Objective: Cancer patients experience many negative psychological symptoms including stress, anxiety, and depression. This distress is not limited to the patient, as their partners also experience many psychological challenges. Mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) programs have demonstrated clinical benefit for a variety of chronic illnesses, including cancer. This is the first study to report MBSR participation with partners of cancer patients.Methods: This study examined the impact of an 8‐week MBSR program for 21 couples who attended the program together on outcomes of mood disturbance, symptoms of stress, and mindfulness.
Results: Significant reductions for both patients and partners in mood disturbance (p<0.05) and the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C‐SOSI) subscales of muscle tension (p<0.01), neurological/GI (p<0.05), and upper respiratory (p<0.01) symptoms were observed after program participation. Significant increases in mindfulness (p<0.05) were also reported in both groups. No significant correlations were observed between patient and partner scores on any measures at baseline or on change scores pre‐ to post‐intervention; however, after MBSR participation couple's scores on the Profile of Mood States and C‐SOSI were more highly correlated with one‐another. Post‐intervention, partners' mood disturbance scores were significantly positively correlated with patients' symptoms of stress and negatively correlated with patients' levels of mindfulness.
Conclusions: Overall, the MBSR program was helpful for improving psychological functioning and mindfulness for both members of the couple. Several avenues of future research are suggested to further explore potential benefits of joint couple attendance in the MBSR program.
Objective: Cancer patients experience many negative psychological symptoms including stress, anxiety, and depression. This distress is not limited to the patient, as their partners also experience many psychological challenges. Mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) programs have demonstrated clinical benefit for a variety of chronic illnesses, including cancer. This is the first study to report MBSR participation with partners of cancer patients.Methods: This study examined the impact of an 8‐week MBSR program for 21 couples who attended the program together on outcomes of mood disturbance, symptoms of stress, and mindfulness.
Results: Significant reductions for both patients and partners in mood disturbance (p<0.05) and the Calgary Symptoms of Stress Inventory (C‐SOSI) subscales of muscle tension (p<0.01), neurological/GI (p<0.05), and upper respiratory (p<0.01) symptoms were observed after program participation. Significant increases in mindfulness (p<0.05) were also reported in both groups. No significant correlations were observed between patient and partner scores on any measures at baseline or on change scores pre‐ to post‐intervention; however, after MBSR participation couple's scores on the Profile of Mood States and C‐SOSI were more highly correlated with one‐another. Post‐intervention, partners' mood disturbance scores were significantly positively correlated with patients' symptoms of stress and negatively correlated with patients' levels of mindfulness.
Conclusions: Overall, the MBSR program was helpful for improving psychological functioning and mindfulness for both members of the couple. Several avenues of future research are suggested to further explore potential benefits of joint couple attendance in the MBSR program.
Quantitative research has shown Mindfulness‐based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programmes can reduce mood disturbance, improve quality of life, and decrease stress symptoms of cancer patients. However, the range of subjective effects experienced by programme participants has not been clearly described. Nine cancer patients who had participated in an 8‐week MBSR programme through the Tom Baker Cancer Centre's Department of Psychosocial Resources, and who continued to attend weekly drop‐in MBSR sessions were interviewed for this study. Qualitative research was conducted using grounded theory analysis. Data from semi‐structured interviews and a focus group were analysed using QSR N6 software to identify themes concerning the effects patients experienced by adding meditation to their lives. Five major themes emerged from the data: (1) opening to change; (2) self‐control; (3) shared experience; (4) personal growth; (5) spirituality. This information was used to develop specific theory concerning mechanisms whereby MBSR effects change for cancer patients. These understandings may be used to refine and further develop MBSR programmes to better assist patients during cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effects of participation in a mindfulness meditation–based stress reduction program on mood disturbance and symptoms of stress in cancer outpatients. Methods: A randomized, wait-list controlled design was used. A convenience sample of eligible cancer patients enrolled after givinginformed consent and were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment condition or a wait-list control condition. Patients completed the Profile of Mood States and the Symptoms of Stress Inventory both before and after the intervention. The intervention consisted of a weekly meditation group lasting 1.5 hours for 7 weeks plus home meditation practice. Results: Ninety patients (mean age, 51 years) completed the study. The group was heterogeneous in type and stage of cancer. Patients’ mean preintervention scores on dependent measures were equivalent
between groups. After the intervention, patients in the treatment group had significantly lower scores on Total
Mood Disturbance and subscales of Depression, Anxiety, Anger, and Confusion and more Vigor than control
subjects. The treatment group also had fewer overall Symptoms of Stress; fewer Cardiopulmonary and Gastrointestinal symptoms; less Emotional Irritability, Depression, and Cognitive Disorganization; and fewer Habitual Patterns of stress. Overall reduction in Total Mood Disturbance was 65%, with a 31% reduction in Symptoms of Stress. Conclusions: This program was effective in decreasing mood disturbance and stress symptoms in both male and female patients with a wide variety of cancer diagnoses, stages of illness, and ages. Key words: meditation, cancer, stress, mood, intervention, mindfulness.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effects of participation in a mindfulness meditation–based stress reduction program on mood disturbance and symptoms of stress in cancer outpatients. Methods: A randomized, wait-list controlled design was used. A convenience sample of eligible cancer patients enrolled after givinginformed consent and were randomly assigned to either an immediate treatment condition or a wait-list control condition. Patients completed the Profile of Mood States and the Symptoms of Stress Inventory both before and after the intervention. The intervention consisted of a weekly meditation group lasting 1.5 hours for 7 weeks plus home meditation practice. Results: Ninety patients (mean age, 51 years) completed the study. The group was heterogeneous in type and stage of cancer. Patients’ mean preintervention scores on dependent measures were equivalent
between groups. After the intervention, patients in the treatment group had significantly lower scores on Total
Mood Disturbance and subscales of Depression, Anxiety, Anger, and Confusion and more Vigor than control
subjects. The treatment group also had fewer overall Symptoms of Stress; fewer Cardiopulmonary and Gastrointestinal symptoms; less Emotional Irritability, Depression, and Cognitive Disorganization; and fewer Habitual Patterns of stress. Overall reduction in Total Mood Disturbance was 65%, with a 31% reduction in Symptoms of Stress. Conclusions: This program was effective in decreasing mood disturbance and stress symptoms in both male and female patients with a wide variety of cancer diagnoses, stages of illness, and ages. Key words: meditation, cancer, stress, mood, intervention, mindfulness.
ObjectivesThis study examined the construct and criterion validity of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) in cancer outpatients, using matched community members as controls.
Methods
Cancer outpatients (n=122) applying for enrollment in a mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program completed the MAAS and measures of mood disturbance and stress. Local community members (n=122) matched to the patients on gender, age, and education level completed the same measures.
Results
The single-factor structure of the MAAS was invariant across the groups. Higher MAAS scores were associated with lower mood disturbance and stress symptoms in cancer patients, and the structure of these relations was invariant across groups.
Conclusions
The MAAS appears to have appropriate application in research examining the role of mindfulness in the psychological well-being of cancer patients, with or without comparisons to nonclinical controls.
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