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Effect of Mindfulness-based Interventions in Cancer Care

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Evidence-based Non-pharmacological Therapies for Palliative Cancer Care

Part of the book series: Evidence-based Anticancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine ((ACAM,volume 4))

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Abstract

Mindfulness meditation as an intervention to promote stress reduction has become increasingly studied and implemented over the last decade and consistently shows promising beneficial effects on psychological well-being. The development of mindfulness is integrated in several structured training programs and therapies such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, as well as programs integrating mindfulness training specifically developed for cancer patients. These programs and therapies have shown promising results in improving different psychological outcomes. In particular, mindfulness-based stress reduction programs have shown a strong potential for changing peoples’ experiences of stress-related complaints and increasing well-being. A meta-analysis of results from randomized controlled studies of mindfulness training among cancer patients presented in this chapter gives support for the positive effect of such interventions. Results show moderate intervention effect sizes for increased positive affective outcomes, such as quality of life and frequency of positive experiences; increases in physical health outcomes and measures of mindfulness; and reduction of negative affective outcomes such as depression, anxiety, and perceived stress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden

    Richard Bränström

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  1. Richard Bränström
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Correspondence to Richard Bränström .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gascoigne Road 30, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR

    William C.S. Cho

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Bränström, R. (2013). Effect of Mindfulness-based Interventions in Cancer Care. In: Cho, W. (eds) Evidence-based Non-pharmacological Therapies for Palliative Cancer Care. Evidence-based Anticancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol 4. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5833-9_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5833-9_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-007-5832-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-5833-9

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