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Effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled study

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Abstract

Background

Spiritual well-being is directly related to the quality of life in breast cancer patients. Mindfulness-based therapy interventions can decrease distress levels in women with breast cancer, while improving spiritual well-being.

Objective

To investigate the effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients.

Methods

This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. A total of 70 participants were enrolled from September, 2021 to July, 2022. Primary outcome included spiritual well-being, and secondary outcome included quality of life. The data were collected using the Patient Sociodemographic and Medical Data Form and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (SpWB) (FACIT-Sp Version 4). In the statistical analysis, the independent sample t test and paired sample t test were used to examine the intervention effect on primary and secondary outcomes, according to numbers, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and conformity to normal distribution.

Results

The average age of the therapy group was 42.22 ± 6.86, and the control group was 41.64 ±  6.04. The average score of meaning (12.25 ± 3.03), overall score average of the spiritual well-being (31.56 ± 8.90), the emotional well-being (13.46 ± 5.78) and physical well-being (16.71 ± 5.59), and overall average score of the quality of life (66.98 ± 17.72) of the therapy group was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The mindfulness-based training may enhance the spiritual well-being and quality of life of breast cancer patients. Nurses should be encouraged for mindfulness-based training sessions to make it a widespread practice, and to regularly evaluate the results.

Trial registration

NCT05057078 (date: September 27, 2021).

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are sisterly grateful to the patients for their participation and cooperation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Nursing, Department of Nursing, Department of Surgical Diseases Nursing, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey

    Hatice Oner Cengiz

  2. KTO Karatay University School of Health Sciences Department of Nursing, Konya, Turkey

    Berna Bayir & Serap Sayar

  3. Malatya Turgut Ozal Medical Center Radiation Oncology Clinic, Malatya, Turkey

    Mehmet Demirtas

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  1. Hatice Oner Cengiz
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Conceptualization: Hatice Öner Cengiz. Methodology: Hatice Öner Cengiz. Data curation: Berna Bayir and Mehmet Demirtaş. Formal analysis and investigation: Serap Sayar and Berna Bayir. Writing—original draft preparation: Hatice Öner Cengiz. Writing—review and editing: Hatice Öner Cengiz, Berna Bayir, Serap Sayar, and Mehmet Demirtaş. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hatice Oner Cengiz.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee (KTO Karatay University Non-pharmaceutical and Non-medical Device Research Ethics Committee Chairmanship. Date September 07, 2021 registration number E-41901325–050.99–14950/2021/029). In the study, the articles in the Declaration of Helsinki were complied with. This study was registered in the Clinical Trial Registry (registration number NCT05057078) prior to data collection process. All participants were thoroughly briefed on the research process before providing their consent, and all were ensured that there would be no consequences in case they choose to withdraw at any stage. Verbal and written consent was obtained from all participants. The study was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010 guidelines.

Consent to participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Consent for publication

Patients signed informed consent regarding publishing their data.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics committee permission

KTO Karatay University Non-pharmaceutical and Non-medical Device Research Ethics Committee Chairmanship. Date: September 07, 2021 E-41901325–050.99-Number of decision: 14950/2021/029.

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Oner Cengiz, H., Bayir, B., Sayar, S. et al. Effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled study. Support Care Cancer 31, 438 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-023-07904-2

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