Mohsen Arefian1, Karim Asgari-Mobarakeh2, Masoud Fazilat-pour3
1.Ph.D Candidate in Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
2.Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
3.Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Shiraz, Shiraz.
Abstract
Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a shortened version of Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behavior Therapy (MiCBT) in managing pain and psychological distress (including depression, anxiety, and stress), improving equanimity, hope, and post-traumatic growth in patients with Stage I-III breast cancer undergoing
chemotherapy.
Methods: A total of 42 women were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n=21) or a treatment-as-usual (TAU) control group (n=21). All participants completed a battery of assessments for pain, emotional distress, hope, equanimity, and post-traumatic growth before and after the intervention, as well as at the 2-month follow-up. The
intervention consisted of a short (4-week) version of the MiCBT program, which involved progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness of breath, body scanning, and the mindfulness based interoceptive exposure task (MIET) for pain. The program was conducted over four consecutive weeks.
Results: Compared with the TAU group, at post-treatment, the MiCBT group experienced large and statistically significant reductions in pain (p < .001; d = 1.58), psychological distress (p < .001; d = .99), depression (p < .001; d = 1.59), anxiety (p < .001; d = 1.13), and stress (p < .001; d = 1.68), as well as improvements in equanimity (p <.001; d = 1.61), hope
(p < .001; d = 1.06), and post-traumatic growth (p < .001; d =.6). These differences remained statistically significant at eight-week follow-up .
Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence that a four-week MiCBT intervention can help reduce physical and psychological discomfort and increase positive aspects of daily life in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Although we recommend the use of this program as an adjunct to standard breast cancer treatment, further research using a larger sample and active control group is needed to determine the generalizability of the results.
Journal of Psychological Science, Vol. 23, No. 133, 2024
© The Author(s). DOI: 10.52547/JPS.23.133.41