Examining the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention on the health of urban South Africans
Date
2018-06
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS
Abstract
Background: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) has been found to have significant
health benefits in studies conducted in the global North.
Aim: This study examined the effects of MBSR on stress, mood states and medical symptoms
among urban South Africans to inform future research and clinical directions of MBSR in local
settings.
Setting: Participants completed an 8-week MBSR programme based in central Cape Town.
Method: A retrospective analysis of 276 clinical records was conducted. Mindfulness, stress,
negative and positive mood, medical symptoms and psychological symptoms were assessed
before and after the intervention using self-report questionnaires. We compared pre and postintervention
scores and examined the relationship between changes in mindfulness and
changes in stress, mood and medical symptoms.
Results: Mindfulness scores were significantly higher after intervention, both on the Kentucky
Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS).
Changes on the KIMS were associated with reductions in stress, negative mood, psychological
symptoms and total medical symptoms, and improvement in positive mood. Changes in
mindfulness, as measured by the MAAS, were significantly correlated only with reduced total
number of medical symptoms.
Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence for the positive health impact of MBSR
on urban South Africans, and in turn acceptability and feasibility evidence for MBSR in South
Africa and supports the case for larger trials in different local settings.
Description
CITATION: Whitesman, S.L. et al. 2018. Examining the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention on the health of urban South Africans. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 10(1),a1614, doi:10.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1614.
The original publication is available at https://phcfm.org
The original publication is available at https://phcfm.org
Keywords
Urban South Africans, Mindfulness, Stress, Mindfulness-based stress reduction, MBSR -- Mindfulness-based stress reduction, Mood states
Citation
Whitesman, S.L. et al. 2018. Examining the impact of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction intervention on the health of urban South Africans. African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine, 10(1),a1614, doi:10.4102/phcfm.v10i1.1614.