title: Evaluating Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: analyzing stories of stress to formulate focus group questions.
abstract: The primary purpose of this analysis was to learn how therapeutic community (TC) residents describe Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) delivered as part of their substance use recovery experience. A secondary purpose was to develop focus group questions guided by TC residents' descriptions. Two researchers independently analyzed 38 written stories about stress in the TC. The researchers used conventional content analysis; independent analysis was followed by consensus dialogue to identify key words and code definitions. Three themes emerged from the content analysis: utility, portability, and sustainability. Participants talked about MBSR as a tool which helped them "manage" their recovery, noting that they used MBSR techniques in the TC and off-site. They believed they could use MBSR even after exiting the TC. Three focus group questions were formulated, one for each theme. Content analysis of stories of stress provided substantive guidance for formulating focus group questions which incorporated the voice of participants through familiar terms and friendly language.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Nursing, Houston, TX 77030, USA. deidra.d.carroll@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Deidra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liehr
authors.forename: Sommer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raines
authors.forename: Marianne T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Marcus
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D033262:Narration; D020380:Needs Assessment; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012064:Relaxation Therapy / Q000592:standards; D012107:Research Design; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013808:Therapeutic Community; D014956:Writing