The Mindfulness Meditation Effect on States of Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Quality of Life

Pedro Morais, Ana P. Pinheiro, Miguel S. Fonseca, Carla Quintão

2022

Abstract

Purpose: This paper aims to study how mindfulness meditation can be used to prevent, or improve, states of anxiety, depression, stress and loss of quality of life. Although this model of meditation has been associated with a healthier life, there is a need for scientific evidence-based on longitudinal results. Methods: Twenty-five volunteers, asymptomatic of psychological distress, participated in this research project attending a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course. The status of each individual was assessed for 18 weeks, with three scales: World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL), Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). There were four evaluation periods: Pre/Peri/Post-MBSR course and a fourth follow-up, after two months. Results: Comparing the beginning to the end of the MBSR course, a significant reduction was observed in mean results of self-reported anxiety: -66.0% (p<0.001), stress: -52.0% (p<0.001), depression: -51.0% (p<0.001) and Total Mood Disturbance (TMD): -19.0% (p<0.001), as well as an increase in quality of life: 11.2% (p<0.001). Conclusion: The current values suggest that the practice of mindfulness meditation, characterized by self-regulation of attention, can be used as a proactive way to prevent and respond to psychopathological disorders.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Morais P., Pinheiro A., Fonseca M. and Quintão C. (2022). The Mindfulness Meditation Effect on States of Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Quality of Life. In Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2022) - Volume 5: HEALTHINF; ISBN 978-989-758-552-4, SciTePress, pages 573-582. DOI: 10.5220/0010854900003123

in Bibtex Style

@conference{healthinf22,
author={Pedro Morais and Ana P. Pinheiro and Miguel S. Fonseca and Carla Quintão},
title={The Mindfulness Meditation Effect on States of Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Quality of Life},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2022) - Volume 5: HEALTHINF},
year={2022},
pages={573-582},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0010854900003123},
isbn={978-989-758-552-4},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 15th International Joint Conference on Biomedical Engineering Systems and Technologies (BIOSTEC 2022) - Volume 5: HEALTHINF
TI - The Mindfulness Meditation Effect on States of Anxiety, Depression, Stress and Quality of Life
SN - 978-989-758-552-4
AU - Morais P.
AU - Pinheiro A.
AU - Fonseca M.
AU - Quintão C.
PY - 2022
SP - 573
EP - 582
DO - 10.5220/0010854900003123
PB - SciTePress