Mindfulness training as an intervention for fibromyalgia: Evidence of postintervention and 3-year follow-up benefits in well-being

Background: Mindfulness-based stress reduction ( MBSR) proposes a systematic program for reduction of suffering associated with a wide range of medical conditions. Studies suggest improvements in general aspects of well-being, including quality of life ( QoL), coping and positive affect, as well as decreased anxiety and depression. Methods: A quasi-experimental study examined effects of an 8-week MBSR intervention among 58 female patients with fibromyalgia ( mean, 52 +/- 8 years) who underwent MBSR or an active social support procedure. Participants were assigned to groups by date of entry, and 6 subjects dropped out during the study. Self-report measures were validated German inventories and included the following scales: visual analog pain, pain perception, coping with pain, a symptom checklist and QoL. Pre- and postintervention measurements were made. Additionally, a 3-year follow-up was carried out on a subgroup of 26 participants. Results: Pre- to postintervention analyses indicated MBSR to provide significantly greater benefits than the control intervention on most dimensions, including visual analog pain, QoL subscales, coping with pain, anxiety, depression and somatic complaints ( Cohen d effect size, 0.40-1.10). Three-year follow-up analyses of MBSR participants indicated sustained benefits for these same measures ( effect size, 0.50-0.65). Conclusions: Based upon a quasi-randomized trial and long-term observational follow-up, results indicate mindfulness intervention to be of potential long-term benefit for female fibromyalgia patients. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.