The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Emotional Well-Being (Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Sadness) of Patients with Psoriasis

Abstract

Background: Stress is an important factor in development and exacerbation of symptoms in most of the skin diseases including psoriasis. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction program on emotional well-being of patients with psoriasis. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, experimental group received 10 sessions of mindfulness training. For all the patients the Discomfort and Deprivation Harrington Inventory and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales 42 (DASS 42) questionnaires were measured before, at the end, and 6 weeks after treatment in all recruited patients. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Findings: Between experimental and control groups, there were significant differences in terms of certain components of emotional well-being, including stress and anxiety (P < 0.010). But, the two groups did not differ in terms of depression. These results were consistent over the time. Conclusion: Based on these results, mindfulness-based stress reduction program could potentially be considered as an effective method to relief improvement and compatibility in patients with psoriasis.

Keywords

• Psoriasis
• Mindfulness
• Stress