Decreased symptoms of depression after mindfulness-based stress reduction: potential moderating effects of religiosity, spirituality, trait mindfulness, sex, and age.

OBJECTIVE: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a secular meditation training program that reduces depressive symptoms. Little is known, however, about the degree to which a participant's spiritual and religious background, or other demographic characteristics associated with risk for depression, may affect the effectiveness of MBSR. Therefore, this study tested whether individual differences in religiosity, spirituality, motivation for spiritual growth, trait mindfulness, sex, and age affect MBSR effectiveness. METHODS: As part of an open trial, multiple regression was used to analyze variation in depressive symptom outcomes among 322 adults who enrolled in an 8-week, community-based MBSR program. RESULTS: As hypothesized, depressive symptom severity decreased significantly in the full study sample (d=0.57; p<0.01). After adjustment for baseline symptom severity, moderation analyses revealed no significant differences in the change in depressive symptoms following MBSR as a function of spirituality, religiosity, trait mindfulness, or demographic variables. Paired t tests found consistent, statistically significant (p<0.01) reductions in depressive symptoms across all subgroups by religious affiliation, intention for spiritual growth, sex, and baseline symptom severity. After adjustment for baseline symptom scores, age, sex, and religious affiliation, a significant proportion of variance in post-MBSR depressive symptoms was uniquely explained by changes in both spirituality (ß=-0.15; p=0.006) and mindfulness (ß=-0.17; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that MBSR, a secular meditation training program, is associated with improved depressive symptoms regardless of affiliation with a religion, sense of spirituality, trait level of mindfulness before MBSR training, sex, or age. Increases in both mindfulness and daily spiritual experiences uniquely explained improvement in depressive symptoms.

Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on emotional experience and expression: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to reduce psychological distress and improve psychological adjustment in medical, psychiatric, and nonclinical samples. We examined its effects on several processes, attitudes, and behavior patterns related to emotion regulation. DESIGN: Fifty-six adults were randomly assigned to MBSR or to a waiting list (WL). RESULTS: Compared with WL completers (n = 21), MBSR completers (n = 20) reported significantly greater increases in trait mindfulness and decreases in absent-mindedness, greater increases in self-compassion, and decreases in fear of emotions, suppression of anger, aggressive anger expression, worry, and difficulties regulating emotions. The WL group subsequently received MBSR, and the two groups combined showed significant changes on all of these variables from pre-MBSR to post-MBSR, and on all except the 2 anger variables from pre-test to 2-month follow-up, as well as significant reductions in rumination. CONCLUSION: An 8-week mindfulness training program might increase mindful awareness in daily life and have beneficial impact on clinically relevant emotion regulation processes.

Changes in spirituality partly explain health-related quality of life outcomes after Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a secular behavioral medicine program that has roots in meditative spiritual practices. Thus, spirituality may partly explain Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction outcomes. Participants (N = 279; M (SD) age = 45(12); 75% women) completed an online survey before and after an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis that, following Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, the relationship between enhanced mindfulness and improved health-related quality of life is mediated by increased daily spiritual experiences. Changes in both spirituality and mindfulness were significantly related to improvement in mental health. Although the initial mediation hypothesis was not supported, an alternate model suggested that enhanced mindfulness partly mediated the association between increased daily spiritual experiences and improved mental health-related quality of life (indirect effect: ß = 0.07, P = 0.017). Effects on physical health-related quality of life were not significant. Findings suggest a novel mechanism by which increased daily spiritual experiences following Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction may partially explain improved mental health as a function of greater mindfulness.