title: A home study-based spirituality education program decreases emotional distress and increases quality of life--a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although epidemiological studies have reported protective effects of religion and spirituality on mental health, it is unknown whether spirituality can be used as an intervention to improve psychological well-being.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of a home study-based spirituality program on mood disturbance in emotionally distressed patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A non-blinded, randomized, wait list-controlled trial of 165 individuals with mood disturbance [score of >40 on the Profile of Mood States (POMS)] were recruited from primary care clinics in a Canadian city between August 2000 and March 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomized to a spirituality group (an 8-week audiotaped spirituality home-study program), a mindfulness meditation-based stress reduction group (attendance at facilitated classes for 8 weeks), or a wait-list control group (no intervention for 12 weeks).
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcomes were mood disturbance, measured using POMS, and quality of life, measured using the SF-36, a short-form health survey with 36 questions. The POMS and the SF-36 were completed at baseline, at 8 weeks, and at 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of the 8-week intervention period, the mean POMS score improvement was -43.1 (-45.7%) for the spirituality group, -22.6 (-26.3%) for the meditation group, and -10.3 (11.3%) for the control group (P<.001 for spirituality vs control group; P=.034 for spirituality vs meditation group). Mean improvement in the SF-36 mental component summary score was 14.4 (48.6%) for the spirituality group, 7.1 (22.3%) for the meditation group, and 4.7 (16.1%) for the control group (P<.001 for spirituality vs control group; P=.029 for spirituality vs meditation group). At 12 weeks, POMS and SF-36 scores remained significantly different from baseline for the spirituality group.
authors.affiliation: Canadian Institute for Natural and Integrative Medicine, Calgary.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moritz
authors.forename: Hude
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Badri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rickhi
authors.forename: Mingfu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angen
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vintila
authors.forename: Russell
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.forename: Jeanette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toews
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation; D008602:Mental Healing; D008603:Mental Health; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D026443:Spiritual Therapies / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D029181:Spirituality; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014850:Waiting Lists