Evaluations

• The effects of an online mindfulness intervention on perceived stress, depression and anxiety in a non-clinical sample: A randomised waitlist control trial

  Querstret D, Cropley M, Fife-Schaw C. Mindfulness. 2018. 9(6): 1825-1836. doi: 10.1007/s12671-018-0925-0

  Summary: Researchers recruited adults from the general population (n = 118) to participate in a randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of the Be Mindful web-based intervention in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. Recruitment occurred through emails to organizations affiliated with the research university and via advertising on social media and LinkedIn. About 50% of all participants reported moderate to severe levels of depression and/or anxiety on baseline measures. Researchers randomized participants to the Be Mindful intervention (n = 63) or a waitlist control (n = 64). Participants completed measures of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress through a secure website at baseline, post-treatment (timing varied by participant), and 3- and 6-month post-treatment follow-ups. At post-treatment, Be Mindful participants demonstrated statistically significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress scores relative to the control, with effects maintained at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. On average, Be Mindful participants reported a 63.1% decrease in depression scores (vs. control: 6.4% reduction), a 58.4% reduction in anxiety scores (vs. control: 2.3% increase), and a 40.6% reduction in perceived stress scores (vs. control: 7.5% reduction).

  After the initial study period, the waitlist control received the Be Mindful intervention to determine whether control participants would experience improvements in mood symptoms similar to those reported by intervention participants in the original trial. Former control participants completed measures of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress via a secure website at baseline, post-treatment (timing varied by participant), and 3- and 6-month post-treatment follow-ups. At post-treatment, former waitlist control participants reported statistically significant reductions in depression, anxiety, and perceived stress scores compared with baseline scores, with effects sustained at 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

  Take Away: Be Mindful demonstrated preliminary efficacy in producing significant and sustained reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress relative to the control among a general population sample.

• Mindfulness for pregnancy: A randomised controlled study of online mindfulness during pregnancy

  Krusche A, Dymond M, Murphy S, Crane C. Midwifery. 2018. 65: 51-57. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2018.07.005

  Summary: Researchers recruited pregnant adult women (n = 185) to participate in a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of the web-based Be Mindful intervention for reducing symptoms of perceived stress, anxiety, depression, pregnancy-related distress, and labor worry. Recruitment occurred through university mailings, social media advertisements, posts in pregnancy and new mother online forums, and posters in schools, churches, and community centers. Researchers randomized participants to the Be Mindful intervention (n = 107) or a waitlist control (n = 78). Participants completed measures of perceived stress, anxiety, depression, pregnancy-related distress, and labor worry through a secure website at baseline, post-intervention (approximately 45 days), and 2-months postnatal follow-up. Both Be Mindful participants (n = 22) and controls (n = 50) reported statistically significant reductions in perceived stress, depression, anxiety, and pregnancy-related distress scores from baseline to post-intervention. Between-group score differences were also statistically significant, with Be Mindful participants reporting significantly greater reductions in perceived stress, depression, and pregnancy-related distress scores at post-intervention compared to controls. Be Mindful participants also reported greater decreases in labor worry scores at 2-months postnatal compared with controls (intervention group reductions in labor worry scores reached statistical significance at 2-months-postnatal follow-up). High rates of attrition (drop out) from the intervention (only 21% of participants randomized to the Be Mindful intervention completed it) combined with limited data at 2-months-postnatal follow-up (Be Mindful: n = 16, Control: n = 32) made it difficult to draw any conclusions about longer-term effects of Be Mindful. Labor worry scores among control participants did not improve at any time point. Both groups showed statistically significant reductions in anxiety scores at post-intervention, but between-group reduction differences were not statistically significant.

  Take away: While Be Mindful demonstrated significant short-term efficacy in reducing perceived stress, anxiety, depression, and pregnancy-related distress in pregnant women relative to a waitlist control, the high attrition rate obscured longer-term outcomes and suggests low intervention feasibility and acceptability among this population.

• Related Articles

  Online mindfulness stress intervention for family carers of children and adults with intellectual disabilities: Feasibility randomized controlled trial. Flynn S, Hastings R, Burke C, et al. Mindfulness. 2020. 11(9): 2161-2175. doi: 10.1007/s12671-020-01436-0