Abstract
Objectives
There is a rapidly growing body of research into mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for People Experiencing Psychosis. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of a novel, 6-week 1:1 MBI, as well as the feasibility of the assessment and analysis of between-session practice and metacognitive beliefs as predictors of Quality of Life (QoL) outcomes.
Method
A case series design was used. Eight participants were recruited, with seven completers. The primary outcome, QoL, was assessed up to four times per week, with additional outcomes taken weekly, pre-post, and pre-mid-post. Multilevel modelling was used to examine predictors.
Results
The methods and intervention were feasible. However, most participants preferred shorter, 30-min appointments with one mindfulness practice. Between-session practice varied significantly (0–220 min total), with three participants completing no between-session practice. Pre- to mid-intervention improvement in metacognitive beliefs was lost at post-intervention assessment. Non-significant trends of improvement were noted in most outcomes.
Conclusions
A full-scale trial is recommended to assess the intervention and predictors, with adjustment of intervention length and post-intervention assessment suggested. Future research should also further examine metacognitive processes and factors associated with between-session practice adherence for people experiencing psychosis accessing MBIs.
Preregistration
This study was not preregistered. However, detailed study and intervention protocols were created as part of the ethics application, which was followed throughout the study. These documents are available upon request.
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Data Availability
Anonymized data will be made available upon request.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Recruitment, intervention delivery, and data collection were completed by Joseph Ridler. Material preparation and data analysis were performed primarily by Joseph Ridler, with input from Audrey Millar and Matthias Schwannauer. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Joseph Ridler and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.
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This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was granted by the South Central – Oxford A Research Ethics Committee (REC reference: 20/SC/0132) and the University of Edinburgh’s School of Health in Social Science, and management approval was given by the relevant NHS Research and Development Office.
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Ridler, J., Millar, A. & Schwannauer, M. Mindfulness-Based Interventions for People Experiencing Psychosis: A Randomized Feasibility Study. Mindfulness (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02326-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-024-02326-5