Efficacy of a brief mindfulness intervention upon anxiety in early psychosis patients.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to examine the efficacy of a brief mindfulness intervention in reducing anxiety in early psychosis patients and whether symptom burden affects the therapeutic response.
Results Summary
The study found a statistically significant reduction in anxiety scores (from 4.6 to 1.7) after a 3-minute mindfulness exercise, with no influence from symptom burden.
Population
Early psychosis patients with less than 30 months of antipsychotic exposure.
Effective Dosage
3-minute mindfulness exercise (single session).
Duration
Single session (3 minutes).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
a brief mindfulness intervention | decrease | anxiety | early psychosis patients | - | reducing | #1 |
a 3-minute mindfulness exercise | decrease | Anxiety Subscale of the POMS scores | patients who had experienced an initial episode of psychosis, with less than 30 months of antipsychotic exposure | from 4.6 to 1.7 | decreased | #2 |
a brief mindfulness exercise | decrease | state anxiety | early psychosis patients | - | produced a significant reduction | #3 |
a brief mindfulness exercise | no change | therapeutic response | - | - | not influenced | #4 |
AIM: To examine the efficacy of a brief mindfulness intervention in reducing anxiety in early psychosis patients, and to determine whether symptom burden mitigates therapeutic response. METHODS: Our study included patients who had experienced an initial episode of psychosis, with less than 30 months of antipsychotic exposure. First, the prescriber completed the COMPASS Clinician Rating Form (measuring symptom burden), and patients completed the POMS questionnaire (measuring anxiety). A 3-minute mindfulness exercise was administered, and patients again completed the POMS scale. The differences between the pre- and postintervention anxiety scores were analysed using a paired t test. RESULTS: A total of 20 subjects participated. The mean Anxiety Subscale of the POMS scores decreased from 4.6 to 1.7. The change was statistically significant, and not influenced by symptom burden. CONCLUSIONS: A brief mindfulness exercise, conducted in a routine office visit, produced a significant reduction in state anxiety for early psychosis patients, regardless of symptom burden.