Distress improves after mindfulness training for progressive MS: A pilot randomised trial.


Author: Bogosian A1, Chadwick P2, Windgassen S2, Norton S2, McCrone P3, Mosweu I3, Silber E4, Moss-Morris R2.

Affiliation: 1Department of Psychology, City University, London, UK angeliki.bogosian.1@city.ac.uk. 2Psychology Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK. 3Centre for the Economics of Mental and Physical Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, UK. 4Neurology Department, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
Conference/Journal: Mult Scler.
Date published: 2015 Mar 12
Other:
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BACKGROUND:

Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to effectively reduce anxiety, depression and pain in patients with chronic physical illnesses.

OBJECTIVES:

We assessed the potential effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a specially adapted Skype distant-delivered mindfulness intervention, designed to reduce distress for people affected by primary and secondary progressive MS.

METHODS:

Forty participants were randomly assigned to the eight-week intervention (n = 19) or a waiting-list control group (n = 21). Participants completed standardised questionnaires to measure mood, impact of MS and symptom severity, quality of life and service costs at baseline, post-intervention and three-month follow-up.

RESULTS:

Distress scores were lower in the intervention group compared with the control group at post-intervention and follow-up (p < 0.05), effect size -0.67 post-intervention and -0.97 at follow-up. Mean scores for pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and impact of MS were reduced for the mindfulness group compared with control group at post-therapy and follow-up; effect sizes ranged from -0.27 to -0.99 post-intervention and -0.29 to -1.12 at follow-up. There were no differences in quality-adjusted life years, but an 87.4% probability that the intervention saves on service costs and improves outcome.

CONCLUSIONS:

A mindfulness intervention delivered through Skype video conferences appears accessible, feasible and potentially effective and cost-effective for people with progressive MS.

© The Author(s), 2015.

KEYWORDS:

Multiple sclerosis; anxiety; depression; distress; mindfulness; pilot randomised control trial; progressive

PMID: 25767124