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. 2022 Aug;45(4):643-648.
doi: 10.1007/s10865-022-00295-5. Epub 2022 Feb 14.

Mindfulness is inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term cardiac arrest survivors

Alex Presciutti  1   2 , Jonathan Greenberg  3   4 , Ethan Lester  3   4 , Mary M Newman  5 , Jonathan Elmer  6 , Jonathan A Shaffer  7 , Ana-Maria Vranceanu  3   4 , Sarah M Perman  8
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Mindfulness is inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term cardiac arrest survivors

Alex Presciutti et al. J Behav Med. 2022 Aug.

Abstract

Identifying correlates of psychological symptoms in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors is a major research priority. In this longitudinal survey study, we evaluated associations between mindfulness, baseline psychological symptoms, and 1-year psychological symptoms in long-term CA survivors. We collected demographic and CA characteristics at baseline. At both timepoints, we assessed posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) through the PTSD Checklist-5 (PCL-5) and depression and anxiety symptoms through the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). At follow-up, we assessed mindfulness through the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R). We used adjusted linear regression to predict 1-year PCL-5 and PHQ-4 scores, with particular consideration of the CAMS-R as a cross-sectional correlate of outcome. We included 129 CA survivors (mean age: 52 years, 52% male, 98% white). At 1-year follow-up, in adjusted models, CAMS-R (β: -0.35, p < 0.001) and baseline PCL-5 scores (β: 0.56, p < 0.001) were associated with 1-year PCL-5 scores. CAMS-R (β: -0.34, p < 0.001) and baseline PHQ-4 scores were associated with 1-year PHQ-4 scores (β: 0.37, p < 0.001). In conclusion, mindfulness was inversely associated with psychological symptoms in long-term CA survivors. Future studies should examine the longitudinal relationship of mindfulness and psychological symptoms after CA.

Keywords: Anxiety; Cardiac arrest; Depression; Mindfulness; Posttraumatic stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors report no conflicts of interest.

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