |
| Population | Community sample of self-referred adults |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week program with 2-year follow-up |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Meditation |
| Keywords | Humans Longitudinal studies Stress, psychological Adult Middle aged Female Independent living |
| Key findings | Participants reported significantly improved depression and anxiety symptoms, increased perceived wellness, and increased mindfulness after an 8-week MBSR program, and these improvements persisted for two years. Continued home practice correlated with greater mindfulness, which was associated with improved mental health and wellness. |
Abstract
Background: Although numerous studies have demonstrated that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) improves clinical and nonclinical outcomes, few studies have followed MBSR participants for >12 months, and few have analyzed post-intervention home practice.
Methods: We followed a community sample of 247 self-referred adults for 2 years after completion of an 8-week MBSR program. Dependent variables, including self-reported anxiety, depression, perceived wellness, mindfulness, and duration and frequency of continued home practice, were measured before and after the program and every 6 months after.
Results: Participants reported significantly improved symptoms of depression and anxiety, increased perceived wellness, and increased mindfulness after the 8-week intervention compared with preintervention reports. These improvements persisted for 2 years. Correlations between post-intervention home practice and mindfulness indicated that individuals who continued to practice developed greater mindfulness, which was associated with improved mental health and wellness.
Conclusions: Participants who completed the MBSR program reported significant improvements in anxiety, depression, perceived wellness, and mindfulness during the program.
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
- Effectiveness of providing university students with a mindfulness-based intervention to increase resilience to stress: 1-year follow-up of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health September 10, 2020
- The Experience of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Menopausal Symptoms, Sleep Disturbance, and Body Image among Patients with Breast Cancer—A Qualitative Study Current Oncology January 20, 2023
Cites 29
- Using Self-Report Assessment Methods to Explore Facets of Mindfulness Assessment January 27, 2006
- Mechanisms of mindfulness Journal of Clinical Psychology December 29, 2005
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2000
- Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being JAMA Internal Medicine January 6, 2014
and 24 more in the library