Authors (including presenting author) :
Li SYH(1), Kong SW(1), Leung HW(1), Chan CF(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Old Age Psychiatry, Castle Peak Hospital
Introduction :
Mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) has been widely used to improve various physical and mental conditions. Studies show the intervention is particularly effective in alleviating depression, anxiety, and stress in working‐aged adults. No recent systematic review has focused on the use of MBSR in older adults.
Objectives :
This study aims to examine the effects of MBSR intervention on depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms of older adults.
Methodology :
This systematic review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The methodological quality and risk of biases across the included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool.
Result & Outcome :
Six eligible studies were included and computed for meta‐analysis. Overall, the amount of evidence is limited and of relatively low quality. The results of this review provide evidence that the MBSR is more effective than wait‐list‐control group to reduce depression in older adults with clinically significant symptoms immediately following the intervention. However, there is no clear evidence that the intervention reduced the perception of stress and anxiety, or that positive effects are maintained over the longer term. More robust studies involving larger sample sizes and using longer follow‐up measurements are required.
