Identifying Therapeutic Factors in an 8-Week (30 Hour) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Since it's introduction in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) has become a respected adjunct to conventional treatment for patients suffering from many diverse chronic ailments. Three decades of research have documented it's benefits, but few papers have focused on identifying which particular aspect of MBSR directly correlates with it's degree of therapeutic efficacy. This study will use 7 well validated questionnaires to compare participants responses prior to, and following completion of an eight-week MBSR program at the North York General Hospital, as well as follow-up results at 1 month and 1 year post completion of the MBSR group.

Detailed Description
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As above

Official Title
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Identifying Therapeutic Factors in an 8-Week (30 Hour) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program

Conditions
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Cancer, Diabetes, Hypertension

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Teaching Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction strategies


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: over 18 years old suffer from a chronic health problem referred by their physician Exclusion Criteria: acute illness (physical or psychiatric) suicidal problem use of alcohol or other substances inability to do one hour of daily homework inability to attend all 8 sessions

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction group<br>All eligible participants attend a 3-hour weekly session, for 8 consecutive weeks, to learn meditation and simple Hatha Yoga techniques, and incorporate them into their daily lives. | Behavioral: Teaching Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction strategies<br>* Daily meditation, Hatha yoga,and cognitive restructuring<br>* Other names: MBSR;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PSS-10 | Patients' Stress Scores on the PSS-10 are used to assess self-reported perceptions of stress at baseline, at 8 weeks when the intervention ends, and again at one month and one year follow-up (to see if any change is sustained). | baseline, 8 weeks and follow-ups at 1 month and 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Toronto Mindfulness Scale (TMS) | Measure of patients' self-reported capacity for detached curiosity / decentering (aspects of mindfulness), prior to intervention, at the end of the intervention (8 weeks), and at short-term (one month)and long-term (one year) follow-up. | Baseline, 8 weeks and follow up at 1 month and 1 year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Mindfulness, Pain Disorder (Chronic physical or mental health complaints:, Fibromyalgia; Migraines; Back Pain; etc), Anxiety Disorder/Anxiety State