Improvements in emotion regulation following mindfulness meditation: Effects on depressive symptoms and perceived stress in younger breast cancer survivors.

Abstract

Objective Mindfulness meditation reduces psychological distress among individuals with cancer. However, mechanisms for intervention effects have not been fully determined. This study tested emotion regulation strategies as mediators of intervention effects in a sample of younger women treated for breast cancer, a group at risk for psychological distress. We focused on two distinct strategies targeted by the intervention -rumination and self-kindness- and further examined the broader construct of mindfulness as a potential mediator. Method Women (n=71) with Stage 0–III breast cancer diagnosed at or before age 50 who had completed cancer treatment were randomly assigned to a 6-week mindfulness intervention or wait-list control group. Assessments occurred at study entry, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. Results In single mediator analyses, increases in self-kindness (CIB=−7.83, −1.93), decreases in rumination (CIB =−5.05, −.31), and increases in mindfulness (CIB=−6.58, −.82) each mediated reductions in depressive symptoms from pre- to post-intervention. Increases in self-kindness also mediated reductions in perceived stress (CIB=−5.37, −.62) from pre-to post-intervention, and increases in self-kindness (CIB=−5.67, −.22) and in mindfulness (CIB=−5.51, −.16) each mediated intervention effects on perceived stress from pre-intervention to 3-month follow-up. In multiple mediator analysis, only self-kindness mediated intervention effects on depressive symptoms from pre- to post-intervention (CIB=−6.41, −.61), and self-kindness and mindfulness together mediated intervention effects on perceived stress from pre-intervention to follow-up (CIB=−6.77, −.35). Conclusions Self-kindness played a consistent role in reducing distress in younger women with breast cancer. The efficacy of this understudied emotion regulation strategy should be evaluated in other clinical populations.

Demographic and Clinical Correlates of Breast Cancer Patients with Depression

“…Study of depressive symptoms among patients with breast cancer has been under focus within the therapeutic community. It has been found that depressive symptoms do have negative impact on illness course, response to treatment, compliance with medications, quality of life and even all-cause mortality rate when other covariants are adjusted for statistical reasons [4]. It seems that similar findings are found in patients having diagnosis of Major depressive disorder before discovering their cancer breast.…”

The Effectiveness of Psychological Treatments in Women with Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Ten studies considered the effect of treatment on anxiety [24,30,32,[50][51][52][53][54][55][56]; twelve studies considered the effect of treatment on depression [24,30,[50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61]; ten studies considered the effect of the treatment on mood [24,28,[32][33][34]57,59,63,66,67]; thirteen studies considered the effects of the treatment on the quality of life [25,[32][33][34][51][52][53][54]59,[62][63][64][65][66].…”

“…The providers who implemented the therapies were mainly psychologists, nurses, psychologists and psychiatrists together, as well as mindfulness experts (see Table 1). In some circumstances, the providers were a multidisciplinary team or postgraduate students, while three studies did not give specific information about the providers [58,61,65].…”

Physical activity and breast cancer survivors: Importance of adherence, motivational interviewing and psychological health

“…In addition, psychological disturbance such as anxiety, depression, poorer spirituality and less sexual satisfaction in breast cancer survivors are greatly affected by age [16]. The research focusing on breast cancer survivors urges that around 50% of survivors aged less than 50 may manifest depressive symptoms [17]. Younger breast cancer survivors possibly have more mood distress and worse psychological adjustment than older survivors which may be due to reproductive disturbances [18] and impaired sexual partnership [10].…”