Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pathology
Open Access

Abstract

The object of this study was to assess the effects of the mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) program on depression, symptoms experience, blood pressure, and immune globulin A in breast cancer survivors. This was a quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group pre-post test design. A convenience sample of eligible breast cancer survivors enrolled after giving informed consent. Fifty breast cancer survivors who had completed breast cancer treatment (25 for experimental group, 25 for control group) participated in this study. Participants� mean pre-intervention scores on dependent measures were equivalent between experimental group (MBSR group) and control group (non MBSR group). The MBSR group completed in 8-week MBSR program for 3 hours/1session/1week that incorporated body scan, breathing meditation, eating meditation, walking meditation, Hata yoga, sitting meditation, compassion meditation, forgiving meditation, and daily home meditation practice. Data were analyzed using x2-test and t-test for subject homogeneity verification, and ANCOVA to examine the hypotheses. The MBSR group had significantly lower scores for depression, symptoms experience, and blood pressure compared to the non MBSR group. However, no significant difference was found between two groups for the scores on immune globulin A. In summary, MBSR is a program that is feasible for breast cancer survivors and the results provide preliminary evidence of beneficial effects of MBSR on depression, symptoms experience, and blood pressure.

Biography

Sangeun Oh has completed her Ph. D at the age of 39 years from Yonsei University College of Nursing. She is the professor of Chonnam National University College of Nursing, South Korea and the visiting associate professor of State University of New York at Stony Brook, School of Nursing, NY. She has published more than 15 papers in reputed journals (Korean). Gwangsoon Kang has completed her Ph. D at the age of 44 years from Chonnam National University College of Nursing. She is the lecturer of Gwangju University Department of Nursing, South Korea.