The effectiveness of a modified Mindfulness-based program to address distress, quality of life, depression and anxiety in people affected by cancer — ASN Events
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  3. The effectiveness of a modified Mindfulness-based program to address distress, quality of life, depression and anxiety in people affected by cancer

The effectiveness of a modified Mindfulness-based program to address distress, quality of life, depression and anxiety in people affected by cancer (#198)

Greg R Sharplin 1 , Jennifer Fish 1 , Kerry Ettridge 1 , Vikki E Knott 2 , Hancock R Barbara 1 , Bowden A Jacqueline 1
  1. Cancer Control, Cancer Council SA, Eastwood, South Australia, Australia
  2. Centre for Applied Psychology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia

Aims: This study extends upon a pilot study which assessed the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) to address distress in a cancer-affected population7 . Changes were made to both the program and study methodology based on results of the pilot. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the modified program.

Methods: The structure and format of the Mindfulness-based program was based on the MBCT program developed by Segal and colleagues1  with minor modifications to address distress in a cancer population. Participants (n=53) were recruited via the Cancer Council Helpline. A total of which 25 (response rate: 47%) completed measures of Health Related Quality of Life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – General [FACT-G]3  and its spirituality index [FACIT-Sp Ex)]4 , depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS])6 , mindfulness (Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory [FMI])5 , and distress (distress thermometer)2  at baseline, post-intervention, and three months after completion of the program.

Results: Significant improvements were observed on all measures [range: F=5.1-17.2, p=.010-<.001, partial-η2=.18-.65] from baseline to post-intervention and sustained at the 3-month follow-up. Evidence of therapeutic effect was indicated via significant (p <.05) positive correlations with FACT-G (ranging from r =.51 to r =.73) and FACIT-Sp Ex scores (ranging from r =.54 to r=.79) along with significant negative correlations between FMI scores and HADS scores (ranging from r =-.30 to r =-.81), across all time points. Reliable Change Indices will be used to explore findings on an individual level.

Conclusions: A Mindfulness-based program modified to address distress associated with cancer appears to be an efficacious group intervention for people affected by cancer.

  1. Segal ZV, Williams JMG, Teasdale JD. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression: a new approach to preventing relapse. New York: Guilford, 2002.
  2. Roth AJ, Kornblith AB, Batel-Copel L, et al. Rapid screening for psychologic distress in men with prostate carcinoma: a pilot study. Cancer 82:1904 –1908, 1998
  3. Cella, DF, Tulsky, DS, Gray, G, et al. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) scale: Development and validation of the general measure. J Clin Oncol 1993;11(3),570-579.
  4. Brady MJ, Peterman AH, Fitchett G, et al. The expanded version of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-Ex): Initial report of psychometric properties. Ann Behav Med 1999;21:129.
  5. Walach H, Buchheld N, Buttenmüller V, et al. Measuring mindfulness – the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory (FMI). Pers Individ Diff 2006;40(8): 1543-1555.
  6. Zigmond AS, Snaith RP.The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1983;67(6):361-370.
  7. Sharplin GR, Jones SB, Hancock B, Knott VE, Bowden JA, Whitford HS. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy: an efficacious community-based group intervention for depression and anxiety in a sample of cancer patients. Med J Aust 2010;193(5 Suppl):S79-S82.