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Mindful Non-judging and Experiential Avoidance Before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) are Associated to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptomatology 5 Months Later

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Abstract

Objectives

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can be a traumatic experience for the patient, engendering psychological distress and sometimes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aim of this study was to explore the relations between psychological resources (i.e., dispositional mindfulness, optimism, and acceptance) and deleterious factors (i.e., experiential avoidance and alexithymia) assessed before HSCT on PTSD symptomatology 5 months after transplantation. The relations between symptoms of PTSD and the five facets of dispositional mindfulness were also explored.

Methods

Among the 187 patients who completed the first questionnaire measuring dispositional factors (i.e., dispositional mindfulness, acceptance, optimism, experiential avoidance, and alexithymia) prior to hospitalization, 91 patients were assessed at 5 months after HSCT on PTSD symptomatology. Various medical and mental health variables were controlled.

Results

Acceptance, experiential avoidance, and the non-judging facet of mindfulness correlated significantly with PTSD symptoms at 5 months. Adjusting for major comorbid psychiatric disorders of PTSD (i.e., anxiety and depression), only experiential avoidance and mindful non-judging remained significant correlates of PTSD symptomatology. In addition, controlling for the same comorbidities, a binary logistic regression analysis revealed that only the non-judging facet of mindfulness is related to a lower risk of developing symptoms of PTSD (OR = 0.38, p < .01; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.95).

Conclusions

This study highlights the importance of psychological constructs barely explored in HSCT. Cultivating a state of non-judgment and non-avoidance of internal experiences is negatively associated to PTSD symptoms following HSCT.

Trial registration

NCT03883672 (March 21, 2019).

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Data Availability

All data are available at Figshare: https://figshare.com/s/a5ed18fbd274dbb4b063

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the nursing staff and the clinical investigators (Frédérique Thomas Lallement and Tiana Andriamasy) of Saint-Louis Hospital, Nancy-Brabois Hospital and Estaing Hospital. We also thank promotor AGRAH (Association de recherche sur la greffe de cellules souches hematopoietiques, les aplasies médullaires et les hemoglobinuries paroxystiques nocturnes) and finally all the patients of the EGMOS (Entraide aux Greffés de Moelle OSseuse) association.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LAPSCO UMR CNRS 6024, Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA), 34 Avenue Carnot, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Maya Corman & Michaël Dambrun

  2. Service d’hématologie, CHRU Nancy-Hôpitaux de Brabois, 54511, Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy, France

    Marie-Thérèse Rubio

  3. Service de Thérapie Cellulaire Et d’hématologie Clinique Adulte, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Site Estaing, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Aurélie Cabrespine & Jacques-Olivier Bay

  4. Service d’hématologiegreffe de moelle, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 75010, Paris, France

    Isabelle Brindel & Régis Peffault De La Tour

Authors
  1. Maya Corman
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  2. Marie-Thérèse Rubio
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  3. Aurélie Cabrespine
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  4. Isabelle Brindel
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  5. Jacques-Olivier Bay
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  6. Régis Peffault De La Tour
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  7. Michaël Dambrun
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Contributions

All co-authors participated to the protocol conception, the acquisition of data, and the paper writing and approved the submitted version of the manuscript. MC and MD: developed the questionnaire and the general protocol, collected and treated the data, and wrote the paper. IB: contributed to the compliance with ethical standards by the ethics consideration management during the protocol time and participated to the data collection. AC: helped in the compliance with ethical standards, collected questionnaires in Estaing Hospital. MTR: participated to the design of the work and the interpretation of data and served as coordinator for collection of questionnaires in Nancy Brabois Hospital. JOB: participated to the design of the work and the interpretation of data and served as coordinator for collection of questionnaires in Estaing Hospital. RPD: contributed to the protocol development and the interpretation of data and served as coordinator in chief in Saint-Louis Hospital.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maya Corman.

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Ethics Approval

This study was approved by the ethical committee Sud-Est III (IRB 2017–026 B)-Eastern Hospital Group and registered in the Registry Clinical Trial under NCT03883672 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/). All patients provided written informed consent.

Consent to Participate

Informed consent was obtained from all patients included in the study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Corman, M., Rubio, MT., Cabrespine, A. et al. Mindful Non-judging and Experiential Avoidance Before Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) are Associated to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptomatology 5 Months Later. Mindfulness 13, 238–247 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01788-1

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