ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION FOR ANXIETY MANAGEMENT IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS
Muhammad Ahmad, Muhammad Zahid Hussain, Rizwan Azam, Muhammad Haris Khan, Shahroon Zahid, Muhammad Zahid Sheryar
Genetics and Molecular Research September 23, 2026 DOI: 10.4238/ks4gbp47 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pre-post intervention study (single-arm, non-probability consecutive sampling) Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 37 |
| Population | Patients aged 18–65 years with rheumatoid arthritis and anxiety attending the Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Multan |
| Intervention | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) |
| Duration | 8-week intervention (eight weekly sessions of 60–90 minutes); assessment at baseline and after eight weeks |
| Measures | Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Key points | Mean GAD-7 anxiety scores decreased from 7.7 ± 5.3 at baseline to 4.5 ± 3.6 after eight weeks of MBSR, a mean reduction of 3.2 points (approximately 41.6%), reported as statistically significant. The authors conclude MBSR may be a useful adjunctive non-pharmacological approach for psychological distress in RA and recommend larger randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up. |
Abstract
Objectives: To determine the effect of an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention on anxiety symptoms among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methodology: A pre- and post-intervention study was conducted in the Department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Multan, over four months, from May 2026 to August 2026 following approval of the synopsis by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP). A total of 37 patients aged 18–65 years with rheumatoid arthritis and anxiety were enrolled through non-probability consecutive sampling. Patients receiving psychological treatment, with a history of other mental health disorders, or with physical limitations preventing participation in mindfulness sessions were excluded. Participants received eight weekly MBSR sessions of 60–90 minutes, including mindful breathing, body scanning, gentle stretching, and guided meditation. Home practice for 15–20 minutes daily was encouraged. Anxiety was assessed at baseline and after eight weeks using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0, and a paired t-test was used for pre- and post-intervention comparison.
Results: Among the 37 participants, the mean age was 46.8 ± 10.2 years, and 24 (64.9%) were females. Twenty-one (56.8%) participants had moderate disease severity, while 16 (43.2%) had severe disease. The mean GAD-7 score decreased from 7.7 ± 5.3 at baseline to 4.5 ± 3.6 after the eight-week MBSR intervention, representing a mean reduction of 3.2 points and an approximately 41.6% reduction in anxiety scores. The reduction was statistically significant (p<0.05).
Conclusion: An eight-week MBSR intervention was associated with a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. MBSR may be considered a useful adjunctive non pharmacological approach for managing psychological distress in patients with RA. Larger randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up are recommended.
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 |