Efficacy of Mindfulness-based complementary alternative therapy on physical and mental stress, self-efficacy, and coping styles of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery
Yemei Wang, Zenghui Ding
Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences January 5, 2026 DOI: 10.12669/pjms.42.1.12519 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Retrospective study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 80 |
| Population | Breast cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment at Hefei Cancer Hospital Breast Cancer Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, May 2023 to December 2024 |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Measures | SAS, SDS, VAS, GSES, MCMQ, NSNS |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Patients receiving eight weeks of mindfulness-based complementary interventions alongside standard postoperative care showed significantly lower anxiety, depression, and pain, higher self-efficacy, and higher confrontation, avoidance, and compromise coping scores than controls. Overall satisfaction was 97.50% in the intervention group versus 85.00% in controls (P<0.05). |
Abstract
Objective: To explore the effect of mindfulness-based complementary alternative therapy on physical and mental stress, self-efficacy, and coping styles of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Methodology: This was a retrospective study. This study included 80 breast cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment in Hefei Cancer Hospital Breast Cancer Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences from May 2023 to December 2024. They were equally allocated to two cohorts (n= 40 per group) using randomization. The control cohort received standard postoperative care, while the experimental cohort was provided with mindfulness-based complementary interventions(MBIs) integrated into conventional nursing protocols. The intervention period was eight weeks. SAS, SDS, VAS, GSES and MCMQ were used to evaluate the effects of the two groups before and after intervention, and the total satisfaction(NSNS) of the two groups was evaluated.
Results: Compared to the control group, the intervention group demonstrated significantly lower levels of anxiety(SAS), depression(SDS), and pain perception(VAS) (all P< 0.05). Post-intervention analyses revealed a notable increase in self-efficacy(GSES) within the intervention cohort relative to controls(P< 0.05). Additionally, the intervention group exhibited enhanced coping strategies, with higher scores in "confrontation," "avoidance," and "compromise" domains compared to the control group(P< 0.05). Regarding satisfaction outcomes, the intervention group achieved an overall satisfaction rate of 97.50%, surpassing the control group's 85.00%(P< 0.05).
Conclusion: Eight weeks of mindfulness-based complementary alternative therapy for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery can effectively relieve postoperative stress responses, enhance their self-efficacy, and optimize coping strategies, which should be promoted in clinical practice.
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
Cites 6
- Effects of Mindfulness Therapy on Breast Cancer Patients with Depression or Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Actas Españolas de Psiquiatría March 1, 2025
- Prospective feasibility study of a mindfulness-based program for breast cancer patients in the southeastern US. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice November 2022
- Effect of mindfulness yoga on anxiety and depression in early breast cancer patients received adjuvant chemotherapy: a randomized clinical trial Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology July 5, 2022
- Mindfulness Meditation in the Treatment of Chronic Pain. Neurosurgery clinics of North America July 1, 2022
- Mindfulness‐based stress reduction and cognitive function among breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial Cancer April 6, 2022
and 1 more in the library