Temporal Changes in Mindfulness Skills and Positive and Negative Affect and Their Interrelationships During Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer Patients

Abstract

Objectives While efficacy research on mindfulness-based interventions in cancer patients is available, research on possible mechanisms of change is lacking. The current study investigated general and week-to-week changes and interrelations in mindfulness and positive and negative affect in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for cancer patients. Methods In total, 163 cancer patients completed face-to-face or online MBCT. Mindfulness and positive and negative affect were measured weekly during the intervention. Autoregressive latent trajectory models were used to evaluate general and week-to-week effects. Results Overall, mindfulness and positive affect increased, and negative affect decreased during MBCT. Higher general levels of mindfulness were associated with higher general levels of positive affect. Regarding week-to-week effects, positive affect in weeks 3, 7, and 8 predicted an increase in mindfulness in the following week. Various general relations were observed between mindfulness and negative affect, showing that higher mindfulness was related to less negative affect. To the contrary, week-to-week effects showed higher mindfulness consistently predicted increased negative affect in the subsequent week. Conclusions In cancer patients, mindfulness appeared to be more robustly related to negative than to positive affect. Furthermore, mindfulness in one week was related to an increase of negative affect in the following week, possibly due to turning towards previously suppressed negative emotions. However, when focusing on the whole course from start to end, the increase of mindfulness was related to a decrease of negative affect, possibly due to acceptance of and exposure to negative emotions. Our findings reveal the complexity of mechanisms of MBCT and illustrate the necessity of sophisticated models with longitudinal measurements to truly elucidate these mechanisms. Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov: NCT02138513.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Psychological Distress Syndromes, Rumination, and Self-Compassion in Students with Psychological Distress

“…The second finding of the research showed that MBCT was effective in reducing rumination in students with psychological distress. This finding is consistent with the results previous studies (Cillessen et al, 2022;Foroozandeh & entezari, 2020;Frostadottir & Dorjee, 2019;Grensman et al, 2018;Hervás et al, 2016;Kocsis & Newbury-Helps, 2016;Tavakoli & Ebrahimi, 2020). Regarding the effectiveness of MBCT, the primary focus is on present moment mental events in a non-judgmental state, helping individuals to recognize and perceive their negative emotions without avoidance or punishment and without drowning in those emotions, but instead considering mental events as transient and passing (Foroozandeh & entezari, 2020;Frostadottir & Dorjee, 2019;Grensman et al, 2018;Kocsis & Newbury-Helps, 2016).…”

“…The primary mechanism of mindfulness is attention regulation because focusing attention repeatedly on a neutral stimulus like breathing creates a suitable attentional environment (Foroozandeh & entezari, 2020;Hertenstein et al, 2012;Tavakoli & Ebrahimi, 2020). Mindfulness-based training, by correcting negative cognitions, allows for dialogue and engagement with life's problems and decisionmaking, reducing negative emotions, pressure, stress, anxiety, and consequently, feelings of energy depletion, fatigue, and sadness, meaning a reduction in depression (Cillessen et al, 2022;Tavakoli & Ebrahimi, 2020).…”

“…Regarding the effectiveness of MBCT, the primary focus is on present moment mental events in a non-judgmental state, helping individuals to recognize and perceive their negative emotions without avoidance or punishment and without drowning in those emotions, but instead considering mental events as transient and passing (Foroozandeh & entezari, 2020;Frostadottir & Dorjee, 2019;Grensman et al, 2018;Kocsis & Newbury-Helps, 2016). Researchers believe that MBCT reduces rumination by directing individuals' attention to the present moment, preventing them from putting themselves under the stress and pressure of dealing with negative thoughts, thus reducing rumination (Cillessen et al, 2022;Tavakoli & Ebrahimi, 2020). This is particularly important as rumination is prevalent across a wide range of psychological issues.…”

“…Studies have shown that Mindfulness-Based Therapy is effective in treating disorders such as chronic pain, depression, and selfcompassion. Additionally, Mindfulness-Based Therapy is effective in reducing stress symptoms in women (Borjali, 2013;Cillessen et al, 2022;Foroozandeh & entezari, 2020;Frostadottir & Dorjee, 2019;Grensman et al, 2018;Hertenstein et al, 2012;Hervás et al, 2016;Kim et al, 2010;Kocsis & Newbury-Helps, 2016;Tavakoli & Ebrahimi, 2020).…”

Abusive supervision and cyberloafing: an investigation based on Stressor-Emotion-CWB theory

“…Mindfulness – a psychological state where an individual is consciously aware of his or her present moment – has been shown to decrease negative affect (e.g. Lancaster et al ., 2016; Crosswell et al ., 2017; Cillessen et al ., 2022). Therefore, organizations can organize mindfulness meditation at work to weaken the linkage between abusive supervision, negative affect and cyberloafing.…”