Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for Improving Health, Quality of Life, and Social Functioning in Adults

<jats:sec><jats:label/><jats:p>Mind‐body interventions to manage stress‐related health problems are of widespread interest. One of the best known methods is mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR), and MBSR courses are now offered by health services, as well as in social and welfare settings. In this systematic review, we report on the effects of MBSR interventions on health, quality of life, and social functioning. From the more than 3,000 potentially relevant references identified in two extensive searches, we included 31 relevant studies with an overall total of 1,942 participants, each of whom had been randomised to receive MBSR or other treatment strategies (most often a waiting list control).</jats:p><jats:p>We utilised all outcome data published in the selected studies using a new statistical method for calculating the effect size. This method addressed the problems presented by the interdependence of many measurements of outcomes. 26 of the 31 studies were identified as having data suitable for meta‐analysis.</jats:p><jats:p>MBSR was found to have a moderate and consistent positive effect on mental health outcomes in both patients selected with somatic problems and with mild to moderate psychological problems, and among participants recruited from community settings. MBSR interventions improved outcomes measuring different aspects of personal development and quality of life. The effects on somatic health outcomes were somewhat smaller. No adverse effects were described. Few studies were found that evaluated the impact of MBSR on social functioning, such as the ability to work.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Key messages</jats:title><jats:p>Mind‐body interventions to manage stress‐related health problems are of widespread interest. One of the best known methods is mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR), and MBSR courses are now offered by health services, as well as in social and welfare settings. In this systematic review, we report on the effects of MBSR interventions on health, quality of life, and social functioning. From the more than 3,000 potentially relevant references identified in two extensive searches, we included 31 relevant studies with an overall total of 1,942 participants, each of whom had been randomised to receive MBSR or other treatment strategies (most often a waiting list control). We utilised all outcome data published in the selected studies using a new statistical method for calculating the effect size. This method addressed the problems presented by the interdependence of many measurements of outcomes.</jats:p><jats:p>26 of the 31 studies were identified as having data suitable for meta‐analysis. MBSR was found to have a moderate and consistent positive effect on mental health outcomes in both patients selected with somatic problems and with mild to moderate psychological problems, and among participants recruited from community settings. MBSR interventions improved outcomes measuring different aspects of personal development and quality of life. The effects on somatic health outcomes were somewhat smaller. No adverse effects were described. Few studies were found that evaluated the impact of MBSR on social functioning, such as the ability to work.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Executive summary/Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>BACKGROUND</jats:title><jats:p>Stress and distress are common experiences central to many of the problems occupying health and social services and efforts to improve both health and quality of life are receiving increasing attention. Evaluative research on mind‐body interventions is also growing and one of the best studied efforts to reduce stress is mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR). Developed by Kabat‐Zinn in 1979, MBSR is based on old spiritual traditions and includes regular meditation. Mindfulness is a way of intentionally attending to the present moment in a non‐judgemental way. A number of reviews and meta‐analyses on MBSR have been conducted, but few have adhered to the meta‐analytic protocol stipulated by the Cochrane and Campbell collaborations. The last review of all relevant target groups was published in 2004.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>OBJECTIVES</jats:title><jats:p>To evaluate the effect of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) on health, quality of life, and social functioning in adults.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>SEARCH STRATEGY</jats:title><jats:p>We searched all relevant databases: MEDLINE, AMED, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Ovid Nursing Full Text Plus, the British Nursing Index and Archive, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), SIGLE, Web of Science®, SveMed+, Dissertation Abstracts International, ERIC, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, the International Bibliography of Social Sciences, and ProQuest. The searches were conducted in July 2008 and again in September 2010.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>SELECTION CRITERIA ...