Abstract Details

Mindfulness Based Interventions  (MBI) have been shown to reduce stress and improve well being in different clinical populations. Using a Focus Group Analysis to broaden the nature of our questioning, we investigate Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as an Integrative Medicine approach in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Psychological stress is clinically related to increased  symptom severity in PD and decline in social relationships and anhedonia have been reported. MBIs are increasingly being used for stress reduction and coping with chronic illness.  Neuroimaging studies provide insights into the neurobiological processes associated with mindfulness. We showed the first evidence for neuroplastic changes on MRI VBM structural imaging secondary to MBSR in PD  (Pickut 2013) and behavioral and motor (UPDRS) function changes (Pickut 2015).

Five self-report questionnaires pre- and post-testing to 13 PwP (6 female). Scores were analysed using paired Student t-tests using a p-value threshold of 0.05 for significance determination and results presented with 95% confidence intervals. All statistical analyses were conducted in SPSS version 20. The Focus Group comprised 10 participants (5 female) recording was transcribed and reviewed individually by three members of the research team who sought after topics of spirituality, empowerment, and coping then triangulated their findings.

Significant improvements were found in the PDQ-39 emotional wellbeing, and social support (p=0.022, p=0.05, respectively), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, non-judgmental facet (p=0.022), and Beck Depression Inventory-II  decreased by 5.2 (p=0.058). The Focus Group analysis indicated strong support for topics of spirituality, empowerment, and coping as well for a group effect.

Results indicate that mindfulness training is associated with improved sense of emotional wellbeing and perception of social support and in the ability to not judge inner experience as well as a milder depressive symptomatology. Finally, there was strong support for topics of spirituality, empowerment, and coping as well as the group effect.