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Outcome of a web-based mindfulness intervention for families living with mental illness – A feasibility study

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Author

Summary, in English

Families living with a person with mental illness can experience distress requiring therapeutic interventions. Web-based mindfulness interventions have shown beneficial health outcomes for both clinical and healthy populations, and may help families cope and overcome barriers that can otherwise hinder a help-seeking process. Aims: To develop and assess outcomes of a web-based mindfulness intervention for families living with a person with mental illness. Methods: A pilot study investigating an 8-week web-based mindfulness intervention with a pre–post design and follow-up after 3 months, with mindfulness as the primary outcome and perceived stress, caregiver burden and self-compassion as secondary outcomes. The study included a sample of 97 persons approached by advertisement in newspapers, newsletters, and online. Results: The study showed significant improvements in levels of mindfulness post-intervention and at follow-up as well as significant improvements in levels of perceived stress, caregiver burden, and self-compassion both post-intervention and at follow-up. Discussion: Acceptability and feasibility of the intervention were high, outcomes were relevant, and the intervention showed positive and significant results supporting the hypothesis that the intervention may help families cope with a stressful situation. Conclusion: Further randomized controlled studies of the intervention are needed to investigate the intervention’s effectiveness, including dose-effect studies.

Publishing year

2017-01

Language

English

Pages

97-108

Publication/Series

Informatics for Health and Social Care

Volume

42

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Informa Healthcare

Topic

  • Other Health Sciences

Keywords

  • Caregiver burden
  • compassion
  • mental illness
  • mindfulness
  • stress
  • web-based support

Status

Published

Research group

  • Mental Health Services Research

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1753-8157