Short-term effect of internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image among women with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.949446

. 2022 Oct 25:13:949446.

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.949446. eCollection 2022.

Short-term effect of internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image among women with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

Yun-Chen Chang^{1

2}, Chang-Fang Chiu³, Chih-Kai Wang⁴, Chen-Teng Wu⁵, Liang-Chih Liu^{6

7}, Yao-Chung Wu⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing and Graduate Institute of Nursing, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
² Nursing Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
³ Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁴ Cancer Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁶ Division of Breast Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁷ School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.

PMID: 36389600
PMCID: PMC9640939
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.949446

Short-term effect of internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image among women with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

Yun-Chen Chang et al. Front Psychol. 2022.

. 2022 Oct 25:13:949446.

doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.949446. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Yun-Chen Chang^{1

2}, Chang-Fang Chiu³, Chih-Kai Wang⁴, Chen-Teng Wu⁵, Liang-Chih Liu^{6

7}, Yao-Chung Wu⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing and Graduate Institute of Nursing, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
² Nursing Department, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
³ Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁴ Cancer Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁶ Division of Breast Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
⁷ School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.

PMID: 36389600
PMCID: PMC9640939
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.949446

Abstract

Background and aim: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an Internet-Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (iMBSR) program was delivered and may be better than an in-person approach. Our study evaluated the effects of iMBSR intervention on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image in women with breast cancer in Taiwan.

Materials and methods: Sixty-seven women with breast cancer were allocated to a 6-week iMBSR (n = 41) program or a waitlist control group (n = 26), without heterogeneity between group characteristics. Patients from both groups were measured at baseline and postintervention using three scales: Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), General self-efficacy scale, and Body Image Scale. Descriptive dataset analysis, paired t-test, and Student's t-test were used to evaluate the data.

Results: Although iMBSR did not significantly improve depression and stress between groups, iMBSR could improve anxiety (Δmean: -2.0 vs. -0.4, p = 0.041) with medium effect sizes. Significant benefits were found for body image (Δmean: -3.6 vs. 0.9, p = 0.003) and self-efficacy (Δmean: 4.2 vs. 1.5, p = 0.004), with large effect sizes (Cohen's d = 0.73).

Conclusion: Our preliminary study supports iMBSR as a program that can improve mental health, body image, and self-efficacy in women with breast cancer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical professionals can use Internet-based clinical health education.

Keywords: body image; breast cancer; internet-delivered MBSR; internet-delivered therapy; mental health; self-efficacy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Flow diagram of study participants.

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References

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[1] Bandura A., William H. F., Richard L. (1999). Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control, vol. 13. United States: Springer, 158–166.

[2] Bandura A., William H. F., Richard L. (1999). Self-efficacy: The Exercise of Control, vol. 13. United States: Springer, 158–166.

[3] Bober S. L., Fine E., Recklitis C. J. (2020). Sexual health and rehabilitation after ovarian suppression treatment (SHARE-OS): a clinical intervention for young breast cancer survivors. J. Cancer Surviv. 14, 26–30. doi: 10.1007/s11764-019-00800-x, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[4] Bober S. L., Fine E., Recklitis C. J. (2020). Sexual health and rehabilitation after ovarian suppression treatment (SHARE-OS): a clinical intervention for young breast cancer survivors. J. Cancer Surviv. 14, 26–30. doi: 10.1007/s11764-019-00800-x, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[5] Boquiren V. M., Esplen M. J., Wong J., Toner B., Warner E. (2013). Exploring the influence of gender-role socialization and objectified body consciousness on body image disturbance in breast cancer survivors. Psychooncology 22, 2177–2185. doi: 10.1002/pon.3271, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[6] Boquiren V. M., Esplen M. J., Wong J., Toner B., Warner E. (2013). Exploring the influence of gender-role socialization and objectified body consciousness on body image disturbance in breast cancer survivors. Psychooncology 22, 2177–2185. doi: 10.1002/pon.3271, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[7] Boquiren V. M., Esplen M. J., Wong J., Toner B., Warner E., Malik N. (2016). Sexual functioning in breast cancer survivors experiencing body image disturbance. Psychooncology 25, 66–76. doi: 10.1002/pon.3819, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[8] Boquiren V. M., Esplen M. J., Wong J., Toner B., Warner E., Malik N. (2016). Sexual functioning in breast cancer survivors experiencing body image disturbance. Psychooncology 25, 66–76. doi: 10.1002/pon.3819, PMID: - DOI - PubMed

[9] Brooks S. K., Webster R. K., Smith L. E., Woodland L., Wessely S., Greenberg N., et al. . (2020). The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence. Lancet 395, 912–920. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30460-8, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Brooks S. K., Webster R. K., Smith L. E., Woodland L., Wessely S., Greenberg N., et al. . (2020). The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: rapid review of the evidence. Lancet 395, 912–920. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30460-8, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Short-term effect of internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image among women with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

Affiliations

Short-term effect of internet-delivered mindfulness-based stress reduction on mental health, self-efficacy, and body image among women with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

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